Team Sky are bossing this ascent as Luke Rowe and Geraint Thomas pull Chris Froome to the top. But it's Wout Poels who earns the maximum king of the mountains points at the Col de Val Louron-Azet summit with Froome second and Rafal Majka third. 

One more climb to go. Today is really taking it out of some riders and with temperatures approaching 30 degrees, you can understand why

Rob Hatch and Rob Hayles are live on air now on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, and are willing to take on your Tour questions. 

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A reminder that Britain's Adam Yates is the virtual general classification leader, as it stands. but the Orica BikeExchange rider from Bury is looking hot at the back of the peloton as they crank up the pace.

Yates started the stage eight with stitches in his chin after a spectacular crash with the inflatable 1km-to-go marker in stage seven. If you're on the app, you can view it here., external

Rob Hatch
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

News just in: Denmark's Michael Morkov (Team Katusha), who crashed in the sprint in stage one, becomes the first rider to withdraw from the Tour. 

Still, 198 riders finished stage seven and that is a record. 

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC 5 live sports extra

Adam Yates is slipping back in the peloton, but has now got a drink. It looked like a big one-and-a half-litre bottle being passed to him and that will get handed around because tomorrow it could be reversed. They are all looking after each other.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas is leading the way now as they surge up the Col de Val Louran-Azet. His vest is open and he is pumping hard as the sun beats down. 

Thibaut Pinot is slipping back fast, and has gone from leader to one minute 11 seconds behind the peloton. 

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC 5 live sports extra

This is the balance for Mark Cavendish, who is 23 minutes behind. He has been training for the Olympics so has not got the hard yards in his legs, just the top end speed for sprints. We expected him to struggle in the mountains and that's what we are seeing today. 

Thibaut Pinot is caught by the peloton, as is Tony Martin. Rafal Majka is still ahead but don't expect him to stay there for much longer. 

The peloton is only 41 seconds behind the three leaders now. Team Sky and Movistar are cranking up the pace, but Sky's Wouter Poels has a problem with his chain and has to stop. With the climb ahead of him, that was not great timing at all. 

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Mark Cavendish looks like he is struggling at the back. The sprinter was not expected to mount anything close to a challenge today, and you can only imagine his mood as he gets ready for another slog up a huge mountain.

Last we heard he was 23 minutes off the front. Oof. Stay strong Mark! 

The peloton, driven on by Team Sky, are now one minute behind the race leaders as the riders traverse the valley before the third climb of the day - the Col de Val Louron-Azet. 

Image source, AFP

So, an interesting development up the Hourquette d'Ancizan. Race leader Greg van Avermaet has gone backwards with his yellow jersey appearing to be under threat. 

He is now seven minutes 32 seconds behind race leaders including Thibaut Pinot, and more importantly over six minutes behind Britain's Adam Yates.

So as it stands, Yates, who was five minutes 50 seconds behind the Belgian at the start of the day, could be in the maillot jaune come the end of the stage. 

Could this Tour become any more Anglicised? 

Thibaut Pinot makes it to the top of Hourquette d'Ancizan ahead of Ralfa Majka and Tony Martin to pick up five king of the mountains points. 

The gap to Chris Froome's group is one minute and 21 seconds as they start to descend. 

Image source, AFP

The peloton is starting to make ground on the trailblazers out in front - Thibaut Pinot, Ralfa Majka and Tony Martin. The gap is down to one minute 43 seconds now as the leaders approach the top of the second summit of the day - Hourquette d'Ancizan. 

Home favourite Pinot is getting plenty of support on the roadside.  

Rob Hatch
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

Two years ago on the Tour, me and Rob Hayles decided to ride one of the climbs in the Alps... Chamrousse.

Knocking on 40 degrees, it was a 20 degree climb to the finish. We set off in good time, both of us hadn't been riding much in the lead up to that (because we'd been working hard of course!) But with a steady, steep gradient, we were struggling for hydration. Just to show how bad it was, I was dropped by Rob (who isn't known for his climbing!) I had to stop, cool myself down in streams, and just made it back to the commentary box in time to broadcast.