Simon Yates wins second stage of 2019 Tour
Thomas gains time on leader Alaphilippe
Pinot second, Landa third - 33secs behind
Mountainous 185km route from Limoux to Foix, Prat d'Albis
First time Prat d'Albis has been used in Tour
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Nine riders, including Michael Matthews, have now opened up a lead of 27 seconds over the rest of the breakaway through the feed zone.
No massive names or potential GC threats are there.
Will the rest catch up soon?
No one in this breakaway group is nearly as quick as Michael Matthews in a flat, straight sprint.
The Australian easily takes the intermediate sprint and wins 20 points in the points classification.
A small dent in Peter Sagan's lead in the green jersey.
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With the peloton easing up a tad after the break formed, polka dot jersey Tim Wellens has been able to get back into the bunch.
He could well be losing that jersey today though with big king of the mountains points on offer and plenty of talented climbers up the road.
The next landmark is the intermediate sprint point. Most of the breakaway, aside from Michael Matthews, won't be too interested in that though.
It's what follows that counts - three sharp category one climbs in a row, culminating at a summit finish on the Prat d'Albis in Foix.
It's the first time the Prat d'Albis has even been used in the Tour de France. An unknown quantity perhaps - who will conquer it?
Image source, Tour de FranceTeam Ineos, Deceuninck Quick-Step and Lotto Soudal are the only three teams not to have at least one rider in the 36-man breakaway.
Amund Jansen has crucially got across for Jumbo-Visma.
Potential danger for Geraint Thomas and Julian Alaphilippe - their rivals could launch attacks later to bridge across to team-mates that can set the pace for them.
Ineos and Quick-Step are solidly keeping the gap at 2:30 for now.
Gareth Rhys Owen, Rob Hayles and Simon Brotherton and Jeremy Whittle reflect on a dramatic mountain stage that saw Geraint Thomas lose time on a brilliant day for French duo Thibaut Pinot and Julian Alaphilippe. How can Thomas claw back the time, does he have it in his legs, and is Alaphilippe now favourite?
You can download the latest episode here.
That eight-man chasing group, featuring Michael Matthews, have made it across to the breakaway, swelling it to 36 riders now.
Australian Matthews will be aiming for the intermediate sprint in just under 20km time.
Romain Bardet, Vincenzo Nibali, Nairo Quintana, Michael Woods, Simon Yates, Dan Martin and Bauke Mollema are the biggest names to watch out for in this breakaway.
A mix of motivations - stage glory, king of the mountains points, setting things up for team-mates and perhaps even regaining some lost time on general classification.
But it's also very notable that FDJ have put Rudy Molard and Sebastien Reichenbach up the road.
Team Ineos and Deceuninck Quick-Step will have a stressful day limiting the advantage of the break, while Thibaut Pinot may be able to just keep near the front and later launch an attack to try and bridge to his team-mates.
Jumbo-Visma may also try to force Quick-Step to do most of the work and create something for their leader Steven Kruijswijk later on.
Here are the 28 riders in the break: Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe), Romain Bardet and Tony Gallopin (AG2R-La Mondiale), Vincenzo Nibali, Damiano Caruso and Jan Tratnik (Bahrain-Merida), Rudy Molard and Sebastien Reichenbach (Groupama-FDJ), Nairo Quintana, Andrey Amador and Marc Soler (Movistar), Pello Bilbao, Omar Fraile and Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), Michael Woods (EF Education First), Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), Simon Geschke (CCC), Julien Bernard, Giulio Ciccone and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates), Lennard Kamna and Nicolas Roche (Sunweb), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin), Romain Kreuziger (Dimension Data) and Guillaume Martin (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Amael Moinard (Arkéa-Samsic).
They lead the yellow jersey group by 2:45 and the Michael Matthews chasing group by about 40 seconds.
There are a maximum of 40 KOM points still on offer in today's stage.
Hello. Vincenzo Nibali certainly is interested in the king of the mountains classification this year.
The Italian Tour champion launches his bid to reach the summit of the Col de Montsegur first and Romain Bardet responds.
But it's Canadian Michael Woods who defeats both of them to roll over the line first and claim five points in the climber's classification.
The Canadian is riding with two broken ribs, sustained in a crash on stage 11.
This could be a cracking contest if pure climbers like these are going for the polka dot jersey - current wearer Tim Wellens has been dropped off the back of the peloton today.
A small group, led by Michael Matthews, are trying to bridge across to the break and have 30 seconds to make up.
If they can hold it there, they might be able to make contact on the descent.
Matthews will then look to make a dent in Peter Sagan's vast advantage in the green jersey competition at the intermediate sprint.
He attacked and attacked and attacked...
...but Mr Breakaway, Thomas de Gendt, has missed out.
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The break has been allowed to go now with 2km left to climb. They have a gap of 1:25 over the yellow jersey group.
A truce for now - but this is going to be a hugely stressful day for Team Ineos, Deceuninck Quick-Step and Jumbo-Visma - they can't let this big name breakaway get too much time.
FDJ have managed to get a couple of riders across into the break. Another shrewd move after a brilliant day yesterday for Marc Madiot's team.
A fast, brutal stage so far.
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There is 3km to the top of the Col de Montsegur now.
Will Vincenzo Nibali give a clear indication that is indeed aiming for the king of the mountains competition and try to take points at the summit?
Dan Martin is also in this break along with Nairo Quintana after they lost masses of time yesterday.
The peloton won't want them getting too far up the road and back in GC contention though.
Vincenzo Nibali, Romain Bardet and Nairo Quintana are among the riders to have got into this breakaway. Will it stick?
Deceuninck Quick-Step and Movistar hit the front of the peloton, not happy to let this large group go clear.
This has been a bruising day already - 50km of frantic racing.
Some big names could well be paying for this later on, especially after such a tough day yesterday.
Adam's twin brother Simon Yates has been very active in the early stages, shadowing a lot of moves and trying to get in the breaks.
Is he going for another stage win or trying to set something up for Adam down the line? Or both?
The Briton is up there again in a big group that has fashioned a gap on the Col de Montsegur.
Although far from ideal, Geraint Thomas also had far from the worst day yesterday.
Britain's Adam Yates cracked early and slipped from 10th to 18th overall.
Yates, speaking before the start of stage 15: "I had a bad day - it happens to everyone but you can't dwell on it and you've just got to get on with it. On to the next one."