Summary

  • Stage 19: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - La Toussuire 138km

  • Quintana gains 32secs on Froome

  • Froome still leads by 2mins 38secs

  • Nibali wins stage, Quintana second, Froome third

  1. 12km to gopublished at 16:22

    Vincenzo NibaliImage source, AP

    Vincenzo Nibali is getting quicker. Or everyone else is getting slower. 

    Either way the gap is growing - the Italian is a minute ahead of Pierre Rolland and 2mins 20secs up on the yellow jersey group.

  2. 12.8km to gopublished at 16:19

    Chris Froome lets Wout Poels slip in front of him at the top of the yellow jersey group, as the pair pound up towards La Toussuire. A move must happen, soon, surely? Yes? Pierre Rolland looks in agony. His teeth might collapse in on themselves he is gritting them so hard. Expect him to drift back to the chasers.

  3. 13.9km to gopublished at 16:16

    Vincenzo Nibali has 14km of climb in front of him if he is to take a stage win. Pierre Rolland is becoming a distant dot to the Italian. But the yellow jersey group might be seeing him come into focus some time soon - they're down to 1min 35secs behind the Frenchman.

  4. Nibali attackspublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 24 July 2015

    16km to go

    Vincenzo Nibali has decided that Pierre Rolland is more ballast than help.

    The Italian steps on the pedals and accelerates away from the long-time stage leader.

    There is nothing much coming back from Rolland and a decent stretch of tarmac separates them already.

    Nineteen seconds and climbing is the gap.

  5. 16.3km remainingpublished at 16:09

    Who would have thought that Wout Poels would be leading the yellow jersey group after his dropped off the pace two mountains ago? The second wind of second winds. Movistar have just taken the onus off him though - they are 1min 44secs off the front two of Pierre Rolland and Vincenzo Nibali.

  6. Contador bike changepublished at 16:08

    Just as we start to head up the final ascent to the finish to La Toussuire, Bertie Contador decides to switch bikes. Mechanical or tactical? Who knows. But he's back with the group.

  7. Your cycling scenespublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 24 July 2015

    #bbccycling

    Don't worry, we've not forgotten about your cycling views.

  8. 19.8km remainingpublished at 16:04

    Romain Bardet finally has that problem with his gears sorted - in fact they just give him a new bike. But it means he loses his advantage on the yellow jersey group and is at the back of the pack.

  9. Postpublished at 16:02 British Summer Time 24 July 2015

    Rob Hayles
    Former GB cyclist

    Chris Froome decendsImage source, AP

    "Chris Froome doesn't have to attack but if he feels like he is the strongest rider on the climb, it's not like him to wait. But we do have that big stage tomorrow."

  10. 22.8km remainingpublished at 15:59

    It's not great news for Geraint Thomas, who has drifted about 8mins off the leaders and will almost definitely drop down the GC by the end of the day.

    Wout Poels has looked dead on his pedal a few times today, but he's at the front of the yellow jersey group and working like a monster. Romain Bardet is about to be caught.

  11. Postpublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 24 July 2015

    If you can pull yourself away from the live text commentary (don't), then have a look at this wonderful piece of programming (maybe wait until later, yeah?).

  12. 27.1km remainingpublished at 15:54

    Romain Bardet, a few seconds ahead of the yellow jersey group, is banging his bike with the heel of his foot as he flies down the descent. He does not look happy.

    And Roman Kreuziger has a puncture. But he's still flying down the hill - how on earth do you stop with a dodgy tyre?

  13. 31.1km remainingpublished at 15:50

    Vincenzo Nibali is a character. He catches Pierre Roland and taps the Frenchman on the shoulder as they start the descent. "Come on, let's go," he says. Rolland puffs his cheeks and follows the Italian, who then gets his line totally wrong on a corner and almost sends them both off the road. Rolland wisely goes in front.

  14. 32.9km remainingpublished at 15:48

    Nairo Quintana has been very quiet so far. He's waiting and waiting and waiting.

    Meanwhile, Romain Bardet pulls of the yellow jersey group - he wants polka dot points.

  15. 34.8km remainingpublished at 15:46

    Pierre Rolland has a Vincenzo Nibali-shaped cloud looming over him. The Italian is within a few seconds of the Frenchman - in fact he's so close the computer has given up telling us the gap.

  16. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 24 July 2015

    #bbccycling

    David Randall:  Guess no-one's booing Nibali for attacking when CF had a mechanical. Don't want them to either but just saying.  

    3wisemonkeys:  good on him. All's fair. Too much pandering in sport to the so called stars. It is sport. Winning and losing, full stop.

     Alec Glen:  Smart by Nibali as he knew the GC contenders he's attacking had to stay with Froome who he's too far back from to be a threat

  17. Va Va Froome?published at 15:39 British Summer Time 24 July 2015

  18. Yellow jerseypublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 24 July 2015

    This is the virtual yellow jersey picture.

    Geraint Thomas is back up to fourth, but he is off the yellow jersey group and Vincenzo Nibali is eating up time into the Welshman.

    YellowImage source, Le Tour
  19. 38.5km remainingpublished at 15:35

    The climbs come thick and fast now. We're on the category two Cul du Mollard - it gets up to 9% in parts.

    Pierre Rolland is 53secs clear of Vincenzo Nibali, who has 1min 25secs on the yellow jersey group. Chris Froome and Wouter Poels will be bracing themselves for more digs from rivals.

  20. 39.8km remainingpublished at 15:32

    There is a suggestion that Chris Froome may have had a stone in is brakes rather than a chain issue on that climb.