road.cc live blog from Brussels Grand Depart: Sagan drops teammates on TDF training ride; media, fans and cats descend on Team Movistar camp to catch a glimpse of the world champ; more Tour de France tat; all the best Tour tech + more

 ...from us in Brussels - we'll be bringing you race reports from tomorrow till the end of the Tour and plenty of tech articles and videos on all the bike porn we've managed to borrow while we've been here. Au revoir/saluu!  

The 106th Tour de France starts in Brussels tomorrow. Here's our previews of the opening three stages.

Stage 1

Saturday 6 July

Brussels – Brussels (192 km)

The opening stage features two climbs that over the years have so often proved decisive in the Tour of Flanders, the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg, but today they feature early on rather than in the final. Nevertheless, it will as always be a nervous start for the peloton, and we can expect a lot of jostling for position ahead of both ascents as riders try and keep themselves out of trouble.

On the way back into Belgium’s capital, the race passes the battlefield of Waterloo, as well the suburb of Wouluwe-Saint-Pierre, the childhood home of Eddy Merckx, who spent more days in yellow than anyone else in Tour de France history. The peloton will be going full gas to reel in the day’s break ahead of what looks set to be a bunch sprint finish in the city’s Royal Park.

Stage 2

Sunday 7 July

Brussels – Brussels (TTT) (27.6 km)

A change in the race lead is highly possible today, and even this early, time gaps between teams with overall ambitions may have an impact later on – but last year’s team time trial in Cholet saw just 11 seconds separating the fastest five teams, with the now-defunct BMC taking the win.

Today’s stage starts at the Palais-Royale in the Belgian capital and finishes outside its most emblematic building – the Atomium, built in 1958. Whoever is in the overall lead today will be sporting the iconic structure on the yellow jersey, with the one awarded after each stage each marking people and places in the race’s history.

Stage 3 

Monday 8 July  

Binche – Epernay (215 km)

Another stage with a Spring Classics flavour – today, the Ardennes, with four punchy climbs within the final 40 kilometres as the race heads into France. It’s not going to end in a bunch sprint, for sure. There’s a time bonus available on one of those, 15 seconds from the line – remember Geraint Thomas banking some of those last year on his way to victory?

There’s also a 15 per cent slope approaching the line. One for Julian Alaphilippe … or a final Tour de France stage for Alejandro in the rainbow jersey? The Champagne for the stage winner should go down particularly well tonight – Epernay is at the epicentre of the wine-growing region.              

The Velokhaya Life Cycling Academy – or Velokhaya for short – is a not-for-profit organisation based in Khayelitsha, South Africa.

They use their cycling-based programmes to involve youth in a positive, after-school activity.

Yesterday, at the Team Dimension Data team presentation in Brussels ahead of the Tour de France they were given the chance to join their heroes up on stage. 

#TDF2019

The Beginning | Inspire

A journey from a rural township in South Africa, to @LeTour for @Velokhaya.

"We're not crying, you're crying" - #BicyclesChangeLives pic.twitter.com/Ei4hwdmrrW

— Team Dimension Data (@TeamDiData) July 5, 2019

Martin's all-round race bike is a beauty, dressed with Campagnolo 12 speed Super Record EPS and a non-standard 54/39 chainset. We also spotted Martin is running the special edition Tour de France Look Keo blades with  ceramic bearings, the first time we've spotted them in the wild...

We think it's a goat anyway, and despite his rotund build this one is still supposedly good at climbing. Yours for 15 euros...

In his first action as brand ambassador Geraint provides a glimpse into the world of professional downhill racing in a short film called “Confidence”. As Geraint himself said: “follow guys riding Continental tyres, they will stick when others will not. And sticking’s is what you want.” Let's hope he remains upright for the next three weeks...

Geraint Thomas is currently preparing to defend his Tour de France title.

Meanwhile, @geraintthomas has just got a new bike... 

Pleased to be getting @geraintthomas, one of the most patient people on Twitter, on a bike this July...  He's #NowaCyclist pic.twitter.com/xrIEGReU1q

— Evans Cycles (@EvansCycles) July 4, 2019