Sprinters teams launch the chase in Tour Stage 7

FOUGERES, France (AP) — The latest from the seventh stage of the Tour de France

The lead of the five breakaway riders is decreasing quickly as sprinters teams Etixx-Quick Step and Lotto-Soudal have launched the chase.

With 70 kilometers left before the finish in the small Britany town of Fougeres, Kristjian Durasek, Luis Angel Mate, Anthony Delaplace, Brice Feillu and Daniel Teklehaimanot — who holds the best climber's polka-dot jersey — are just one minute ahead of the peloton. They had a maximum lead of about 4 minutes.

Riders took to the start of the seventh stage of the crash-marred Tour de France on Friday with no rider wearing the yellow jersey after race leader Tony Martin broke his collarbone at the end of Thursday's stage.

With Martin out, British rider Chris Froome is now in the overall lead — but the 2013 Tour champion did not wear the jersey as mark of respect for the German, who underwent an operation early Friday.

The stage is another one for sprinters.

It starts from Livarot in the Normandy region and ends 190.5 kilometers (118 miles) later in Fougeres, nestled in the Brittany region.

Two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador fell off his bike before the start line but got back on to take the start.