Image source, Getty Images

A bit of news you may have missed from last night.

Britain's Adam Yates, who has had a stonking Tour, was docked 10 seconds from his overall time after commissaires (race officials) spotted him getting a push from a team-mate on yesterday's stage.

It wasn't caught on camera, but they saw it at the time.

Technically, rules is rules. But that sort of thing happens all the time and goes unpunished - so Yates can count himself a bit unlucky.

Rob Hatch
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

Image source, Getty Images/Rex

"It has to be Froome running up that hill because I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Whether it was right or wrong, that image provided one of those unique moments in sport that will be everlasting."

Peter French: Black clouds in the distance and thunder at Col de Le Colombiere

What's that constant hammering noise?

It's the rain pelting it down. Proper filthy weather now - especially around the yellow jersey group.

The breakaway riders are almost 4mins ahead, halfway up the category-one climb of Col de la Colombiere, and it looks a bit drier up there.

Image source, Le Tour

Up, down. Up, down. Forward. Up, down. Forward. Up, down,

It sounds like a cheat code for a 1990s video game - but really it's today's stage summed up in 10 words.

It's short, just 146km, but it's a doozy. A category two  (ticked off), two category ones and then a super category climb to finish.

Oh, and then the roller coaster descent to the finish line.

It's a wonderful way to finish our trip to the Alps.

I've never known what it means when people say "there is weather around". But if I did, I'd probably say it today.

BBC Radio 5 live cycling producer Gemma Sterba is at the finish line: "Real mixed bag. It was raining not that long ago at Col de la Colombiere, very foggy up the Col de Joux Plane - visibility was terrible there and then sunny here in Morzine."

It's a while down the road yet, but this is what the summit of Col de Joux plane looks like at the moment.

Mist that thinks it is treacle.

That front group up the pace to an intermediate sprint.

It's Michael Matthews over first, followed by Thomas de Gendt. Peter Sagan, who already has the green jersey in the bag, is third - Matthews and De gendt can tell their grandkids about when they beat the great Slovak in a sprint.

Now that's all dealt with, the riders in the group behind catch back up and we have a lead breakaway of 29 men.

The peloton is 2mins 44secs behind, with a few riders in between.

Speaking of wet conditions, the yellow jersey group slip down the side of Col des Aravis in pouring rain.

At the front of the race, 2mins 22secs up the road, they're in booming sunshine.

Thomas de Gendt no longer leads by himself. He's been joined by a fellow maverick in the form of Peter Sagan, as well as six others.

A few more are looking to bridge across.

Image source, Reuters

If you were wondering why he's so damaged today, Chris Froome slipped on a white line in wet conditions yesterday.

He had to steal Geraint Thomas' bike to finish the stage. i have no idea if the Welshman is still out there.

"I was trying to stay safe but I hit one of the white lines and lost my front wheel," Froome said.

"I'm lucky nothing is seriously injured. I lost some skin and banged my knee a little bit but I'm grateful to have that four-minute advantage to fall on.

"It was great to have team-mates around me, Wout Poels in particular. It feels good to be one day closer to the finish. Today showed exactly why I thought the Tour was not over."

On using Thomas' bike, he added: "I knew the car was quite a while back and my bike wasn't rideable, so thanks a lot to Geraint for his bike. It was all right."

Image source, Getty Images

Not too bad, it seems.

Chris Froome looks comfortable has he teeters over the top of the first climb of the day.

That banged-up right knee has some bandaging, but not as much as he had on when he stood on the podium yesterday.

As being as he's gone maverick, Thomas de Gendt is the first man to the summit of Col des Aravis.

The king of the mountains points are fruitless, as Rafal Majka has the polka dot jersey sewn up.

The roads are beautiful here, near the border of Switzerland.

Chocolate-box houses lining snaking, hair-pinned lanes up the slopes of Col des Aravis.

Equally wonderful to look at is the sight of Thomas de Gendt storming ahead of the breakaway like a man homing in on a sprint finish.

The Belgian has a reputation for being a bit madcap - today he's outright bonkers and is also 30 seconds ahead of everyone.

Image source, Getty/Rex

liam glover: His decenting skills to win stage 8, no one saw it coming and Sky turned the tour on its head. Been in yellow since

Adam Wilcox: That descent 💨

Zoe Veary: Definitely running up Mt Ventoux!

The Nightfly: Love that little rolling, back-forth, sweeping motion Froome does with his head - I call it 'The Froome Broom'!

There are 37 riders 1min seconds up the road, starting the category-two climb up Col des Aravis.

The leading group contains names like Vincenzo Nibali, Sylvain Chavanel, Pierre Rolland, Ilnur Zakarin, Jarlinson Pantano, Wilco Kelderman and, of course, Peter Sagan.

Romanb Kreuziger is the highest-ranked GC man in that group - he's 12th and 9mins 45secs behind Chris Froome.

The peloton is going at a decent clip though, with Team Sky at the front and there are stragglers being dropped.

Image source, AP

Chris Froome's mission today?

Survival.

The Team Sky man has a 4min 11secs lead on Romain Bardet. If he keeps his lead today, he will be almost guaranteed victory tomorrow, because the yellow jersey holder is traditionally not attacked on the final route into Paris.

But maintaining that advantage might not be as straightforward as it seems.

Four climbs today means four descents - if it's raining, they will be treacherous. 

Froome already has a banged-up knee - another slip could be costly.

Image source, Getty/Rex

Running up Mont Ventoux? Descending like a boss on stage eight? A blistering climb on stage 17? Winning the mountain time trial? Tearing off skin and nicking Geraint Thomas's bike?

Chris Froome has been a one-man circus over the last three weeks. What's been his moment of the Tour?

Use #bbccycling to tell us.