A man protesting the participation of an Israel-based team in the Tour de France ran onto the course as the leaders raced for the finish line.

The French government thinks the country has too many days off for its own good, but its proposal to cull some public holidays may not produce much of an economic benefit.

The measure most likely to rankle the French was a proposal to scrap two national holidays: Easter Monday and May 8, which commemorates the end of the Second World War in Europe and is often used as a “bridge” by the French to take a four-day weekend in the middle of spring.

A key factor in being successful in the Tour de France is staving off dangers that crop up during the 3,320km race. With 21 stages across a 23-day period, the 2,075-mile course poses a range of challenges and terrains for the 184 riders battling it out for the yellow jersey.

The proposal is among a raft of spending cuts laid out by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou in a sweeping, and potentially doomed, budget plan.

The escaped prisoner "took advantage of the liberation of his fellow inmate to hide himself in his luggage and get out," the prison service said.

The United Kingdom, France and Germany have agreed to restore tough U.N. sanctions on Iran by the end of August if there has been no concrete progress on a nuclear deal.

Wout van Aert and Quinn Simmons continue to push the pace. They are joined by Matteo Trentin and Jasper Stuyven, 25 seconds behind the lead trio. The new race leader Ben Healy is currently towards the back of the peloton.