Peter Sagan won a thrilling sprint to the line in Berne as Chris Froome maintained his advantage at the top of the overall standings
5.11pm BST
So Peter Sagan wins his third stage of this Tour and tightens his grip on green while Chris Froome moves a step closer to an historic third yellow jersey. Five stages to go. That’s all from me, thanks for all your emails and tweets. You can read our stage 16 report right here:
Related: Tour de France: Peter Sagan wins stage 16 on line as Chris Froome keeps lead
5.09pm BST
Confirmation that there is no change at the top:
5.08pm BST
“Coffee!” emails Jeannine Fleegle. “Are you kidding me? As my grandmother would say, eat something!”
4.56pm BST
Chris Froome speaks! “It was pretty sketchy, a lot of road furniture out there, and over those cobbles I was just trying to stay out of trouble. I think everyone’s glad there is rest day tomorrow, that was tough out there. I’m pretty tired to be honest. I’m looking forward to the Alps, I’m motivated, I think the team’s doing great. I think the team’s in fatastic shape, I don’t think we’ve ever been at this point in the race and still had nine riders left.”
And tomorrow? “I’m looking forward to the rest day, and getting out for a ride with the lads. Maybe stop for a coffee somewhere.”
4.50pm BST
Congrats @alafpolak & @tonymartin85! Both were awarded the most combative rider of the day award! A first in #TDF! pic.twitter.com/mxNNfCDM9Q
4.43pm BST
Wow.
#TDF2016 How close was that? This close! What a sprint and win number 3 for @petosagan! #MaillotVert pic.twitter.com/324CfuCNsD
4.40pm BST
Confirmation to come of what that chaotic finish has done to the general classification:
stage result will be interesting, that peloton behind Sagan was in bits, suspect some of Froome's rivals will have lost time
4.36pm BST
An impressive finish from Sondre Holst Enger, the 22-year-old from IAM Cycling who snuck into third.
4.35pm BST
1 Peter Sagan
2 Alexander Kristoff
3 Sondre Holst Enger
4 John Degenkolb
5 Michael Matthews
4.31pm BST
Peter Sagan speaks! “Yeah it was a very long stage, very hot, I am so happy and proud of my team because they did a very good job. A lot of times I lose the race like this and today I won. I believe in destiny. The fans from Slovakia, it’s very nice they come here to see me and to cheer for me.”
4.29pm BST
Kristoff actually celebrated, he thought he’d won it. That’s Sagan’s third stage win of this Tour and his seventh overall.
4.27pm BST
That was a stunning way to end to a compelling stage. Alexander Kristoff and Peter Sagan were level with five metres remaining and both threw their bikes at the line, and it was Sagan who pinched it by the closest of margins.
4.25pm BST
Sagan, Kittel and Degenkolb are all well placed. Chris Froome is also in the pack of 20 or so closing in on 500m. This is going to be a thrilling bunch sprint. They weave, glancing at each other. It’s Kristoff, Degenkolb and Sagan in the final 50m and... the green jersey gets there first by barely an inch! Photo finish!
4.22pm BST
1km remaining: This uphill drag is taking plenty of riders out of contention. They take a sharp left and Sep Vanmarcke goes for home! But everyone follows and this is going right to the wire, so many could win it. Sagan still well placed, Degenkolb is on his wheel...
4.20pm BST
2km remaining: Bikes rattle over the cobbles. Rui Costa has been caught and BMC have taken control on the front. Peter Sagan is there, as is Edvald Boasson Hagen...
4.19pm BST
3km remaining: The road narrows and sweeps aggressively from right to left, stretching the riders out along the road, and good thing too as they approach a very tight right-hander which somehow doesn’t result in a crash. Now the cobbles...
4.18pm BST
5km remaining: Trek-Segafredo come to fore as they reach the first uphill drag of this finish section - they want to get local man Fabian Cancellara in position for the chance to do something special in his final Tour.
4.16pm BST
7km remaining: Rui Costa still has 10sec on the rest. BMC lead the peloton into the fringes of the city. This is anyone’s to win. “I used to live in Bern (not Berne!) and those tram lines were hellish on a Brompton. I came to grief a couple of times. Once admittedly at 1am after a lively evening out.” Let’s hope they aren’t hellish now. And apologies but my Guardian Style Guide tells me it’s spelt Berne when in Guardian Towers.
4.14pm BST
Greg van Avermaet, Peter Sagan and Alexander Kristoff are all up at the front of the peloton as they jostle for position. A prediction from Matthew Trim: “Bryan Coquard - Cav to get wiped out by a tramline/German.”
4.12pm BST
10km remaining: Rui Costa grimaces. He is working hard about 10sec in front of the peloton – the image of 182 riders behind him looks rather ominous.
Margie Hughes emails: “Re: Cameron Graley’s submission- clever but the first video on MTv was the Buggles ‘video Killed the Radio Star’ which may well be what happened to Martina LaPhillip.”
4.10pm BST
12km remaining: The road narrows and the pack is stretched. Rui Costa is actually still a few seconds in front of the pack, but his lead is minimal. “What other sports can you watch begin on TV, watch a bit live and then go home and watch the rest on TV?” emails Nick Evans. “Cricket. You could have a few nights away from home in the middle of a cricket match, and still not miss anything, although I still struggle with idea of anything that has lunch and tea breaks as being a sport.”
4.08pm BST
Before things get frantic, here is an update of the green jersey standings after the rather underwhelming intermediate sprint earlier:
Peter Sagan 355 points
Mark Cavendish 291
Marcel Kittel 228
4.07pm BST
15km remaining: Costa’s attack is short-lived and he is brought back into the pack.
4.05pm BST
Some predictions:
“EBH [Edvald Boasson Hagen] as an outside bet prediction,” reckons Robin Hazlehurst. “No I don’t really think so either, but he has been there and thereabouts this year, and wouldn’t it just make Dimension Data’s tour really fantastic.”
@LawrenceOstlere Sagan, Coquard, Matthews top 3 - but not sure in what order!
4.03pm BST
Rui Costa is 15sec clear. The original breakaway is no more but let’s salute them with one more Name-the-Breakaway email, courtesy of Cameron Graley: “Martina LaPhillip PE – a lesser-known backing singer from the United States, most famously known for appearing during the first video broadcast on MTV in 1987 (Dire Straits – Money for Nothing no less). After her career took a downward turn, she retrained as a nuclear engineer, specialising is isotropic decay of Thorium and thus earning her post-nominal title. She now resides in Toronto, Canada.”
Rui Costa seul en tête / leading solo #TDF2016 pic.twitter.com/UGtRrMuLye
4.01pm BST
20km remaining: Rui Costa makes a solo charge! This is bold. Liam Murray, who emailed earlier from the roadside at Neuchatel, poses a thinker: “Trying to think of another sport where you can watch the begining on TV, pop out to catch a few minutes live, then go home for the finishing stages. Golf I guess?”
3.58pm BST
Almost four hours after making a break for it, Tony Martin is caught. He sits back in his seat and puffs out his cheeks before sliding across into the middle of the pack. All 183 riders are together with 22km to go.
3.57pm BST
Prediction time. Any offers? I will hang my hat on Michael Matthews.
3.53pm BST
25km remaining: Julian Alaphilippe throws in the towel! As he and Tony Martin hit the first ascent of three short climbs into the finish, the young French rider has no more to give and he slips away to rejoin the peloton. Tony Martin is out on his own, 22sec clear of the other 182 riders.
3.51pm BST
Here is a look at the cobbled uphill section that the riders will be faced with at the end of this stage. Add it to the tramlines and it could get chaotic:
Découvrez la côte pavée à 3 km de l'arrivée / Have a look at the cobbled hill #TDF2016 pic.twitter.com/lY14eGB8Kg
3.47pm BST
30km remaining: Julian Alaphilippe and Tony Martin slow for a moment to take bottles of water. They have put in this huge two-man effort in searing heat and, understandably, that workload is starting to show. Their lead is now down to 50sec from the swarm of 181 riders crossing a wide bridge, as they close in on Berne.
3.44pm BST
Some of the best images from stage 16 so far:
3.39pm BST
Tinkoff have taken up the chase at the front of the peloton – they want to ensure Peter Sagan is well-placed in the final kilometres. Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe have worked tirelessly to keep the pace high and maintain their advantage but it is now only around 65sec, with 33km remaining.
Paul Tindle has thought Name the Breakaway through: “Martin Alaphilippe was a small luxury car maker in interwar France, specialising in bespoke art nouveau coachwork atop Citroen mechanicals, popular among a small number of individualist wealthy individuals. Rare examples of these rolling artworks remain highly desirable at concourse events, with occasional barn finds attracting 7 figure sums at auction. The company lasted until the outbreak of war in 1939, when German occupiers took over the production facilities and produced a number of self-propelled guns, known as amongst the troops as ‘Panzerwagens’.”
3.34pm BST
Barely a minute behind the leaders, Peter Sagan moves to the front of the peloton to collect the best of the rest of the sprint points on offer. He is closely followed – but not challenged – by Mark Cavendish and Bryan Coquard. An email from Hamlet D’Arcy, who may or may not work for the Swiss tourist board: “For those admiring the beauty of Neuchâtel, please know there are beautiful, low traffic cycling roads all around the lake. Come cycle Switzerland, it is heaven! (also, very proud of the Swiss fans showing everyone how to behave properly. Chapeau!).”
3.31pm BST
The only intermediate sprint of the day is uncontested. The Etixx QuickStep riders have a chit chat before Martin who allows the more junior Alaphilippe to collect the €1,500 first prize.
@LawrenceOstlere having a team-mate to lead out would suggest Tony Martin has learnt from his 2013 Vuelta break: https://t.co/HeSU17n2e1
3.27pm BST
For the first time since the peloton first allowed them to get away, Martin and Alaphilippe are within two minutes of the rest. There has not been great drama so far in stage 16 but it has been played out a roaring pace, in large part due to Tony Martin’s perseverance.
Paul Griffin returns on email: “My lecturer in French Cycling Semiotics at L’Universite de la Velo, Martin Alaphilippe, swore he had proof of Desgranges’ remark, but insisted they were cremated with him to avoid bringing disgrace on his family. So it may be that, in a very real sense, we will never know the truth.”
3.24pm BST
The peloton whips around a roundabout in a long slender train. They are closing in: Martin and Alaphilippe are only 2min 07sec down the road. Tom Atkins emails: “When riders do their sitting on the top tube thing on a descent, is anyone else reminded of Mario Kart when one of the racers gets the shrinking mushroom and you go small for 10 seconds? No? OK then, as you were. Sorry.” Then you found yourself a golden star, rushed to make up for lost time and fell off the rainbow into the abyss.
3.20pm BST
50km remaining: Marcel Kittel has a rear puncture. It’s a quick fix from the Etixx team car and he rushes to rejoin the main pack.
3.18pm BST
Martin and Alaphilippe have managed to hold their lead from the peloton at around three minutes for some time but it is just starting to fall as they approach a wider road showing the way towards Berne. More on Neuchâtel from Liam Murray on email: “Greetings from Neuchatel. A big crowd gathering here, for the only interesting event in the two years I’ve lived in Neuchatel.” Tell that to the chaps in amphibious cars, Liam. “Everything is characteristically Swiss: benches laud out for the old folks, the Red Cross have a few tents set up, unlike those jaywalking French everyone is staying off the street, and I might be the only person in the Jardin Anglais drinking a beer.”
3.13pm BST
Martin and Alaphilippe are skirting around the Lake Neuchâtel. I have a found a photo of the lake – who knew it hosted the 26th European meeting of amphibious cars?
3.07pm BST
Wout Poels has a problem and falls back, but he is being returned to the peloton on the wheel of a Team Sky car. Some quickfire Name the Breakaway:
“Martina la Philippe was a conference-shy French physicist,” reveals Dave Rowe, “who, through countless misspellings of her name, avoided gender bias and won widespread recognition for her research in theoretical optics in the 1950s.”
3.02pm BST
The blue duo of Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe reach the foot of the long ascent at Boudry with 2min 55sec over the peloton. “Lawrence, is it possible that Tony Martin is performing the longest leadout in Tour history and Alaphillipe is going to jump around him in the final 5km and solo to glory?” If anyone could...
2.59pm BST
Giant-Alpecin’s powerful sprinter John Degenkolb, talking before the day, said he is the guy with the least pressure coming into this stage. He is one of several riders who this finish might suit, including Peter Sagan, Michael Matthews, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Alexander Kristoff and others – presuming the catch the breakaway.
Brian Hudner goes beyond the brink of my 1980s German music knowledge: “Martin Alaphilippe was the lead singer of Alphaville, the German one-hit wonders from the 1980s. After gigging for a few years as Alaphilippe, he tired of spelling his surname, and after a Thursday night gig in “The Pink Toothbrush” in Rayleigh, changed it to Alphaville. The rest, as they say, is obscurity. But wait, surely you remember their signature hit, Big in Japan? Having forgotten what it was about, Wikipedia made me little the wiser: ‘Big In Japan’ tells about a couple of lovers trying to get off Heroin. They both imagine how great it would be to love without the drug: no steal, no clients, no ice age in the pupil, real emotions, true worlds.’”
2.53pm BST
Almost every time the camera cuts to our leaders Tony Martin is on the front, mouth agape, pumping hard. From certain angles Julian Alaphilippe could just be in one of those child-seats on the back. He certainly seems more passenger than driver and that might be one reason why they starting to get pegged back. A couple of responses to Paul Griffin’s email earlier:
@LawrenceOstlere Re: Paul Griffin's point, maybe that's what those taped over tramlines are for...
@LawrenceOstlere Isn't the the Henri Desgrange quote mentioned by Paul Griffin apocryphal - I've never seen a source/reference for it
2.48pm BST
80km remaining: Tinkoff hit the front of the peloton as BMC ease off. Martin and Alaphilippe have been able to preserve what’s left of their lead (around three minutes) as they approach a brief ascent before the longest descent of the day (12km). “Is there a prize (unofficial or otherwise) for the best countryside decoration along the route - akin to Britain in Bloom with winners proudly displaying their accolade on roundabouts surrounding the village?” wonders Matthew Trim. “My fav thus far has been the ‘animated feet on a haystack’ if only for the crippling effect on the live ITV4 commentary whilst they realised what it was.” Ha. I hope there is some sort of ceremonial jersey. My favourite was an absolutely massive horse made from hay. It was impractically large.
And Bev Nicolson emails re Keith R Kennedy’s fact: “Is it time for the absinthe makes the heart grow fonder gag? No? OK.”
2.42pm BST
Kyle De Boer emails: “So is anyone really the BMC team captain this year and does anyone believe Richie and Tejay will both be riding for BMC next tour?” Their manager said yesterday that there is still no leader, despite Van Garderen’s troubles up the Grand Colombier on stage 15. Surely they will have a rethink before the next Tour.
2.39pm BST
Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe still have 85km to go and their advantage is slowly eroding away. The pair still have 3min 30sec over the peloton but the Switzerland-based BMC are determined to have their say on today’s finish in Berne, and it is their riders in red at the nose pulling the main bunch along at a fierce pace.
Kirk Daniel emails: “Martin Alaphilippe is the name of a pseudo-historian on the hunt for lost Nazi gold bullion.”
2.34pm BST
Mark Cavendish, interviewed before the stage, says this is not a stage for the pure sprinters but for those who can “absorb the lactic acid” over 3kms or more.
2.30pm BST
Etixx riders Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe reach the small town of Fleurier before beginning a short sharp descent. The counterattackers have been swept up by the vast, 181-man peloton which snakes from one side of the road to the other as Richie Porte’s BMC team-mates look to find some shelter as they reel in the leaders. For the first time in more than an hour, the gap is within three minutes.
A fact from Keith R Kennedy: “A bit of interesting information - once the riders are in Switzerland they will pass through the village of Couvet which is where absinthe was first distilled from am original recipe by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire. The recipe eventually came into the hands of Henri Louis Pernod and the company he founded is still making absinthe today. I think the riders had better stick to water though!”
2.21pm BST
Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe lead the 2016 Tour de France into Switzerland – they are 100km from the finish at Berne with a 4min 23sec lead over the peloton. Some quickfire Name the Breakaway:
2.17pm BST
BMC hit the front of the peloton as they pass a field of polka-dot cows. “This seems callous to even ask, given what an achievement finishing the Tour is, but what does the record low number of abandonments this year signify?” asks Paul Griffin callously. “Is it an anomaly, to be followed by a painful regression to the mean next year, or has the Tour got a little too straightforward, driven by media demands for a cliffhanger final weekend, and a recognition that really extreme routes tempt medical responses? Henri Desgrange, the race founder, once said the ideal Tour would have only one finisher, would he be disappointed at the size of the peloton?” A very good question; he probably would be. It may well revert to type next year, as conditions have been favourable and the route in the first week seemed to be one that minimised big peloton pile-ups. Cycling has that issue of many sports between balancing the need for a compelling level of peril with outright danger, and seems to get it right a lot of the time.
2.10pm BST
The counterattack of Edet, Roosen, Breen and Craddock are falling back, back, back towards the peloton. Martin and Alaphilippe’s lead has been squeezed a touch but they still have a 5min 05sec advantage.
@LawrenceOstlere re Bern, there is a bear (not beer) garden which I think they go right by with 2km to go. Odds on someone falling in?
2.06pm BST
Much like this rolling report, Nick Evans will not let the need for useful content get in the way of writing something: “I rebuilt my laptop last night - which was a very exciting way to round off the weekend - and I failed to add my personal email account. Now I’ve done so in order to email you my thoughts on the TdF, I’ve forgotten what I was going to say. Can any of your readers beat that?”
2.04pm BST
A minor ascent takes the leaders to the highest point of this stage 16. It’s all downhill from here, you could say, though you’d be wrong to. The peloton have upped their output a little with Team Sky on the front and their gap to Martin and Alaphilippe is down to 5min 20sec. Mick Gorman emails: “If the two lead groups come together we can call them the “Six Pack” after the abs I once I had.... or the 1982 Kenny Rogers movie. For different reasons I don’t expect to see either ever again.” Meanwhile, some formidable mower/tractor work:
9/10 for this Field Art! Scale, Artistry and subject matter all on point #sbstdf pic.twitter.com/UxROtIb56l
1.58pm BST
Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe have got through more than 90km and are another 15km or so from the Swiss border. OK, this is a long one, but I admire the dedication: “Martin AlaPhilippe (M.A.P.), watch manufacturers from the town of Orbe on the Swiss French border. Originally specialising in grande civic clocks for municipal building in France, M.A.P. began making wristwatches at the turn of the century and were the first watch manufacturer to use a bi-directional turn mechanism (clockwise to wind the watch mechanism and counter-clockwise to set the time). Relatively unknown through the late 20th Century, M.A.P. were bought by hedge-fund management company, Crewson and Peak-Fletcher, in 2003. Manufacture was subsequently moved to the middle East and a range of ostentatious, over-sized time-pieces were introduced, primarily for the Russian and Irish markets. M.A.P. are the sponsors of Jenson Button’s helmet visors and sponsor the tiller handle on the successful American, America’s Cup yacht, Adversity.”
@LawrenceOstlere Martin Alaphillipe, self-assured Swiss detective, BBC Four 9pm, Saturdays, currently investigating theft of a cuckoo clock.
1.53pm BST
Tony Martin is doing most of the work on the front with his junior partner Alaphilippe generally taking a backseat. Martin seems determined to prevent the chasers from joining their fun. An anonymous email: “With a finish in Toblerone’s ancestral homeland, are any of Switzerland’s finest sizing up a tilt at the stage victory? I’ve been a little depressed to hear tales of Cancellara slogging along in the grupetto in his final Tour, annoying them with a misplaced peloton work ethic — would it be too much to hope that Spartacus gets to stand up without everyone else stealing his thunder?” Everyone wanted a piece of Fabian Cancellara this morning:
Media scrum around #Spartacus at the sign-in. #TDF2016 pic.twitter.com/aPt47sZFPL
1.49pm BST
After a long steady drag uphill, the road has flattened out as they sweep through stunning countryside broken up by the occasional village with locals out in force. Martin and Alaphilippe are now six minutes clear of the front of the peloton, and have worked brilliantly to resist the chasing quartet who are around three minutes back. Chrissie Lavin emails with a question about Tinkoff: “Does anyone yet know what is happening to the team/riders after 2016 please? Sagan seems pretty pally with Froome...”
@LawrenceOstlere #namethatbreakaway Master criminal Martin a la Phillippe was hunted down by the detective duo of Craddock and Edet-Breen
1.43pm BST
The sun is slamming down this afternoon near the border between France and Switzerland. It is a relatively flat stage but that shouldn’t be mistaken for an easy stage and the chasing group are struggling to make further inroads – right now they don’t seem to be able to get any closer to Martin and Alaphilippe than a couple of minutes.
@LawrenceOstlere Martin Alaphilippe- blew the whistle on a Swiss bank drug money laundering scandal. Now lives under a secret identity in...
1.38pm BST
“Afternoon Lawrence!” cheers Tom Ashworth. “Enjoying your commentary. It’s boiling outside but I’m stuck in the office. Although I did pop out a few minutes ago to get my kids Va Va Froom T shirts from Evans (they were on sale). Anyway – question for the followers, do we think Thomas will step up and become a proper GC contender soon? I thought so a couple of years ago but surely he’s running out of time nowadays, especially as he’s just signed for at least 1 year at Sky. He’s one of my favourite riders but I struggle to see how he’ll make the move.”
1.37pm BST
Long, flat, relentless. Tony Martin loves these days. He gives Alaphilippe a glance as if to check that the young rider is in this for the long haul and gets a nod in return. However, they are being hunted: Edet, Roosen, Breen and Craddock have been allowed to go by the peloton and are within two minutes of the leaders. I think you might be on your own here, Sean:
@LawrenceOstlere whenever I see Alaphilippe I read Alphaphilippe. As in first Philippe, best of the Philippes, top Philippe. Anyone else?
1.33pm BST
Re the photo of the run to the finish posted earlier, Alex Gemmell emails: “TRAMLINES! I know they’re supposedly covered up but surely the potential for absolute carnage during the bunch sprint is too high to risk this? I hope I’m wrong - it’s not like ASO need more accusations of uselessness thrown at them.” It is quite concerning. They look like they’ve been taped over by someone who just remembered this morning.
1.30pm BST
The peloton sweep through Mignovillard where bells ring and flags wave fervently. The streets are packed with people and full of colour; the Tour is well supported in these parts. Around 5min 15sec up the road, Martin and Alaphilippe are drawing closer to the Swiss border.
@LawrenceOstlere Martin and Alaphillipe. The two men Einstein was drinking with in a Bern pub when he discovered theory of relativity #TDF16
1.26pm BST
Timo Roosen is also part of the chasing group to make up a quartet in between the peloton and the race leaders, Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe.
@LawrenceOstlere Martin and Alaphilippe - Magic double act doing the Norwegian Cruise Liner scene. Lining up a shot on Britain's Got Talent.
1.24pm BST
There was some terribly sad news last night, after Chris Boardman announced his mother had died while out cycling in north Wales. The Olympic gold medallist posted a moving tribute on social media after Carol Boardman, who was a former racing cyclist herself, died from injuries sustained in collision with a pick-up truck. He said his mother was “a stealth combatant and full of energy; mum was one of those individuals who could quietly turn anything into a contest”. You can read more here:
Related: Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman's mother killed in cycling crash
1.20pm BST
A group of chasers have established themselves between peloton and breakaway: Lawson Craddock (Cannondale-Drapac), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) and Vegard Breen (Fortuneo-Vital Concept). The breakers, Etixx-QuickStep’s Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe, have increased their lead over the main pack in the past 10km, up now to 5min 02sec as the peloton take their collective foot off the gas pedal (this is a metaphor, not an allegation over motorised bikes).
1.14pm BST
Re Martin à la Philippe, Tom Charnock emails: “A braised migratory bird done in the style of Philip (i.e. shouted at for being a migrant until tender).”
1.11pm BST
Sorry if you found there was an error in the email link above earlier. Do get in contact with your thoughts on the stage or the Tour in general, or your breakaway name nominations by emailing lawrence.ostlere@theguardian.com or tweeting @LawrenceOstlere. I need the company.
1.08pm BST
50km completed and Martin and Alaphilippe lead the peloton by 1min 15sec. The counterattacks keep coming, but they have largely been headed off within a few minutes. “Surprised Sagan has not gone up to the leaders to a least try and get the sprint points,” emails Stephen Smith. “Waiting for the end is very dicey given Cavendish is a better sprinter and he’s not that far ahead.”
1.03pm BST
LottoNL-Jumbo have been particularly active in the early part of this stage. Another one of their riders makes a break for it, the young Dutch rider Timo Roosen.
1.01pm BST
A brief counterattack is snuffed out. This uphill drag is the longest ascent of the day and would seem the moment for a small group of riders to cross over from peloton to breakaway.
12.59pm BST
Martin and Alaphilippe are maintaining a lead of around 1min 20sec. There is one intermediate sprint to come but it is close to the end of the stage, followed swiftly by a category four ascent – Côte de Mühleberg – before the run into Berne itself.
@LawrenceOstlere Bishops Martin and Alaphilippe in 1717 issued a fatwa banning lycra shorts, hampering pro cycling for over 2 centuries
12.53pm BST
Martin and Alaphilippe are working well together as the road turns east at Champagnole and rises gently upwards to the Swiss border. They have opened a lead of 1min 25sec to the front of the peloton. Périchon was stranded in no man’s land trying to make his way across to join them, and has just been dustpan and brushed back into the main swarm.
12.49pm BST
This image from the finish at Berne suggests it might not be the ideal run into a bunch sprint...
Tramlines covered but didn't look too great with 250m to go. #TDF2016 #bbccycling pic.twitter.com/1bKDWdkoV8
12.46pm BST
Pierre-Luc Périchon is the latest to ditch the peloton and attempt to link up with the leading duo, after Lindeman’s attempt failed and he was forced to sheepishly rejoin the pack. “I think it’s Martin à la Philippe....” emails Andrew Benton. Wasn’t that a 90s arthouse film?
12.40pm BST
With 30km completed, Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe have established a 1min lead over the peloton but they haven’t been able to squeeze out much more. There are plenty of riders trying to make breaks from the main group to join the leaders so they may soon have company, no bad thing on a 209km stage.
12.33pm BST
As the peloton sits back to take stock, Bert-Jan Lindeman squeezes through a gap in the front and makes a dash to join the leaders.
12.31pm BST
Martin and Alaphilippe: Jules Verne’s original names for Fogg and Passepartout in Around the World in 80 Days before an editor’s cull.
12.29pm BST
The peloton is timed at 30sec behind the leading duo, Martin and Alaphilippe, as they head north parallel with the France-Switzerland border before cutting east on the road to Berne.
this doesn't look like an "easy" day, bunch sprint at the end or not... https://t.co/Xl55aE4RTe
12.23pm BST
Another milestone reached by Chris Froome today:
Froome wears the #MaillotJaune for the 38th day today. He's tied 5th with Magne for days spent in Yellow in #TDF. pic.twitter.com/rWkVnwJUdr
12.21pm BST
Alaphilippe will feel a tinge of regret after a derailed chain prevented him from getting away on the descent from the Grand Colombier yesterday. He would have had a brilliant chance to go solo to the finish but instead finished fifth. The French rider is not hanging around today, he and Tony Martin trying to scamper away, but they have only managed a 15sec advantage from the front of the peloton.
12.16pm BST
Several riders have attempted an early getaway in the opening 15km without success. The latest to try their luck are the Etixx-QuickStep riders Julian Alaphilippe and Tony Martin.
12.14pm BST
12.11pm BST
The only incident to report so far is that Romain Bardet has suffered a rear wheel puncture. It’s a thriller.
12.07pm BST
The peloton are together at the start of what is a relatively flat opening 50km to this stage.
12.03pm BST
Before we get stuck into the early attacks, here is more from Chris Froome who spoke about his gallivant up Ventoux for the first time publicly yesterday:
It was quite a chaotic moment. I got back on my bike straight away, realised both seat stays were broken and the bike wasn’t going anywhere. There was no spare bike, so I figured the best thing to do was to keep going forwards but it was also to move away from the bottleneck area. I thought I needed to get up the road here and running was my only option.
11.59am BST
This looks, potentially, like a day for the sprinters and certainly one that the adaptable Peter Sagan can manage. Here is the top of the green jersey standings:
Peter Sagan 340 points
Mark Cavendish 278
Marcel Kittel 228
11.55am BST
It can’t be long:
@LawrenceOstlere Has Voekler started today's failed breakaway yet?
11.53am BST
After a procession start, Christian Prudhomme gives a wave of his little flag and we’re racing.
Le départ réel est donné ! / The race is on! #TDF2016 pic.twitter.com/53iFbSYzjd
11.52am BST
Team Sky’s huge efforts on the front yesterday protected their advantage in the overall standings. The only change in the top ten was Tejay van Garderen who slipped back to eighth after losing contact on the final climb.
@LawrenceOstlere Feel like Wout Poels deserves a special mention for yesterday's non-attacks. Kept a great (and relentless) pace up front.
11.49am BST
Rafal Majka was disappointed to miss out on the stage win yesterday but his hard work at the front of the race was recognised with the award for most aggressive rider, and he scooped enough King of the Mountains points along the way to regain the polka-dot jersey.
11.46am BST
There are 183 riders left at the start of stage 16, a stunningly low dropout rate not seen in any of the past 25 Tours. The conditions are much like yesterday’s – stifling heat all the way to Berne with temperatures reaching 30C.
11.43am BST
Stage 15 is about to get under way with a procession start. Chris Froome (yellow jersey), Rafal Majka (polka dots), Peter Sagan (green) and Adam Yates (white) line-up at the front of the peloton. What a Tour Yates is having.
11.39am BST
What a name, by the way. We could get three hours of Name the Breakaway out of a solo charge by Jarlinson Pantano. Wasn’t he right-back in Brazil’s 1950 world cup side?
11.36am BST
Pantano was asked after his victory yesterday where he learnt to descend so skilfully, prompting some derision:
Surprising how good a descender Pantano is given that Colombia is full of climbs to practice on but has no descents.
11.30am BST
It was a compelling day both in the breakaway and back in the peloton, even if there was a tinge of disappointment for viewers that Froome was never tested by his rivals. He was certainly tested by eight draining climbs in searing heat – a brutal stage which left no one with the legs to put up a fight to the supremely dominant Team Sky. Is the strength among their domestiques making them unchallengable, or were the tactics of Astana and Movistar too obvious to make a move stick? Here is Froome talking after the stage:
I was surprised that there weren’t more attacks out there today. I really thought today’s stage would be the perfect opportunity for other teams to really put us under pressure. Especially with G [Geraint Thomas] getting a puncture on the second last climb, we were one man down. I was upfront to keep an eye on things. I think it was just such a hard day, not many people had the legs.
11.22am BST
Yesterday, IAM Cyling’s Jarlinson Pantano outmanoeuvred Rafal Majka at the finish to win his (and IAM’s) first Tour de France stage. You can read William Fotheringham’s take on stage 15 here:
Related: Jarlinson Pantano wins Tour stage 15 as Chris Froome retains yellow
5.36pm BST
Chris Froome began the final week of the 2015 Tour with a 3min 10sec lead over Nairo Quintana and an iron grip on the yellow jersey. A year on and little has changed: his advantage over the Colombian is 2min 59sec and Team Sky appear to have the peloton at their mercy. There are differences of course, like the threats of Adam Yates (+2.45) and Bauke Mollema (+1.47), but it all points to an historic third triumph and time is running out for Froome’s rivals.
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