Postpublished at 14:30 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
French president Emmanuel Macron has rocked up to check out today's action. Perhaps he is a huge fan of Contador?
Image source, AFPSummary
Primoz Roglic wins stage 17
Froome extends lead to 27 seconds
Uran and Bardet now second and third
Marcel Kittel abandons - he had been in green jersey
Postpublished at 14:30 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
Image source, AFPPostpublished at 14:30 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
BBC Radio 5 liveJoin commentator Simon Brotherton and summariser Rob Hayles on this very website now as they take us expertly through the remainder of this fascinating stage.
63km to gopublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
OK, riders on the bottom slopes of the Telegraphe (11.9km at 7.1%).
Trek-Segafredo's Jarlinson Pantano working incredibly hard for Alberto Contador in the lead group, who are three and a half minutes ahead of the peloton.
Cloudy. Will we get the rain or thunderstorms that could change the dynamic of this stage?
Can they stay away?published at 14:25 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
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End of twitter postGreen jerseypublished at 14:20 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
Had a few tweets and texts asking if Marcel Kittel stays in green even though he has abandoned or if his points are redistributed.
No on both counts.
Lonely road to Parispublished at 14:19 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
And then there were three (after Thibaut Pinot abandoned).
Image source, Paul FletcherKeep it simplepublished at 14:17 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
OK, there are 24 in the lead group that includes Alberto Contador, with the peloton more than three minutes behind.
Chris Froome and the main GC riders are safely tucked away in the peloton. Contador started the day outside the top 10 in the GC standings, more than 7 minutes behind Froome.
Image source, AFPget involved Get Involvedpublished at 14:14 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
#bbccycling
Paul Richards: Cavendish, Sagan and now Kittel abandoning. The green jersey is looking like last man standing.
Green jersey - handy leadpublished at 14:13 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
The withdrawal of Marcel Kittel means that Australia's Sunweb rider Michael Matthews now has a huge lead at the top of the green jersey standings.
Matthews, after his 20 points earlier today at the intermediate sprint, has 366 points. Andre Greipel has 204.
Image source, EPAget involved Get Involvedpublished at 14:09 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
#bbccycling
Steve Noggs: Never mind the strange shoe, Valverde's denim shorts are far more alarming.
See 13:51 BST - Sorry Steve, not having that at all. They look perfectly acceptable to me.
75km to gopublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
OK, so we're getting towards the bottom of the Croix de Fer.
Next up is the category one Telegraphe and then further on up to the day's second hors categorie climb, the Galibier.
After that there is just the fast descent to Serre-Chevalier and then we can take a look at exactly what damage the stage has done to the race.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 14:06 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
It's a family affair
Who did you share you day out on the climb with? Tell us by using #bbcycling or text 81111.
Image source, BBC SportImage caption, Start them early
Postpublished at 14:05 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
Kittel quit at the top of the Croix de Fer?
Is that clear thinking?
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
#bbccycling
In full agreement...
Matt Taggart: The best green jersey competition in years does not deserve to end that way.
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Kittel abandonspublished at 14:02 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
Marcel Kittel led the green jersey competition by nine points and had won five stages.
But he was not looking in great shape yesterday and crashed early on today. He was patched up and carried on for a while but has now quit.
Michael Matthews is now hot favourite to win the green jersey competition. He had steadily been closing the gap and was just nine points behind when the German quit.
Image source, AFPKittel abandonspublished at 13:58 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
De Gendt reeled inpublished at 13:56 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
Thomas de Gendt crested the Croix de Fer with Dani Navarro but, after bagging the all important mountain points, the Belgian has now been caught by the large chasing group containing Alberto Contador.
Valverde's scarpublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
Alejandro Valverde crashed out on the opening stage in Dusseldorf.
Is it me, or does it look like he has a shoe designed for his right foot on his left?
Image source, EPAget involved Get Involvedpublished at 13:47 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
You do have to queue!
I mean, honestly...
Beat the old man to the top last summer. Although, as legendary as the climb is, the Izoard took much more out of me! And in answer to the question at 13:10, there's less of a queue and more of a free for all! Cracking coffee stop at the Lautaret for the riders to stop at too....
Ben - Leeds
Hello BBCCycling, you do have to queue as there are many motorcyclist waiting too, but they don't have a lot of moral ground to complain when freezing cyclists push-in!
Anonymous - please put name here
100km to gopublished at 13:47 British Summer Time 19 July 2017
I lie, it is about 95km now - but given that we are going downhill now the kms are ticking off a lot faster than they were 15 minutes ago.
Dani Navarro and Thomas de Gendt have a slender lead over the breakaway group that includes Alberto Contador.
What remains of the peloton - there are riders strung all along the road - includes Chris Froome and the other main GC contenders. They trail by three and a half minutes.