Hello and welcome to today's coverage from the Tour de France, an epic stage from the scenic city of Pau to Luchon. Four brutal climbs including the Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde line th🍎e ✱197km course for what could be the most exciting stage in this year's race.

We'll be bringing you live coverage throughout the stage - which starts in about 20 minutes - but this morning,  as with previous rest days inဣ Pau, the morning after has been been dominated by dopi✤ng headlines.

It was announced last night that Franck Schleck had tested positive for Xipamide. The RadioShack leader is out of the Tour, having been withdrawn by his team. It's another bitter blow for the American/Luxembourg ensemble. Schleck has asked to see the results from his B sample. You can read the latest on the story, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:right here.

There's a huge media scrum outside the Shack bus, as you would expect,  but the CN are are also trying to t꧒alk to Saxo Bank🉐's Bjarne Riis, who managed Schleck until the start of 2011 and of course stood by him during the rider's Fuentes saga.

Away from doping, this morning's start village is a lovely location, tucked on the outskirts of the city of Pau, it's situated in a park. We had a stage start here last yea🃏r, and CN's Jean Francois Quenet was honoured by Prudhomme for his long serving career as a journalist. Quenet also served as the press officer for Mercury as well.

In the battle for yellow Wiggins leads from Froome with a gaggle of riders eagerly waiting for a slip up from Sky, sitting just behind.

1 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 68:33:21
2 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:02:05
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:02:23
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:03:19
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:04:48
6 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack-Nissan 0:06:15
7 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:06:57
8 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team 0:07:30
9 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar 0:08:31
10 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:08:51

Back t♒o Schleck for a minute and♔ here's what he has to say:

Believe Schleck or not? We'll have to wait for the B sample to come back but his ✅credibility since Fuentes pay♋ments leaves it hard to take what he says at face value - for some anyway. Let me know what you think about the situation via

Lets look to today's stage now: There’s no summit finish but the organisers believe this is likely to make the action more intense as riders won’t be tempted to sit back and wait for the final climb before racing. The fact that the Aubisque and the Tourmalet – the ‘roof’ of this year’s race – come first won’t suit the climbers. Some of them may not appreciate the final descent of the Peyresourde either as it’s very speedy and suits daredevils. It won&rsq🧔uo;t be an easy day for whoever is defending the yellow jersey.

Does Cadel Evans have the legs for another attack?  He has to try something if he's even going♒ to finish on the podium this year. At La Toussure he attacked before the final climb and then cracked in the closing kilometres. He was even distanced by his teammate Van Garderen.

As for Nibali, he's been consistent throughout the Tour, having produced a very respectable prologue, better-than-most ti🗹me trial and a spirited attack in the mountains. He'll try and unsettle Sky throughout today's stage and the final descent should sꦛuit him.

And the riders are off,  W🤡iggins and his Sky team surely about to face their sternest test in this year's race as it's now or never for a number of GC hopefuls.

You can find a video and breakdown of today's stage preview right here,  ꦗwith the insightful Ch🅷ris Boardman taking you through main points.

We had the exact stage (almost) in 1998. The climbs taken in the exact same order. The 1998 Tour, what tragedy of a race, with Rodolfo Massi winning the stage 🌞from Pau to Luchon. Pantani was second. Stuart O'Grady raced that day and he's taking part 🐠today.

Massi was part of an early break with teammate Elli and Vasseu꧑r, and held on to take the stage. 

Massi was of course kicked of that ye꧅ar's  To💝ur after doping products were found in his room.

195km remaining from 197km

There's a lot of action at the start with a number of riders attacking and tr♍ying to get into the break. Saxo Bank have thrown a man up the road, Astana too.

Wed, 18th Jul 2012 10:04:12

Riblon is the next rider to atta𒈔ck, dragging two riders with him, one of them is Roy.

The peloton haven't let this one🐭 go though 🗹and it's all back together.

Surely, we'll see Kessiakoff try an♕d attack. He's leading the KOM at the moment but he needs more points on Rolland and Voeckler to strengthen his position. He can't outclimb the two Frenchmen so he needs to get in a break.

Two Katusha riders in the latest group trying their luck off the front but the🌊 peloton still feelin frisky enough to chase it down. This could be the pattern for the next hour of racing.

188km remaining from 197km

Here's a 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:look at our top 10 conclusions from the Tour so far

Further attacks from the bunch but nothing has stuck ๊yet. So many teams haven't won a single stage yet so the racing is fast and furious.

In other news, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Soler has announced his retirement from the sport. We wish him all the luckꦜ in the world with hജis new life as an ex-pro.

Dave Zabriskie is the next rider to nip off tꦕhe front. The Garmin rider has been in two breaks already this Tour. He's been brought back by the bunch though in this instanc💜e.

Wed, 18th Jul 2012 10:33:31

Sandy Casar has gone clear. The canny Frenchman is the perfect ally for a stage break in these conditions but who will join him𓄧🧸?

Casar has been broug💫ht back but another batch of riders have countered, with the peloton𓄧 fragmenting all over the road.

Around 20 to 30 riders have a gap but they're not looking too organised. It looks like Jens V๊oigt is in there.

174km remaining from 197km

C𒀰ummings Ten Dam, Bouet are also in the break. It looks as thoug𓃲h this move might work.

Race radio crackles through saying 37, 38 riders🌠 in the break with Europecar chasing. Kessiakoff isn't there, I don't think.

Vino and Hincapie are both in the break. The Astana rider on the front and Kessiakoff is there. The break have 1 minute and it looks like the bunch has sat up💮.

Voeckler is in the move too, so it looks like he'll go head to head with Kessiakoff for the KOM while Rolland concentrates on th🥂e top ten.

Back in the 🐻bunch and the pace has eased off, with Cadel Evans and Gilbert sharing a joke. They'll be glad to have  two men up the road at this stage.

162km remaining from 197km

Sky move to the front and set a tempo for Wiggins. They'll be glad that the pace has dropped ahead of the first climb. No GC rivals u🔴p the🅘 road but they'll be wary of giving them too much time. The gap is currently 3:33.

Voigt:

Shack PR on UCI suggesting Shack send him home:

Pineau is ch🦩asing the break but he's going to struggle making it up to them.

Back in the bunch and Eisel is setting the pace with the rest of the Sky tra🔜in s𝓀itting behind him.

Sorenson also in the break today so thℱe KOM jersey i𒊎s up for grabs and could be won today. 25 points for the first rider on the HC climbs.

The break are on the lower slopes of the Aubisque but it looks like we🍸've ha🌌d a crash.

Horner has gone over the side of the road, he's scrambling up the banking and trying to get back on the road. He's okay and back on his new bike chasing. Reminds me of Bruyneel doing🔴 a similar thing in the 1996 Tour.

Horner is back with the race doctor receiving treatment as the Saxo riders lea♉d the break on the gently slopes of the lower part of the climb.

Wed, 18th Jul 2012 11:09:30

Steven Cummings and George Hincapie (both BMC Racing Team), Yaroslav Popovych and Jens Voigt (both RadioShack-Nissan), Thomas Voeckler and Yukiya Arashiro (both Europcar), Jorge Azanza, Egoi Martinez and Gorka Izaguirre (all Euskaltel), Danilo Hondo, Marco Marzano and Simone Stortoni (all Lampre-ISD), Daniel Martin (Garmin-Sharp) Maxime Bouet and Sebastien Minard (both AG2R La Mondiale), Rein Taaramae and Samuel Dumoulin (both Cofidis), Brice Feillu, Gꦫuillaume Levarlet and Jean Marc Marino (all Saur-Sojasun), Johnny Hoogerland and Rafael Valls Ferri (both Vacansoleil-DCM), Gianpaolo Caruso, Yury Trofimov and Eduard Vorganov (all Katusha), Sandy Casar, Pierrick Fedrigo and Matthiew Ladagnous (all FDJ-Big Mat), Steven Kruiswijk and Laurens Ten Dam (both Rabobank), Rui Costa, Vladimir Karpets, and Vasili Kiryienka (all Movistar), Sergio Paulinho and Chris Anker Sorensen (both Saxo Bank-Tinkof Bank), Fredrik Kessiakoff and Alexandre Vinokourov (both Astana) and Matthieu Sprick (Argos-Shimano).

Wed, 18th Jul 2012 11:09:05

153km remaining from 197km

The bunch are on the climb now, with Eisel still setting the pace. Big job for him today. Everyone looks at Rogers and Porte but it's the guys like Eisel that do an awful lot of work too.꧟ The longer they can set the pace the longer Sky can save their better climbers for when it really, really matters.

The break hasn't been given too much freedom at the momen𓂃t,༺ the gap around 3:50.

Pineau has been brought back by the bunch. Lefevere wont be happy that none of his riders have made the break of the day. GreenEdge, Liquiꦓgas, Sky,📖 and Lotto have all missed or chosen to miss the boat.

Perhaps Liquigas will ride as they did in the Giro, driving the bunch over the cl𓂃imbs, and setting a pace for their leader to attack. It didnt work at the Giro but Nibali looks in better form than Basso did in May.

Off topic but if you're wondering what the riders got up to on their rest day, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:here's a gallery.

Voeckler already looks like he's ridden 200km, his jersey open, pouring water over himself. We  love a bit of theatrics but really, it's a hot stage, and the riders are suffering already. Today is going to be a day of suffering for everyone out there, from the guy who wins to t🎶he guy who finishes dead last.

151km remaining from 197km

Our 38 riders have 3:50 on the bunch.

149km remaining from 197km

Eise🧸l continues to set tempo for Sky, Cavendish is also in the Sky train doing his bit to help Wiggins.

As Kessiakoff takes his turn on the front of the break and ꦅthen swings off to allow Voeckler and then Voigt to come through. Casar looks ragged, and not surprising after the work he's done in the Tour so far ওbut he also moves to the front.

Wed, 18th Jul 2012 11:39:40

Correct!

Eisel, leadout man, sprinter, and Classics rider, is still setting the pace for  Sky on front of the bunch. He💮 must be turning himself inside out to keep this pace going, espec🐲ially as the break hasn't gained time.

A number of ri𓂃ders are starting to drift🌃 off the back of the peloton, already feeling the strain of the climb.

145km remaining from 197km

F൲DJ using their numbers in the break to good effect, setting the pace. The team already have two stages in this year's race.

Dan Martin takes his turn on the front of the break. The Garmin rider has been ill for a few days but now Europ𒅌car turn up the pace as we near the summit. Ke🅷ssiakoff glues himself to Voeckler's wheel.

25 points to Voeckler on the top,  with 20 to Kessiakoff. Game on in t🍎he KOM.

Lower ꦇdown the climb and Sky continue to work on🅷 the front.

Arashiro was the perfect teammate on the climbing setting the pace for Voeckler and then peeling off for the Frenchman to take maximum points. It will be interesting to see if the team can play the same tactic on the next climb, if Aﷺrashiro has anything in the tank on the top of the Tourmalet.

Is that an attack from Gilbert? He's moved clear of the b♈unch but just ♏collects some bidons for his teammates.

The peloton crest the top of the climb and Sky continue their pace setting tactic on the descen🔯t of the climb.

The Euskaltel pair in the break move themselves to the front, Dan Martin in close proximity. Once off the descent they'll ride fo🔴r roughly 18km in the valley before starting the Tourmalet.

Wed, 18th Jul 2012 12:10:45

The gap has gone out to 4:24ꩵ, that's the biggest margin we've had so far today.

131km remaining from 197km

131km still to race, with three major climbs lefཧt: Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde

Eisel back on the front as the peloton tackle a section of false fla♓t before the descent continues.

128km remaining from 197km

The gap stretches out to 4:44.

A few splits on the descent ♑in the break but nothing to worry about, it should all come back together in the valley before the Tourmalet.

There has been another crash. A Katusha rider⭕, Gusev, is on his feet but holding his rightꦉ shoulder. That's not a good sign.

Cavendish is still in the Sky train, helpꩲing Eisel set the pace on the 😼front.

110km remaining from 197km

110 km to go and the gap is up to 5:29

The break passes through the feedzone. It's the quiet before the storm as we wait for the To🌟urmalet. Will we see any serious attacks on that cl💦imb?

Stage winner in Foix, Luis Leon Sanchez, is at the back of the bunch and calls for a tea𒆙m car.

103km remaining from 197km

Still not on the Tourmalet but the road i🐭s still rising. Eisel, wh🐠o has been on the front for most  of the stage, continues to set the pace.

Hincapie drops back to h🌊is BMC car and picks up an ice bag to cool himself down. Exciting stuff!

Hondo and Fedrigo share a few words in the break as Dan Martin drops back to talk ✨to 🌳Jonathan Vaughters in the Garmin-Sharp car.

98km remaining from 197km

Under 100km to g♉o with the Tourm🅰alet on the horizon.

Wed, 18th Jul 2012 12:53:30

When we raced over the same route in 1998 the stage was covered in fog and mi💟st.

The break passes through Luz-Saint-Sauveur, so they're at the foot of the Tourmalet, last climbed (twice) in ไthe 2010 Tour de France.

Eisel has peeled off ꦅand Knees takes over for Sky.

Hondo has attacked the break. Incredible.

The German has 24 seconds on the mai꧋n break 🌸, with the bunch at 5:46.

A few of the weaker riders are being dropped from the break: Ladagnous and 💦Marino.

And Cavendish has been dropped by the peloton.

91km remaining from 197km

Liquigas and BMC have moved closer to the fron🅺t for the first time today, while the break is strung out. Eisel h⛎as also been dropped.

Shock, h👍orror Hondo has been caught and passed, with Daniel Martin turning the screw and leading a small counter attack.

Vino and Kessiakoff are near the front but Voeckler has been caught a🦄t the back and he needs to move forward, and Daniel Marti♛n goes again. This time with a much harder attack and only Ten Dam and Kessiakoff can go with him.

The g𒉰♔radient kicks up and Ten Dam takes a turn on the front of the leading trio.

At the back of the peloton theꦯ bus is starting to form.

Smart move from Kessiakoff following Martin. He'll just sit on but Voeckler is organising a small counter attack and leading a group b🙈ack to three up front.

Hincapie on Voeckler's wheel with Feillu and Sorensen als♔o there.

Martin moves t♑o the front just as V෴oeckler group latch on.

Sagan, meanwhile falls to the back of the bunch.

88km remaining from 197km

Martin cont🌊inues to set the pace but more riders are coming over to𒅌 the lead group. Kessiakoff teaks a turn on the front.

87km remaining from 197km

Vino and few more ♛riders make it back to the front group⭕ and the gap is not at 7:17, with 87 km to go.

Knees continues to set the pace, Edvald Boasson Hꦯagen is on his whee💎l.  Surely the Norwegian can't lead the yellow jersey group over the top of the Tourmalet?

And Kern has attacked. Will Rolland try a move soon?

As up the road Feillu attacks an♉d takes Voeckler and Martin with him. Ten Dam is chasing.

Martin pushes the pace, we've st✨ill got over 7km of the Tourmalet to come. Kessiakoff has to react, and he does, leaဣding a chase.

Dan Martin sees the Swede and Voeck🍬ler start to play games and lifts the pace again.

As Scarponi is dropped from the peloton.

Peraud is also dropped.

And Kessiakoff has to sit up, Voeckler, Feillu and Martin ha꧂ve dropped him.

Dan Martin still on the front, increasing the pressure on his former teamma𝓰te as Boasson Hagen takes over the pace duties for Sky.

Up the road and Kern is cutting through the tai🍸lenders of the initial break.

When Rolland won his stage earlier in the race so much of the ground work was due t𝓡o Kern, as Ten Dam leads a groꦏup that's about to catch Kessiakoff.

Martin, Voeckler, Feillu. Then Hincapie, Sorensen, K🦩essiakoff and ten Dam.

And now Martin has been dropped. So aggressive&nbs🐼p; on♍ the early slopes, Voeckler and Feillu have dropped the Irish climber.

81km remaining from 197km

Wiggins has four men w♛ith him, it looks like Porte, Rogers, F🎐roome and Boasson Hagen but the yellow jersey group is down to less than 30 riders.

8 minutes for the leading duo ov📖er🦂 the Sky led bunch.

Boasson H𒁃agen 🌱drops back and picks up food from the team car as Hincapie has been dropped from the ten Dam group.

Still 3km to the summit⛎ of the climb, with Voeckler set to take maximum points at the top.

Wed, 18th Jul 2012 13:44:24

Wed, 18th Jul 2012 13:46:39

The Kess🧸iakoff group is 1ꦡ:16 behind the two stage leaders.

Knees is back on the front again ♑for Sky, with Boasson Hagen on his wheel. Wiggins looks comfortable, Nibali too.

77km remaining from 197km

The gap between ⛦Voeckler and Feillu and the bunch is 9:33 and the leading pair have 1km to go until the 🦂top.

✱A🧔s Gilbert is dropped from the back of the main peloton.

Jens Voigt struggles up to the back of the Kessiakoff𓃲 gr🀅oup.

Wed, 18th Jul 2012 13:53:24

Voeckler raises the pace as we approach the top of the climb, as Vino and Hinca🙈pie also catch the ten Dam group.

And Voeckler takes the maximum points on offer.

Voeckler now on 87 po෴ints but Kessiakoff still leads o💯n 103.

74km remaining from 197km

The two leaders h⛄ead towards La Mongie with a lead of 10:05 on the yellow jꦡersey group.

It's all downhill until the foot of the Aspin

Martin was third over the climb, Kessiakoff 4th.

Dont fo𒊎rget that Kern is also off the front of the bunch too so Europcar are riding an aggressive race for both Rolland and Voeckler.

Voeckler has dropped Feillu on the descent.

And Zabriskie and L𒁃eon Sanchez have both bee🐈n dropped by the bunch.

66km remaining from 197km

Feillu has made contact 🌌with Voecklꩵer again. Still five Sky riders on the front.

And straight onto the Aspin.

Hincapie has crashed but come bac⛄k 🌳to the ten Dam group.

58km remaining from 197km

The🍨 two Frenchman lead the race. Can two Frenchman go 1-2 on a mountain stage as they did at ♔La Toussure?

Hincapie🐭 with his BMC jersey ripped to shreds is with the medical doctor.

10:14 for the two leaders. Voe𝄹ckler the better descender so Feillu will have to  try and drop him on the final two climbs.

The Europcar rider pours a full litre of water o🦩ver his head in a bid to cool down underᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ the hot temperatures as Hincapie is being bandaged while still riding with the ten Dam group.

Voeckler is talking, I don't think it's to Feillu as hꦬe's loওoking in the wrong direction.

As Kessikoff has blown as Vino puts the hammer down and tries to chase down Sorensen who has attack🥃ed.

Feillu is riding smartly, allowing Voeckler to sit on the front and do all the work. Voeckler is best when his back is aga🏅inst the wall and he's riding aggressively. This tactic of a steady tempo suits the 𝕴Saur rider.

Martin has meanwhile been caught by the Voigt group but riders are a꧑ll over the road. We started with 38 riders in the break but it's down to just Voeckler and Feillu at the front.

51km remaining from 197km

The two leaders have 1:30 on the Dan Marti🍒n group.

Boasson Hagen is back on the front for Sky.

50km remaining in the stage. As Sorenseꦉn and Vino increase the pace in the second group, Dan Ma💝rtin and Voigt try and respond.

If you wanted to know where Fedrigo was, he's about to be swallowed up by the peloton. And Hondo, we'll he's been dropped by t𝄹he bunch.

🐻Voigt has dropped Vino and the Shack🔴 rider is with Sorensen.

It looks like Martin has blown too.

Sky ar🎐e⭕ doing enough to keep the bunch together and stop any attacks from going up the road.

Arashiro has been caught,  having done his work for Voeck🃏ler. He'll now sit on for as long as possible and try an📖d help Rolland. Bravo Europcar who are at least going on the attack today.

Liquigas have moved to the front with 47km to go and Sky hav෴e been overtaken. We 🧜have a race.

And Liquigas are taking the race on. ဣBoasson Hagen has been dropped and so have a handful of other riders. L𒀰iquigas are taking on Sky.

As Voekler takes the maximum amount of points at the🍌 top. Sorensen, Vino and Voigt the only riders left in the chase group.

As Vande Velde has been dropped.

Vino takes 3rd on the climb to protect Kessiakoff'▨s position in the KOM.

More and more riders dropping from the yell🤡ow jersey group. Liquigas have two men on the front, then it's Wiggins and Rogers.

Nerz too🔜k a huge turn but✨ he's blown and Coppell has also been dropped.

Up ahead and Voeckler leads Feillu on𓃲 the descent.

The gap between the lead group and the Vino group is down to one minute. Voeckl꧒er, I think, has done enou🌳gh to take the lead in the KOM.

Basso is s🀅etting the pace, Nibali on his wheel. And Cadel Evans is in trouble, big trouble.

41 km to go and Evans has been drop🔯ped on the climb.

Porte, Wiggins, Rogers, and Froome still the𝓰re but Evans has been dropped, and Van Garderen is still with the lead group.

Evans in a group with Kloden, Levi, Monfort but he's losing time and all chance of a podium�🌺� place.

And Evans has been dropped by this gr🐻oup too.🎉 1km to the top.

38km remaining from 197km

38km to go and Nibali is riding towards a podium place, with Basso setting the pace for him on the front of the yellow jersey group. Sky dont need to use energy at the moment so they'll be happy to let the Italian team do all ꦆthe work.

Basso leads the group over the climb, looks back to see the damage he's done. Evans is back with a teammate and the Monfort/Kloden group and goes over about 30 s🍌econds later.

36km remaining from 197km

It's n♉ot over f🌺or Evans, he can still come back on the descent but this is huge blow to his Tour ambitions. I'm surprised Lotto didn't put the boot in.

33km remaining from 197km

The leading pair still have over꧟ 9 minutes, 9:22 to be exact 𓄧as they start the road towards the final climb of the day, the Peyresourde

Sky have taken up the front of the yellow jersey grou💖p again. Up ahe𝔍ad and Vino and Sorensen have broken clear.

Voigt makes it up the Sorensen and Vino.

30km remaining from 197km

Less than 50 seconds between the two lea꧟d groups. The Peyresourde is around 9km in length so the stage win is certainly up for grabs between the two groups.

Izagirre has made it to the Vino group as Kern is caught by the yello💞w jersey group....

And now Lotto move up and to ♛the front of the bunch. They've all waited for the final climb.

Evans🔜 is 46 seconds behind the yellow group. Lotto are looking to at least move Van den Broeck into 4th on GC.

Evans is 46 seconds ꧂behind the yellow group. Lotto are l𓂃ooking to at least move Van den Broeck into 4th on GC.

Just 50 seconds between the Voeckle🔥r and Vino groups. It's slowly coming down.

Cumming, Moinard are leading the Evans group. Lepheimer is there too, 🧔and Kloden.

Froome leading Wiggins in the lead group. Both riders looking comfortable🍎 at the moment.

Evans has made it back to the GC group. The pace 🏅seems to have eased and Sky move back to the front.

Pinot, Rolland they're both in the GC grou🐷p, which is down to around 20 riders, as the two leaders start the final climb.

Feillu is still sitting on as Voeckler does most of the wor🅷k.

Sওorensen and Vino have broken clear of their two companions on 🐻lower slopes of the climb.

For all that work Liquigas did on the A🐻s🎀pin, Sky still have all their cards to play. Rogers and Porte are on the front.

22km remaining from 197km

The climb become more  difficult towards the top, so there's a launch pad 💫for Nibali𒅌 and Van den Broeck. Do either of them have the legs?

And Voec๊kler lifts the pace slightly and Feillu has to respond.

And Feillu has cracked. Voeckler is alone and heading towar🐓ds another stage win.

Voeckler looks back to see the huge gap that he has as Rogers gets out of the saddle and stri🐻ngs out the yellow jersey group as Nibali sits on Wiggins' wheel.

Basso and N🍒ibali have words as the peloton start the climb.

As Sorensen drops Vino.

Voeckler has 5km to go 🦋until the summit of the 🐻climb.

The Saxo rider is closing in on Feillu.

There's still a minute between Voeckler and the next rider o🍎n the road though.

Lotto move to the front of the yellow♑ jersey group.

While Sorensen goes by Feillu with ease.

Jelle😼 Va🔥nendert is setting the pace and Evans has been dropped again.

A🦹s Basso moves to the front, adjust his jersey and begins to set the pace.

18km remaining from 197km

Still, no pressure has been put on Wiggins.

And Po📖rte tr🏅ies to come to the front but Basso reacts and moves back up.

ꩲEvans is losing time, at least 30 seconds now. As Pinot and Roche are also in difficulty but hanging on.

Voeckler still out in front 🉐and on his own, heading for his second stage win in the race.

Evans has lost 1:30 already on the Wiggins group.

5km to the top and Brajkovic has b💎een dropped. As even further back Evans weaves all over the road.☂ He's 1:13 down on Wiggins.

Evans is still in fourth on GC but 🍰only by around 15 seconds.

And Rolland has drifted off the back of the yellow jersey group, with Basso st🐓ill😼 on the front. Wiggins still has at least one teammate with him.

And Nibali has attacked.

18 seconds on GC between Froome and Nibali and now Froome i❀s chasing with Wiggins on his wheel. Everyone e𒈔lse? Dropped.

Froome sets pace for Wiggins and𝔍 Nibali has less than 15 meters of a gap

The Shark looks back and can see ಞFroome and Wiggins coming back to him. Nibali goes again, changing up the pace just before he's caught.

Froome doe꧂sn't panic and keeps his own pace and th🍸e gap comes down again.

As up the road Voeckler nears the summit.

Froome leads Nibali, Wiggins third.

And Voeckler goes over the꧑ top and he'll surely win the stage now. Sorensen is 1:24 down.

14km remaining from 197km

Sorensen goes over the top. 1:24 down on Voeckler now🦹.

Nibali leads Froome and Wiggins.

As 🗹Horne🐻r, Valverde, Cobo, Van Garderen, Roche, and Van den Broeck lead the next group.

12km remaining from 197km

Froome tak🃏es over from Nibali and it looks like Nibali is riding for a podium place.

10km remaining from 197km

10km to go for Voeckler, taking more and more time out of Sorens💯en.

Froome st✤ill leads the Wiggins and Nibali tandem while Van den Broek leads the next group.

The defending champion,  Cadel Evans, has totalဣly blown.

And Nibali attacks and this 🌠time it's Wiggins who leads the chase.

Wiggins catches the Italian.

They're nearly at the top now.

And Nibali leads the trio over the top.

Van den Broeck leads the next group on the road and they crest the top of the final clim🅰b. It looks as though Roche has been dropped.

5km remaining from 197km

Just 5km for Voeckler who will pull on the KOM jersey this evening as well. He leads Kessiako🐈ff by 4 points so the jersey is still up for grabs.

Nibal♈i leads Wiggins on the descent with Froome just behꦚind.

Evans is still climbing though, 𒆙3:༒50 down on the Van Garderen group. A disaster for the defending champion.

1km remaining from 197km

1km to go for Voeckler. An incredible ride by the Frenchman to take his second sta൲ge win of the Tour. He comes over the line and takes th🔥e glory. A much needed result after Rolland cracked on the final climb.

Sorensen comes home in second🦂 and deserves ꦿa lot off credit for another strong ride in the mountains again.

Iꦛzagirre leads home Vino. As Froome, Wiggins, and Nibali, the three strongest riders in the rac♒e, share the pace on the descent to Luchon.

Vino pulls a foot from just a💮s the Euskaltel rider starts his sprint. Feillu is next over the line.

Voigt is home next.

Nibali leads home Wiggins and Froome.

The Italian tried, several time in ꩵfact, to crack Sky ༺but it simply wasn't enough with Wiggins and Froome equal to all thrown at them.

The top ten for the stage today:

1 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 5:35:02
2 Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:01:40
3 Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:03:22
4 Alexandr Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:03:22
5 Brice Feillu (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:03:58
6 Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan 0:04:18
7 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Sharp 0:06:08
8 Simone Stortoni (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:06:08
9 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Katusha Team 0:06:08
10ไ La𒈔urens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:06:11

Here𒁃 is the top three for GC. Evans has dropped o seventh💞 place, at 8:05 behind Wiggins.

General classification after stage 16  
 
1 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 74:15:32
2 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:02:05
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale🌠 0:02:23

Thanks for reading alo🍷ng on this long stage. Join𒁃 us again tomorrow!