Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 101st edtion of the Ronde van Vlaanderen, the Tour of Flanders, the second monument of the classics season and a gruelling 260.8km ride over 18 hellingen - 11 of which are cobbled - in Belgium's cycling hinterland, from Antwerp to Oudenaarde.

Early contender for picture of the day...

If you missed today's Facebook Live chat earlier about today's race then you can join the debate by clicking the link below... featuring banter, bad pronunciation and a comedy hat.

Here's a run through of today's 18 hellingen, or climbs.

It's worth noting that Gent-Wevelgem runner-up Jens Keukeleire (Orica-Scott) did not take to the start today because of a minor illness. The Belgian is resting up ahead of next Sunday's Paris-Roubaix. That means Orica will put all their eggs in the basket marked Luke Durbridge, the Australian powerhouse who showed good form in last week's Three Days of De Panne.

Two hours in and the average speed is 40.85kmph. The eight-man break has passed through those two early sections of cobbles and retain their 10+ minute gap on the pack.

Here's another triple Ronde winner, Johan Museeum, sharing his thoughts on today's race from atop the Paterberg climb.

Back to the race after our Facebook Live interlude, and the eight leaders have seen their gap brought down to 10:40. We're getting nearer to the first cobbled section, the Lippenhovestraat, which is swiftly followed by the Paddestraat. These aren't climbs, mind. The first of the hellingen comes with 145km remaining and it's the first of three passages of the Oude-Kwaremont.

A reminder of how much the fans love Flanders... this image from our TV reporter Laura Meseguer at the start in Antwerp.

Look who it is! Three-time Ronde van Vlaanderen winner Fabian Cancellara is shooting the breeze on Belgian TV.

With regards to the route, the famous Muur van Geraardsbergen (Kapelmuur) returns to the race for the first time since 2011 - albeit some 95km from the finish so at a point where it won't prove very decisive, certainly not in the same way as when Cancellara rode clear of Boonen back in 2010...

We're about to go live on Facebook with a chat about today's 101th edition of the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Tune in to discuss the course and the favourites and much, much more.

Not surprise to see the BMC and Bora-Hansgrohe teams of Van Avermaet and Sagan with men on the front of the pack, regulating the tempo. The gap is 11:15 for those eight leaders, who are: Mark McNally (Wanty-Gobert), Oliviero Troia (UAE Emirates), Julien Duval (AG2R-La Mondiale), Stef Van Zummeren and Michael Goolaerts (both Veranda's Willems Crelan), Julien Morice (Direct Energie), Edward Planckaert (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) and André Looij (Roompot).

Crowds are out in their thousands for race favourite Greg van Avermaet as he passes through his home town of Hamme-Zogge.

Lots of the cold weather gear is coming off - knee warmers, arm warmers, gilets, all that jazz. Peter Sagan is currently de-robing off the back of the pack as the gap extends to 10:50 for the eight leaders.

The gap is up to nine minutes now! Remember, the first of those 18 climbs does not come until the 115km mark - so that's with 145km remaining.

A preview of today's race courtesy of my Blazin' Saddles column...

Mechanical for Stefan Kung of BMC. He needs a rear wheel change. He'll be one of Greg van Avermaet's big lieutenants today. Remember, GVA has never won a monument and this is his 36th... could be finally break his duck?

Trek-Segafredo rider Jasper Stuyven produced this little video from the sign-in at sunny Antwerp this morning.

The two chasers have finally caught up with the leaders so we now have eight riders out ahead with a large gap of seven minutes.

A look at some of the favourites today... can't argue with those top two, Sagan and GVA.

The gap is six minutes now for the six leaders as they pass through the town of Sint-Niklaas, which has fans out in their droves - many of which waving the yellow and black Lion of Flanders flag.