Hello and welcome to live coverage of stage 9 of the Tour de France - and it's the big one: the queen stage of this year's race (at least, for many) is this seven-climb 181.5km schlep through the Jura mountains from Nantua to Chambery.

ATTACK: Porte has a dig and takes Froome, Quintana, Bardet, Martin, Aru and Uran with him. Contador has cracked - that could have been the reason why Porte made his attack in the first place.

Warren Barguil is riding his way into the polka dot jersey - but is he going to win a maiden stage of the Tour? There's still a long descent before the finish - and Barguil is not the best descender...

Having passed Mollema and Bakelants, Benoot is 1:05 down on Barguil but has Fuglsang closing in on him.

Henao has blown so it's just Nieve and Landa now for Froome, who looks in control after that earlier wobble. Martin, Aru, Quintana, Porte, Yates, Meintjes, Contador, Bardety, Uran, Latour...

Lone leader Barguil has two minutes over the main pack. Behind, Gallopin has had a second wind and caught Mollema and Bakelants. Hang on, it's not Gallopin - he really did hit the wall; it's his Lotto Soudal team-mate Tiesj Benoot, who was also in that earlier break which has blown apart.

Froome is back again - and he still has Nieve, Henao and Landa. He gave Aru a frosty look as he returned - but not before Jakob Fuglsang, the winner of the Dauphine, rides clear of this main pack. Well, if Aru has too take his foot off the gas, then Astana want to get something from this little flashpoint, don't they?

Ooo, talking point! Did Aru break the unwritten rules of cycling, there? For Porte and Martin managed to reel him and have a word with the Sicialian, forcing a go-slow on the front of the pack. They're going to wait for Froome, after all.

With Aru dancing clear with Quintana, Froome is struggling with an issue with his bike, frantically trying to wave for assistance. He eventually gets a new bike from his mechanic - but he'll have a lot of ground to make up...

ATTACK BY ARU! The Italian powers clear of the main favourites... JUST AS FROOME PUTS HIS HANDS UP FOR A MECHANICAL!

Gallopin has hit the wall. The Lotto Soudal rider is passed by Mollema and Bakelants.

Barguil has dropped Mollema and is drawing level with Bakelants. Just one more rider ahead of him now: Gallopin. And that's true no longer: there's a French changing of the guard.

Barguil, his jersey undone and flapping in the wind, catches Mollema. Roglic is further back with Navarro trying to latch on to the Slovenian. The break has, in short, blown apart. Back with the pack, and Team Sky still control things. Dan Martin is right in Froome's wheels, and it looks like the Irishman has a Quick-Step colleague there - probably Gianluca Brambilla.

Tony Gallopin has dropped Jan Bakelants on the front of the race. The Frenchman hurt his ankle in a crash in the opening time trial in Dusseldorf, but he's been back to his best today.

Bauke Mollema attacks from the chase group. The Dutchmen rides clear of Vuillermoz, Barguil, Navarro, Benoot and Roglic.

CORRECTION: I actually jumped the gun a little: the Mont du Chat proper has only just started. Given the uphill terrain, it seemed like it had already started ages ago - but Bakelants and Gallopin have only just passed the official 8.7km start.

It's worth mentioning that the Dauphine used the Mont du Chat in a stage last month and it was that man Fabio Aru - the Stage 5 winner who is now up to second place on the virtual standings - who climbed it fastest from the big GC riders present here at the Tour.

Froome down to Nieve, Landa and Henao now after Kwiatkowski peels off and hits the wall. It's the same for the break, who are losing numbers fast. After Betancur, Pantano pedals squares. Just seven in pursuit of the two leaders now.

Right, time for fireworks: we're heading near to the Cat.HC Mont du Chat (8.7km at 10.3%) which is being used for the first time since the 1974 Tour, when Raymond Poulidor put Eddy Merckx under serious pressure. There are segments of 14% and 15% in the middle which could prove decisive in the battle for the stage and the yellow jersey.

The advantage of Bakelants and Gallopin is down to 50 seconds ahead of the climb. Matthews dropped back after the intermediate sprint and has been caught - and passed - by the peloton. Meanwhile, Betancur looks to have lost contact with the break - perhaps he's feeling the pinch, or saving himself to work for an isolated Quintana behind.

It's almost Mont du Chat time, with the gap down to 3:15 for the leaders over the main pack. Even though the road is already going up, the climb proper doesn't start for a few kilometres.

A reminder that Geraint Thomas crashed out earlier today on the descent of the Col de la Biche. The Welshman withdrew with an expected broken collarbone. It wasn't caught on camera, but here's a video of the aftermath...