Utrecht - Neeltje Jans

Former winner Chris Froome has fellow Team Skyers Ian Stannard and Geraint Thomas in the front group now to help him with Alberto Contador ably assisted too by experienced team-mates. Peter Sagan, Cav and Andre Greipel are also in the 26 riders at the head of the field poised for the expected bunch sprint at the end.

Nibali getting angry with the riders around him as he seeks to bridge the gap to his GC rivals. Who'd have thought this stage would be so influential in the race when the schedule was released initially? Bonkers.

Genuine chance we could see the GC contenders split asunder here today as the likes of Froome and Contador look set on putting distance between themselves and their main rivals Nibali and Quintana at the front of the peloton. Riveting racing!

Think Team Sky are excited?

Rohan Dennis' time in yellow could be very short indeed as BMC Racing have left him to try and protect team leader Tejay van Garderen, who has a real shot at the GC title this year.

Sprinter Nacer Bouhanni crashes on the slick roads with reigning champion Vincenzo Nibali just about steering clear of the prostrate riders. Close shave for the Italian.

It is absolutely tipping it down. The riders are cranking out the kilometres with their heads largely down to try and avoid the wind and rain lashing their faces. I'd like to say it is going to get better for their sake, however it looks like it could be even worse in Zeeland.

Wilco Kelderman has crashed again. Sometimes it's just not your day. He gets back on and labours off again. Up front the GC contenders have decided to take matters into their own hands as the peloton start second guessing each other's tactics in the rain and wind.

We've got it all covered here at Eurosport as the peloton approach the last 66kms.

Calm before the storm it seems as the peloton settles down in pursuit of the small group ahead. Barta, Clement and Fonseca do not want to give it up quite yet with Rohan Dennis and his BMC team anxious to keep the Aussie in yellow for another day.

Peta worried about hubby Cav. Quite right if it continues to be stormy in Zeeland!

Lotto Soudal's Jens Debusschere has crashed and doesn't look in the greatest of nick, however he bravely gets back on and pursues the back of the peloton.

There has been a crash involving several riders. Geraint Thomas was one of them for Team Sky, however he appears to be back on his bike along with the others. Phew.

Robbie backs up Ashley and then some!

Eurosport presenter Ashley tells it like it is...

Fifth place and 11 green jersey points was the prize on offer for the sprinters with German John Degenkolb beating birthday boy Kristoff, Sagan and Manx Missile Cavendish to the line. Bouhanni, Coquard and Greipel came in next to score too.

Barta has taken the big points on offer at the first intermediate sprint of the Tour in Rotterdam after breaking off the group to go solo with the remaining three just ahead of the top sprinters and chasing peloton. Chance missed for Cav, Sagan et al there.

Good point. Let's hope the riders manage to stay upright later, though...

The riders are now in the outskirts of Rotterdam and sure to catch the leading quartet before the sprinters line up to battle for the first green jersey points on offer this Tour.

Ian Stannard is exactly the type of guy you want dictating the pace today...

Echelon is the word of the day at Le Tour this afternoon as the domestiques scramble desperately to try and shield their team leaders from the headwind and crosswinds that are set to cause havoc later on towards the coastal finish. Stay tuned on Eurosport!

Peloton has been split by the phenomenal pace that Team Sky et al have started at the front with the gap to the front four now down to under a minute. It could well be that we have the majority of the field together for the intermediate sprint in Rotterdam.

Both Team Sky and Tinkoff-Saxo have moved to the front of the peloton to try and safeguard their GC contenders in Froome and Contador respectively. Word must have got round about the dicey weather at the finish, so do not expect any of the yellow jersey pre-race favourites to take any chances dealing with the tricky roundabouts and gales.

Something tells me the finish will be far from simple...

Rain has started to fall on the peloton as the skies start to look apocalyptic. Safe to say that the heatwave which has spread across Europe is coming to a dramatic end today!

Uh oh...

Fabian Cancellara and Tyler Farrar both experience mechanical trouble, however with the speed that the peloton is currently going they will not be too hard pressed to bridge the gap back to the rest. Equivalent of a gentle Sunday stroll for the riders so far!

Group of four now have nearly three minutes on the field. Nevertheless, as we've seen time and again down the years, the peloton can time these chases to perfection with a few kilometres left to spare to get the sprint train bang in order for the finish line.

There were a few amusing moments in Utrecht yesterday including a rider who had to time trial without handlebars and Dutch fans in colourful or downright strange attire!

Mark Cavendish is not as confident of multiple stage wins this year than Tours past. The Etixx-Quickstep sprinter has had to watch Marcel Kittel assume his mantle as top dog recently however, with the German out injured, he can look to mix it with Kristoff, Sagan, Greipel, Degenkolb, Bouhanni, Coquard and Matthews before the mountains hit.

No surprise to see Rohan Dennis' BMC Racing team putting Swiss champion Danilo Wyss at the front of the peloton in an effort to keep the break at a manageable distance. Etixx-Quickstep are the main movers, though, with five riders joining him at the front.

Stef Clement is the wisest Tour rider of the four, who have now opened up a lead of over two minutes on the field. He has made four previous Tour de France appearances with Quemeneur and Fonseca on their third and Barta his second.

Not looking good at the finish in Zeeland as the clouds are darkening. Menace looms!

Perrig Quemeneur (Europcar) is the fourth rider in the group not Nauleau with the break building up a healthy lead of one minute 20 seconds thus far.

First break of the day involves Bryan Nauleau (Europcar), Jan Barta (Bora), Stef Clement (IAM) and Armindo Fonseca (Bretagne-Séché). Peloton happy to let them go for now.

Eurosport are leading the way again at Le Tour. Former winner Greg LeMond is spearheading the eclectic, fun coverage and he believes the peloton will struggle with the roundabouts and winds as Stage 2 works its way down towards Zeeland.

So many reasons why this year's Tour de France could be one of the best in history including the battle between Froome, Contador, Quintana and reigning champ Nibali. The Colombian dug deep yesterday to make sure he didn't lose too much time on the other three, but it was the Italian who seized the chance to eke out precious few seconds.

Long line of singers along the water in Utrecht warbling away as the riders amble past at the slowest speed possible. Incredible scenes. Brightly coloured clothes as you would expect from the Dutch who will grace the mountain stages later in the Tour with the usual sea of orange. They love their cycling, no two ways about it!

Peloton is rolling away from Utrecht now after Saturday's thrilling victory for Dennis when crowds were 10 deep at times around the short, tight time trial course.

Lots of waving and chatting between the riders who have one intermediate sprint halfway in Rotterdam before they move towards the coast and expected bunch sprint finish.

Welcome to the second day of the 2015 Tour de France, cycling fans.

How many people predicted that Rohan Dennis would fend off Martin, Cancellara and Dumoulin yesterday? Not many, I'm guessing. Today's 166km Stage 2 from Utrecht to Zeeland could well spring another surprise if the mixed weather forecast puts the cat amongst the peloton pigeons. Sprint king Alexander Kristoff turns 28 today, so there is extra motivation for the Norwegian to power home from Cav, Sagan and the like.