Geraint Thomas is joined by Romain Bardet and Alexey Lutsenko at one minute 17 seconds behind.

Off goes Bardet - and Thomas follows. Can they force their way back into this?

Right then. This is it. The fight for the Tour de France is on.

The category one Peyragudes climb is upon us.

Eight kilometres, at an average gradient of 7.8% - but that does not reveal the full picture. A 300m ramp to finish, averaging 16%, must be tackled in the final act.

A chat between Brandon McNulty and Tadej Pogacar at the front. I wonder how far McNulty is going to be able to keep up his effort?

Two kilometres to go until the final climb begins.

Image source, Getty Images

Part of the James Bond film 'Tomorrow Never Dies' was filmed at the altiport at Peyragudes, where today's stage concludes.

The ski resort, which hosts one of the few Pyrenees mountain airports, was the scene of filming in 1997 and it was renamed Altiport 007 on the 20th anniversary.

Attacks, explosions, and plenty of drama. This could be very Bond indeed.

Brandon McNulty is back with Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard on the front as the race leaders continue their descent before the final test.

Geraint Thomas is still safely in third overall with plenty of time between himself and Nairo Quintana.

The former winner is one minute back and has been joined by Sepp Kuss and Alexey Lutsenko, as Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard press on.

Here goes Tadej Pogacar!

The Slovenian tests Jonas Vingegaard's legs over the top of the climb, but the yellow jersey sticks to him like glue just as he did yesterday.

A taster of what's to come. We have 20km of this!

What an effort this is from Brandon McNulty. He's going to take Tadej Pogacar over the top of the Col de Val Louron-Azet, with Jonas Vingegaard out of his seat as he sticks with his rival.

Just 400 metres of this climb to go. Geraint Thomas continues to lose ground, not at 44 seconds back.

We're two kilometres from the top of the Col de Val Louron-Azet and still Brandon McNulty drives on team-mate Tadej Pogacar, with Jonas Vingegaard holding on to the defending champion's wheel.

Geraint Thomas is 26 seconds behind now.

Now Geraint Thomas begins to struggle!

Rigoberto Uran is caught by Brandon McNulty, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, and soon enough Andreas Leknessund falls too.

McNulty is at the front of the race, with only the podium top-two for company.

Andreas Leknessund of Team DSM is off the front, followed closely by Rigoberto Uran, as the chasing group featuring Romain Bardet is swallowed up by the yellow jersey group.

Leknessund has around 25 seconds to the group of favourites, still being driven on by Brandon McNulty. There's still a long way to go, but what a finish we have in store.

There's only 45 seconds between the front of the race and the yellow jersey group. It's wide open with 25km to go - and over 5km of the Col de Val Louron-Azet still to tackle.

The yellow jersey group is down to the select few.

UAE Team Emirates' Brandon McNulty has whittled it down to the podium contenders Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Geraint Thomas - plus Vingegaard's team-mate Sepp Kuss.

Even Nairo Quintana can't live with it.

Here. We. Go.

Tadej Pogacar only has Brandon McNulty left in support now with 7km of the penultimate climb remaining.

Now Wout van Aert falls away as McNulty raises the pace at the front of the yellow jersey group. He is human after all!

Adam Yates and Tom Pidcock have once again lost touch too. We're quickly getting down to the main contenders with 27km of this stage still to play out.

It was another pleasing day for Jonas Vingegaard yesterday. He had an answer to everything Tadej Pogacar threw at him as he successfully protected his current 2mins 22secs advantage.

"I’m one day closer to Paris. I did expect Pogacar to attack me. He did it already on the second last climb, and I could match his acceleration, which was very strong and not easy to follow, so it turned out alright for me," Vingegaard said.

"I will try to keep it like this every day. Our goal is to win the Tour de France, and I guess every attack takes me closer to delivering it."

Image source, Getty Images

It's all come together at the front!

Quinn Simmons takes to the front as the chase group of 14 riders catches Thibaut Pinot and Alexey Lutsenko. early on the ascent of the Col de Val Louron-Azet.

It's all heating up now.

Back in the peloton, Jumbo Visma are setting the pace.

The yellow jersey group, which Adam Yates and Tom Pidcock have managed to re-join after dropping away earlier, are at one minute 35 seconds and they have just started the third climb of the day.

Muhlberger and Teuns are reeled back in by the chasing group, which is 14 riders strong and around 20 seconds behind Thibaut Pinot and Alexey Lutsenko. They're closing in.

Gregor Muhlberger and Dylan Teuns have attacked from the chasing group and are around 20 seconds behind the front of the race.

They have around 10 seconds over the next group, which features the likes of Romain Bardet, Dylan van Baarle and Jonathan Castroviejo.

Two categorised climbs down, two more to go.

Next up is the Col de Val Louron-Azet - a 10.7km climb at an average gradient of 6.8% which tops out at 1,580m.

Thibaut Pinot is just struggling to hold on to Alexey Lutsenko on the downhill, and the chasers are heading towards them at speed now.