Erik Zabel stamps his class on the field with another impressive sprint victory as Briton David Millar narrowly avoids disaster in two peloton crashes.

1555: Erik Zabel edges out Robbie McEwen after a difficult uphill sprint to the line. It is the German's 12th Tour stage win, equalling the total of Lance Armstrong.

1554: Zabel and McEwen are both in the hunt as the road narrows towards the finish.

1553: As riders jostle for prime position, the yellow jersey of Igor Gonzalez Galdeano comes to the fore. He is not aiming to win the stage, but simply wants to stay out of danger.

1551: Less than four kilometres to go as those at the front of the pack pile on the pace in an attempt to set up their team sprinters.

1548: The run-in to Alencon features an ascent and might favour the technical sprinting of Erik Zabel, but Australia's Robbie McEwen is also likely to be in the frame.

1544: Even Durand's best efforts are to no avail and this stage will now be a battle of the sprinters.

1540: The breakaway has surrendered but Jacky Durand pushes on alone. His is a typically brave move which is saluted by the thickening crowds at the side of the road.

1534: David Millar has been involved in both of the day's crashes and can count himself lucky to still be in the race. There have been no such injury scares for Lance Armstrong, who manages to keep himself out of trouble.

1529: Alessio's Alexandre Shefer is taken away from the scene of the accident in an ambulance. His Tour is over, but the race goes on as a stubborn breakaway of six stays ahead of the peloton.

1524: As the stage winds towards its conclusion, there is another crash in the peloton. At least one rider is hurt and David Millar is involved, although he avoids the worst of the trouble and continues.

1522: Jacky Durand is doing his best to hold the breakaway together, but his efforts may be in vain as the Tour's top teams take turns at the head of the chasing pack.

1516: The peloton is stretched as shown by the long line of riders falling off the pace towards the rear. 45 seconds is the gap to the breakaway.

1510: Strangely, the peloton backs off again and the leading six restore their one minute advantage. Massimo Apollonio wins the last intermediate sprint of the day.

1503: The breakaway riders are being sucked back into the main field. They may even be overhauled before the final intermediate sprint at 35km.

British hope David Millar was involved in a fall at the 12km mark of today's stage. He is back with the race's doctor receiving treatment on his knee.

1457: With 50km remaining the lead group of Stefan Wesemann , Constantino Zaballa, Paul van Hyfte, Jacky Durand, Gilles Magnian, and Massimo Apollonio have a gap of a minute.

1448: The lead is holding steady at 80 seconds, which may not be enough with the likes of Zabel and McEwen - in the peloton behind - hungry for the stage win

1440: The peloton turns up the pace to put the leaders under pressure. This has been a lightning-quick stage and is now expected to finish before 1600.

1430: With a little under 70km still to race, the leading six have a 100-second lead. Jacky Durand, a clever Tour tactician, started the breakaway and he wins the second intermediate sprint of the day.

1422: The gap is a minute and a half, which represents a precarious but useful lead as the peloton reforms and resumes its chase.

1418: Some leading names make a nature stop and - under the instruction of Tour favourite Lance Armstrong - the peloton slows down to wait for them. This allows the breakaway six to press their advantage.

1412: Stefan Wesemann , Constantino Zaballa, Paul van Hyfte, Jacky Durand, Gilles Magnian, and Massimo Apollonio have finally got clear, opening up a quick 25-second advantage.

A short shower has played into their hands, dampening the enthusiasm of the chasing peloton.

1405: Today's team orders must have been attack and then attack again, but no rider can make their move stick.

1358: Attempt after attempt to escape are being foiled by an attentive peloton - driven on by the teams of the top sprinters.

1348: The peloton have reeled in the breakaway and the field is reunited. Erik Zabel's Telekom team did much of the work to close them down.

1336: The latest group of escapees - Robin, Kroon, Baguet, Sanchez, Van Bon and Brochard - are working hard and open a 25-second gap.

1330: That breakaway ends but six new riders take their turn at the front. This stage is developing into a classic case of cat and mouse.

1325: Robbie Hunter, Guennadi Mikalov, Christian Moreni and Stephane Auge hit the front and open up a 10 second lead over the main field.

1315: Mengin retains the polka-dot jersey by winning the second climb of the day, the Cote de Saint-Vigor. The peloton, meanwhile, closes ranks on would-be escapees again.

1311: The peloton starts its climb to the summit of the Cote de Saint-Vigor with Mengin's team FDJ trying to control things.

1300: Christophe Mengin owns the polka-dot jersey and he strengthens his grip on it by winning the first climb of the day at Cote du Val d'Any. Michael Sandstod and Stephane Goubert finish second and third.

1255: The field is still together as riders approach the first of two category-four climbs on today's stage.

1239: Lotto's Robbie McEwen picks up six points for winning the first sprint of the day in Les Andelys. He is followed over the line by Jan Svorada and overall points leader Erik Zabel.

1238: As rain starts to fall on stage six of the Tour de France, the peloton remains intact after one hour of racing. Riders are averaging 41km per hour.

1230: With the first intermediate sprint looming, the field is all together again.

1220: A pack of 17 men break away but their advantage is soon eroded by the hungry peloton. No rider has yet made an assured or lasting move.

1210: The peloton has chased down Casar, but breakaway bids are coming thick and fast now.

1206: Sandy Casar, of FDG, has struck off on his own.

1201: Britain's David Millar was among those involved in the crash but he is racing again. There are now five riders at the front of the field - Kroon, De Groot, Casar, Fagnini and Morin.

1154: The first attack of the day comes from Karsten Kroon of the Rabobank team. His advantage quickly stretches to 25 seconds over the peleton, in which there has been a minor crash. All affected riders are thought to have remounted.

1152: The prevalent headwind may limit the opportunities to break as the pack hangs together without major incident.

1140: The cool weather seems to have tempered any early aggression. There have been no breakaways so far.

1130: Stage six gets off to a smooth start on the outskirts of Forges-les-Eaux. Friday's 124-mile course is generally flat but features two category-four climbs.