I told you the start of this climb is terrifically tough. Spain's Cristian Rodriguez is dropped straight away.

And then there were five...

Britain's Simon Yates looks comfortable.

It starts! The breakaway hit the final climb with a lead of four minutes and three seconds.

16.2kms to go.

A lot of people texting into BBC Sport to say "Sloppy work Joe" and "Oh Joe, that was awful".

After a quick worry, it turns out Joe Root has dropped a sitter in the cricket.

Matteo Jorgenson is getting frustrated with his fellow breakees. A lot of turns are being missed now.

It's interesting that the Team Visma Lease a Bike riders are the ones twitching. Maybe they've been told they can go for the stage win and won't have to wait up to help leader Jonas Vingegaard.

The climb up to Isola 2000 is a hairy 16km which averages at 7%. There are even some 10%+ stretches right at the start.

A scary rise. Any of you ever ridden up the Devil's Staircase in north Wales? That's my UK equivalent.

About 15km more downhill and then BOOM, we hit the final climb to Isola 2000.

Just joining me? All the usual favourites are in the yellow jersey group. Those in the breakaway are:

• Matteo Jorgenson (USA)
• Wilco Kelderman (Ned)
• Simon Yates (GBR)

• Jai Hindley (Aus)
• Richard Carapaz (Ecu)
• Cristian Rodriguez (Spa)

The gap is at four minutes and 20 seconds.

Image source, ASO

Want some Mark Cavendish news? He's just cleared the Cime de la Bonnet 21 minutes and 49 seconds down in a mammoth groupetto with 66 other riders.

They look well on course to beat the time cut.

Biniam Girmay is also in that group too.

There are 20 in the yellow jersey group. Tadej Pogacar has four teammates. Jonas Vingegaard has none.

He's super vulnerable if he punctures or has any sort of mechanical.

Although he does have two friends ahead in the leading group in Matteo Jorgenson and Wilco Kelderman. Maybe they might stop and wait up? Or even turn their bikes around if need be.

Having done the lion's share of the climb, Richard Carapaz is doing most of the leading on the descent and has helped the breakaway extent their gap by another 45 seconds to 4:11.

Simon Yates is being very sneaky. His nose has barely been in the wind.

Pick your lines, lean forward and be brave!

The yellow jersey group is four minutes behind the race leaders and has strung right out on the descent as riders give each other room.

Tadej Pogacar has parked himself at the front as a just in case.

As we decend descend descend, take a look at the new King of the Mountains standings:

1. Carapaz - 97pts
2. Pogacar - 77pts
3. Vingegaard - 58pts
4. Jorgenson - 45pts
5. Evenpoel - 42pts
6. Lazkano - 41pts
7. Abrahamsen - 36pts
8. Kelderman - 36pts
9. Gaudu - 30pts
10. Hindley 28pts

Richard Carapaz is our new King of the Mountains leader as he crosses the summit of the Cime de la Bonnet first. He now has a healthy 20-point gap over second-placed Tadej Pogacar in the Polka Dot leaderboard.

I'd love our Richie to finally claim the jersey. He was second behind Pog in 2020.

There's only about 20 riders left in the peloton and I reckon about six of them are wearing UAE Team Emirates jerseys.

Three and a half minutes up the road the breakaway are within a kilometre of the summit.

The break's lead has been cut from 4:30 to 3:35. Richard Carapaz moves to the front of the lead group to up the pace a little.

He's got very strong company with him including Britain's Simon Yates.

There are potential big gains in the King of the Mountains competition today.

Double points (40) are available at the top of the Cime de la Bonnet and I reckon Richard Carapaz in the break is eyeing them up.

He's currently third in the virtual standings:

1. Pogacar - 77pts
2. Vingegaard - 58pts
3. Carapaz - 57pts
4. Evenpoel - 42pts
5. Lazkano - 41pts
6. Abrahamsen - 36pts

Today's final climb will only give the first to cross 10 points so Carapaz could take the outright Polka Dot lead in the next 15 minutes.

Nils Politt has bonked after a superb effort pacing the peloton halfway up the Cime de la Bonnet.

Pavel Sivakov is next up for UAE Team Emirates and he immediately ups the pace. French fave Guillaume Martin is dropped, as is Jakob Fuglsang, the oldest rider in this year's tour.

He's 39 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, and 6 days old. There's still time for me yet!

Geraint Thomas is dropped from the peloton. Wales' 2018 Tour de France winner, 38, continues his summer of struggle.

UAE Team Emirates' German rider Nils Politt is putting in a proper shift on the front of the peloton, with riders now shedding out the back.

Suddenly Jonas Vingegaard looks isolated, where have his teammates gone?

We've past the 2000m altitude mark - and we've still got another 11kms of climbing!

I've upgraded the Cime de la Bonette from Holme Moss to Winnats Pass status, it looks brutal.

I was actually beaten by Winnats Pass when I had a go at it two years ago. Did the first half but walked the last bit. It still haunts me.