Hello and welcome to live coverage of stage three of the Tour de France - a 159.5km ride from Anvers to Huy with features the first climbs of the 102nd edition of the race.

Dutchman Tom Dumoulin (Giant Alpecin) is another rider to have abandoned. Miraculously none of the Big Four or race favourites were involved in that. Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) came down but appears to be ok.

The race is back under way after that 15-minute stop. Still neutralised though, with the pack riding behind the commissaires vehicle until the summit of the Cote de Bohissau.

It was a real tangle and twist of metal, carbon fibre and bodies, that crash - with the presence of the light post making matters worse. Really, really nasty.

Replays of the crash are quite grim. The pace must have been around 55-60 kmph. It's not getting a bit aggressive in the peloton, with riders wanting to continue and others still trying to come to terms with what's happened. Greg Henderson of Lotto-Soudal and Johan Vansummeren of Ag2R have torn shirts and are covered with cuts and bruises. Michael Matthews of Orica-GreenEdge came down too and has rips/cuts on his back and thigh.

Fabian Cancellara, for whom the peloton has halted, looks to be on his way out. He's shaking his head and trying to get in the team car - but looks like he has been talked out of it by his Trek sporting director.

A spate of withdrawals: Bonnet, whose fall caused the pile-up, will not continue. Laurens Ten Dam (LottoNL-Jumbo) is out, so is Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge).

Amazing scenes in Belgian: the stage has been stopped ahead of the first category four climb. Many riders are not happy with that - most notably Astana. Big confusion here on the Tour.

Fabian Cancellara is riding back - he was wincing earlier and looked to have a problem with his shoulder. He otherwise looks ok now - not too many cuts even. There is a go-slow in the peloton imposed by the race director, Christian Prudhomme.

That was absolutely horrific - and came at a moment when the pace was really, really high. William Bonnet was the FDJ rider and his race is surely over. His body is completely mangled.

HUGE CRASH: With the pace really high an FJR rider hits the deck and brings down a medley of riders, some of whom career into a light on the side of the road. Fabian Cancellara is down - his yellow bike sent flying through the air.

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) has picked up a flat tyre and needs a rear wheel change. Svein Tuft of Orica-GreenEdge too. The gap is under 20 seconds now for the four leaders - so they will be caught before the first of four lower category climbs today. And another puncture: Tony Gallopin of Lotto-Soudal.

The gap is coming tumbling down - it's just 55 seconds now for the four escapees ahead of the first of four categorised climbs. Perhaps their collective bid to win the polka dot jersey will be foiled.

The peloton has passed through the feed zone - and the lead of the four escapees is down to two minutes now.

We spoke to Ireland's Dan Martin at the start: "It's a climb that suits me and I know it really well. It's steep all the way to the finish and so it's very difficult. There's a balance between being in a good position and not expending energy."

The gap is back down to 2:40 for the four leaders - Barta, Nauleau, Elmiger and Pauwels - who broke clear right at the start of today's stage from Antwerp to Huy.

The race is passing through the town of Hannut, credited with being the location of the first battle between tanks in World War II.

The gap has crept back up over three minutes after the Trek team of yellow jersey Fabian Cancellara slink further back into the pack. "There is no worry at all back in the peloton - the break would need 10 minutes at this stage for it to be a worry."

The bunch is compact as it rides at 2:35 from the break. After yesterday's dramatics it's a relatively leisurely affair today with clement weather and very little wind.

Puncture for Germany's Tony Martin - who would be in yellow today had Fabian Cancellara not pipped Mark Cavendish for third place in Zeeland. After his team missed out on both the stage win and the yellow jersey, Etuxx-QuickStep sporting director admitted that it was "an historic f*** up". If Martin holds it together on the final climb today, he could well take the yellow from the Swiss - but it's a big ask.

Serge Pauwels is pulling on the front of the break - he's been working harder than the others, but perhaps it's no surprise: he's the only Belgian rider in his MTN-Qhubeka team. Officially, Pauwels has been on the front for 27% of the break so far.

Adam Hansen is currently riding on the back of the peloton after dislocating his shoulder yesterday. After finishing stage two in last position, the Australian tweeted: "AC dislocation. Same shoulder as 3 weeks ago. Was told its going to be the most painful 3 weeks 4 me. I eat pain for breakfast. Bring it on!"