Summary

  • Michael Rogers takes victory in stage 16

  • Thomas Voeckler second, Vasil Kiriyenka third

  • Vincenzo Nibali, retains yellow jersey ahead of Alejandro Valverde

  • Stage 16: Carcassonne to Bagneres-de-Luchon, 237km

Live Reporting

Lawrence Barretto

  1. Jose Serpa beats Thomas Voeckler to the summit at Port de Bales to take the maximum 25 points.

  2. Magnus Backstedt
    Former Tour de France stage winner on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    "It's a very fast descent, there are plenty of opportunities to really increase your speed and you can dive around the corners without touching the brakes. The riders will know the corners and have raced here before so it's a case of refreshing the memory."

  3. Vasil Kiryienka catches Cyril Gautier and the pair work together to reduce the 15 second-gap to the leading trio of Rogers, Serpa and Voeckler. Less than 20km to go.

  4. Thibaut Pinot, currently fourth in the general classification, begins his bid to move into the podium places as he accelerates off the front of the peloton. Yellow jersey holder Vincenzo Nibali - and second-placed Alejandro Valverde - respond and go with him.

  5. Movistar are dragging the peloton along, which is putting yellow jersey holder Vincenzo Nibali under pressure. The Italian must respond to protect his lead.

  6. Cyril Gautier has run out of steam, falling back as Michael Rogers, Jose Serpa and Thomas Voeckler, who won this stage last year.

  7. Polkadot Jersey
    Classification

    The peloton has closed to within 10 minutes and 28 seconds, but it has dropped Britain's Geraint Thomas and Joaquim Rodriguez, who is the current polka jersey holder. Rafal Majka is set to take the best climber jersey, with Rodriguez now a point behind.

  8. Cyril Gautier has bolted - and for now, no one seems able to give chase. Team Sky's Vasil Kiryienka has dropped back, with Rogers, Serpa and Voeckler sticking together and trying to keep Gautier in sight.

  9. The breakaway has split in two, with Avermaet, Serpa, Kiriyenka, Voeckler, Gautier and Rogers going clear.

  10. Frenchman Thomas Voeckler raises a cheer from the crowd as he launches a mini-attack, getting out of the saddle and pushing - but his time alone out front is minimal as the rest of the breakaway gobbles him up.

  11. BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    Former Tour de France stage winner Magnus Backstedt: "Vincenzo Nibali is a racer, down to the bones, so if he sees there is a crack in the armoury of his challengers he will go for it on the descent. Whenever he can add to the lead he will do."

  12. Vincenzo Nibali is sitting comfortable in the peloton, 11 minutes and 38 seconds adrift of the peloton. Meanwhile, up front, the breakaway is starting to stretch out even more with Michael Rogers now on the front and pushing.

  13. Team Sky's Vasil Kiryienka move to the front of the breakaway and puts the hammer down, stretching out the breakaway as they continue to climb.

    KirienkaAP

  14. Twenty one becomes 20 as Roger Kluge is the first rider to be dropped from the breakaway as the climb intensifies. He's soon joined by Samuel Dumoulin who also can't keep pace.

  15. Former Tour de France stage winner and BBC Radio 5 live sports extra analyst Magnus Backstedt says that while there are a couple of sharp turns on the descent to the finish, there is "nothing too bad". He adds: "There are some nice long straights where you can hit some big speeds."

  16. The breakaway responds by upping their pace as they approach the bottom of the Port de Bales. There are a few parts of this climb where the gradient hits more than 10%. Yikes.

  17. The peloton has picked up the pace, reducing the gap to the breakaway to 12 minutes and nine seconds with 35.5km to go.

  18. Magnus Backstedt
    Former Tour de France stage winner on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    "It looks like the breakaway is going to hold. One rider to look out for is Michal Kwiatkowski.

    "He started the day 19 minutes down but should this time gap stand, he's riding himself well into the top 10.

    "He's a rider who can time-trial very well, too, so while he might not win it, he could challenge for the podium."

  19. BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    Rob Hatch and Magnus Backstedt are up and running on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra. You can listen to them via the console at the top of the page.

    BBC Cycling

  20. Just 40km to go in the longest stage of the Tour and first of three stages in the Pyrenees. The breakaway has a lead of 12 minutes and 25 seconds.