Tour de France Stage 15: Givors > Mont Ventoux, 242kms

There's a very French theme to today's Bastille Day escape - Jermey Roy leads, Christophe Riblon, Sylvain Cavanel and Jonathan Hivert - Peter Sagan is in there too..!

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It is Sagan leading the escape towards a seven-minute lead...

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Andrew Talansky and Tejay Van Garderen face some big challenges on this stage to Mont Ventoux, they've a lot to talk about...

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Ian Stannard chases for Sky as the peloton sarts to think of the work ahead...

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Michal Kwiatowski looks relaxed now, but he'll be figting to keep his white jersey in a few hours' time...

Marcus Burghardt and Pierre Rolland have spent an hour trying to bridge across to the escape, but they're now waiting for the peloton...

The peloton is starting to string out as it passes a huge crop of onions somewhere in Drome-Provence...

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For some apparent reason, Europcar starts to chase the escape now that Rolland is back in the peloton - Arashiro is flying the Japanese flag at the front...

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Sagan is looking good for the day's bonus sprint at Vaison-La-Romaine...

The Tour has discovered its first sunflowers of the race..!

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Movistar chases now, relieving Sky of the work in order to place Quintana in with a chance at the stage-win...

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Provencal lavender greets the colourful peloton as it heads south towards the climax of the day...

Markel Irizar leads the escape into the foothills of the Ventoux - but their lead is just a few minutes now...

Sylvain Chavanel finds himself out in front on the Ventoux, but he's suffering horribly..!

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Peter Kennaugh is digging deep for Porte and Froome on the steepest part of the Ventoux, but it's having an effect on Sky's rivals...

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Kennaugh's gone, and is replaced by Richie Porte as the going really gets tough...

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Sky has been chasing Quintana, who's caught and passed Bakelandts with ten-kilometres of climbing to go...

Mikel Nieve is soloing after Quintana - but he too is being pursued by Sky...

Quintana and Nieve are together just before the Chalet Reynard, but only 45-seconds ahead of Sky...

Chris Froome has suddenly shot away from his G.C rivals at the Chalet Reynard, he'll catch Quintana very quickly..!

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Froome powers along, not caring about Quintana on his wheel - this Tour could be won today..!

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Nieve has Contador for company as they trail Froome and Quintana by about one-minute...

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Jacob Fuglsang leads a group containing Ten Dam, Kreuziger, and 2nd-overall, Bauke Mollema...

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Dan Martin is a bit further back, his dreams of winning on Ventoux shattered...

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Froome has dropped Quintana in the last klilometre and pushes just a little bit harder to add more time...

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Joaquim Rodriguez has caught Nieve, but both men finish 1' 23" down on Froome...

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Contador will lose 1' 40" by the finish-line...

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Michael Rogers will finish 12th today, 2' 26" down after working hard for Contador...

Alejandro Vaklverde has lost a whopping 2' 32", his motivation shot to pieces after the shock of stage 13...

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Andrew Talansky is suffering as he approaches the finish, having lost 6' 38" on Mont Ventoux...

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Pierre Rolland will lose 8' 39" today - his next chance at winning a stage is at Alpe d'Huez...

Cadel Evans will lose 8' 46" and fall to 16th overall...

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Andy Schleck will lose over ten-minutes today, he too must hope for better at Alpe d'Huez and Annecy-Semnoz...

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A first grupetto containing Tom Danielson approaches the Ventoux observatory, almost 20-minutes down...