Hello and welcome to live coverage of stage four of the Tour de France, the longest of the race - a 237.5km ride from Saumur to Limoges which should once again favour the sprinters.

We'll leave you with a picture of Peter Sagan on the podium with Raymond Poulidor - the French legend whose hometown is passed during tomorrow's stage...

Sagan is now back in green with 147 points - five ahead of Cavendish on 142. Meanwhile, Kittel is on 137 so it's right in the points classification.

Closer than yesterday...

Four bonus seconds means Peter Sagan extends his lead to 12 seconds over Julian Alaphilippe on GC. The world champion has yet to finish lower than fourth in this year's race...

Andre Greipel curiously absent from today's top ten - the German veteran struggling for pace in the final kilometre. Kristoff could only manage fifth, while Cavendish was eighth behind McClay.

Third place for Peter Sagan, who conserves his yellow jersey. Cavendish struggled - he wasn't even the best British rider, finishing in eighth behind Daniel McClay of Fortuneo-Vital Concept.

Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) came the closest he's ever come to taking a stage - in the end it was less than a tyre in it.

Kittel really needed that win after his struggles since stage 1. It's his first victory on the Tour since 2014 after that year out last season.

Marcel Kittel is declared the winner! That was such a close one - as close as yesterday's sprint. Coquard was the strongest in the last 20 metres but ran out of road.

Cavendish is boxed out and won't contest the finish... it's Kittel powering clear past Kristoff but Coquard is fighting back... and it's another photo finish!!

Etixx are back for Kittel now bit it's Katusha on the front...

There's a kink in the road then the riders pass under the flamme rouge. It dips down then will head up to the finish... hold on to your hats!

Lotto still in control now with three riders and the German national champion Greipel... Katusha tucked in behind for Kristoff.

That happened before the 3km mark and there will be splits because of that...

Orica-BikeEwxchange muscle up for their man Matthews. So many potential outcomes here... oh, close one! Some road furniture causes choas and there's a bottle neck as riders slam on the brakes...

Team Sky, until now glaringly absent, come to the front - and two of them almost collide and cause a crash. Lotto-Soudal take it up alongside Tinkoff...

It's back together - and to add insult to injury, Irizar has just picked up a flat tyre.

It's over for Schillinger so there's just two ahead - Irizar and Naesen. They're both out for the combative prize... a little kick up blows many riders out the back of the pack as Tinkoff, Lotto and Orica come to the front.

Disarray in the peloton - no one wants to pull and Lotto-Soudal sit up in protest.

The gap isn't coming down - it's still 15 seconds for the leaders as they approach the outskirts of Limoges.