Oh dear. Nasty crash for Cyril Gautier on the early stages of the descent of the Port de Bales.

The French rider looked utterly wiped and perhaps lost his concentration on a corner, ploughing into a grass bank.

Behind, the peloton are also over the top of the Port de Bales and looking to eat into Cummings' lead.

Team Sky have thinned it out noticeably and Chris Froome still has three team-mates left.

Thomas de Gendt holds on to go second over the Port de Bales and picks up 15 vital points in his battle for the polka dot jersey.

He's followed by Cyril Gautier in third, while Warren Barguil did brilliantly to bridge the gap, finish fourth and pick up 10 points as he looks to defend his polka dot jersey.

British champion Steve Cummings duly solos over the summit of the hors categorie Port de Bales, picking up the maximum 20 points on offer in the king of the mountains competition.

Cummings doesn't care much about that, though. He's all in for the stage win as he hits the 15km-long descent.

It's been a supreme ride so far but he'll need the ride of his life to stave off the peloton.

Sky happy to let Warren Barguil go, with the Frenchman just looking for king of the mountains points.

Back in the peleton, Michal Kwiatkowski hits the front, followed by Mikel Landa and Mikel Nieve as Chris Froome's remaining lieutenants.

Sky look imperious - does Froome fancy this stage win?

Steve Cummings takes the 1km to go marker alone and will ride alone over the top of the Port de Bales.

That's not even half the battle, though. The British champion has the Col de Peyresourde and a summit finish at Peyragudes to take on, all while holding off a charging peloton.

He has a lead of about two minutes over the yellow jersey group now.

Warren Barguil has popped off the front of the peloton, looking to mop up as many king of the mountains points as possible.

Alberto Contador is also going to have a dig here. But Team Sky are having none of it, reeling back in the two-time champion and, by extension, Barguil, who looks incredibly frustrated.

Chris Froome has lost another team-mate, though, as Sergio Henao slips back.

Steve Cummings has sat on Thomas de Gendt's wheel for the last couple of kilometres but as soon as he senses the Belgian is flagging, the British champion goes.

He ekes out a telling advantage straight away and has around 3km before going over the summit of the Port de Bales.

He has a lead of about 2'30'' over the peloton containing yellow jersey Chris Froome - is that enough of a gap to stay away until the end?

A brave ride from Jakob Fuglsang but no surprise to see him struggling, given those left scaphoid and left elbow fractures he suffered in a crash yesterday.

It's remarkable the Dane even started today. He's fifth overall and a key lieutenant for Fabio Aru on general classification but his race could be over come the finish today.

Steve Cummings and Thomas de Gendt edging towards the summit of the Port de Bales, maintaining a lead of around two and a half minutes over the peloton.

Back down the road, Chris Froome still has five Team Sky team-mates in front of him, keeping the pace high enough to discourage attacks.

For all Chris Froome is all elbows on a bike, compatriot Steve Cummings is so very smooth.

The British champion stays within his threshold and glides back up to Thomas de Gendt.

It's those two out front alone now.

Thomas de Gendt is on one today, the Belgian just riding the rest of the four-man front group off his wheel.

No notable reaction from Steve Cummings, Cyril Gautier or Stefan Kung behind him for now.

Image source, Getty Images

Brice Feillu has just caught and passed former breakaway rider Diego Ulissi as he pursues the leading four-man group.

The pace the peloton are going, they will likely catch every rider except the front four and perhaps Feillu before the summit of the Port de Bales.

That will mean plenty of king of the mountains points on offer - so you can expect Warren Barguil to be up there in the polka dot jersey.

Cofidis' Julien Simon slips back from the front six as Lotto Soudal's Thomas de Gendt once again forces the pace, looking for those king of the mountain points at the summit.

Maxime Bouet is also cooked and leaves his team-mate Brice Feillu to strike ahead.

Meanwhile, Michael Matthews is swallowed up by the peloton after his impressive ride today and shot right out the back - no chance he can help Warren Barguil now.

And back at the front, De Gendt's power has cracked Jack Bauer as the Quick-Step Kiwi falls away.

The front group of six, including Britain's Steve Cummings, are now 7.5km from the summit of the hors categorie Port de Bales.

The remnants of the initial breakaway are scattered behind them, with Fortuneo duo Maxime Bouet and Brice Feillu two minutes down the road, about a minute in front of the Team Sky-led peloton.

Image source, Getty Images

Pictures of various riders being shot out the back of the peloton as small groups form all over the road, hoping to work together just to pace themselves to the finish.

A few big names on bad days - Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) falls back, his ride at the Giro this year continuing to take it out of his legs. Esteban Chaves (Orica) is also dropped.

Thomas de Gendt now lifts the tempo in the break and splits it apart.

Steve Cummings was in danger of losing contact but just finds the right gear and calmly moves back up to the front group.

There are now six riders out front - Cyril Gautier (AG2R), Stefan Kung (BMC), Steve Cummings (Dimension Data), Jack Bauer (Quick-Step), Thomas de Gendt (Lotto Soudal), and Julien Simon (Cofidis).

Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Koen de Kort (Trek), Diego Ulissi and Nils Politt (Katusha-Alpecin) in danger of being left behind.

Meanwhile, Team Sky have lost a couple of riders from the front as Christian Knees and Luke Rowe complete their excellent effort setting the tempo and peel off.

All going to plan for Chris Froome so far.

So 12 became 11 that now become 10 in the breakaway as Matthews drops back.

Stefan Kung is interested in thinning out the selection even further as the BMC rider lifts the pace.

The rest of the break respond in kind - Britain's Steve Cummings happy to stick on the back of that leading group for now.