Richie Porte is back with the peloton after some serious graft from his BMC team-mates. The Australian is sixth overall in the GC, five minutes behind Chris Froome. 

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

Image source, AFP

Sebastien Reichenbach and Steve Morabito were the FDJ riders who fell off their bikes. BMC's Richie Porte had a mechanical and has his team-mates around him as he chases back to join the peloton. 

The tarmac is slick, dangerous and not suited to fast riding but at least it is flat now. 

Rui Costa still in front, leading eight riders by over a minute. 

So the likes of Chris Froome were right in suggesting that today would see some tricky descents. 

Pierre Rolland's slide across the tarmac came after Tom Dumoulin hurting his wrist from an earlier fall. The Dutch rider's Tour is over after suggestions it was a fracture.

And now the rain is teaming down and two FDJ riders have come off their bike. Some suggestions that BMC's Ritchie Porte is in trouble too. 

Treacherous. 

Rob Hatch
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

You can't beat a flapjack from a proper bakery... and if I'm back in Spain, the lunch stop consists of a nice plate of squid with Canarian potatoes on the side. Lovely!

Pierre Rolland was perhaps the best chance of a French rider winning a first stage of this year's Tour. His lycra has been ripped to shreds after a slide across the tarmac which must have been 20 feet. 

He looks ok, though, and will be caught by the peloton shortly. Rui Costa is out in front on his own with the peloton one minute 50 seconds behind. 

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

Rain is falling and Pierre Rolland (Cannondale–Drapac) has crashed. His wheel just slipped from underneath him and he went skidding across the road. 

His chances of winning the stage are over, he's back on the bike but not sure if he will continue. He looks in pain. 

Image source, BBC Sport

This is where the riders are heading to at the finish halfway up Mont Blanc.

Rui Costa and Pierre Rolland have attacked off the top of the last climb and have a gap over the rest of the leaders. 

Chris Froome is fine and back at the head of the peloton. 

Chris Froome has slipped behind the rest of his Sky team-mates in the peloton. A rare occasion where the yellow jersey holder loses the surrounding security of his lieutenants. Not sure why, but he doesn't look in trouble. 

As if to assert his authority, polka dot jersey holder Rafal Majka reaches the top of the Montee de Bisanne before the other leaders to take an unassailable lead in the king of the mountains contest. 

Nails. 

Clouds gathering at the top of the Montee de Bisanne as the crowds cheers on the riders in the valleys below. Astana still forcing the pace at the head of the peloton. They are one minute and 36 seconds behind the leaders. 

Don't forget that our dream team of commentators Rob Hatch and Rob Hayles are on air now at the top of the page. Mr Hayles likes a bit of colouring, cutting and pasting, I'm told. 

Image source, BBC Sport

Geoff Whitington was 20 stone, on crutches with type 2 diabetes and in danger of losing his foot through Charcot foot - a serious complication of diabetes.

That's when his sons decided they needed to do something, dug his bicycle out of the shed and started getting him on the move.

Find out about Geoff's amazing journey in Fixing Dad on BBC Two at 22:00 BST on Sunday, 24 July.

Thomas de Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), who led the breakaway earlier on, has been caught by the peloton now. He was the only genuine challenger to Rafal Majka's king of the mountains jersey, so it looks like the Tinkoff rider will hang onto that until Paris. 

The 11 leaders have 2.7km left until they reach the top of this punishing climb. 

The leading pack is down from 20 riders to 11, but still include Rafal Majka (Tinkoff), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) and Pierre Rolland (Cannondale-Drapac), Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida), and Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal).

What a crushing blow for Tom Dumoulin, who has won two stages on this year's Tour for Giant-Alpecin. Let's hope the wrist injury isn't too bad. 

Image source, Getty Images

Rob Hatch
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

Netherlands rider Tom Dumoulin has pulled out of the race with a "severe wrist trauma". That could be his Olympics gone.