Tour de France Stage 9: St Girons > Bagneres-de-Bigorre, 168kms

There's some Irish support for Chris Froome at the roadsides today...

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David Millar and jack Bauer have bolted from the peloton like human cannonballs...

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Tejay Van Garderen is in a new escape as the race starts the Col de Portet d'Aspet after 25-kilometres...

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Tom Danielson escapes on the Col de Menté - Garmin-Sharp mean business today..!

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Alberto Contador has suddenly accelerated behind Danielson's escape - he's followed by Froome and Quintana...

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Ryder Hesjedal and Pierre Rolland follow this move too, but the peloton has been shredded..!

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Cadel Evans has been unable to keep pace, for now...

Richie Porte has already lost over one minute - his 2nd-place overall is under attack..!

Marcel Kittel is struggling to keep within distance on the Menté climb - as are all the sprinters..!

Froome is the lone Sky rider in a peloton of about 25 riders near the summit...

Mark Cavendish is already nearly ten minutes behind after 45-kilometres of racing...

Boasson Hagen, Kiryienka and Thomas are pacing Porte along the valley towards the Col de Peyresourde, but the gap is well over two minutes...

Bauke Mollema needs a quick wheel-change to get himself back into the leading peloton...

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Hesjedal and Rolland lead a new escape at the foot of the Peyresourde..

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Bakelandts, Vichot and Frohlinger are chasing at 45-seconds...

Movistar are starting to play their cards well - three of them are working with Saxo-Tinkoff to elevate Valverde and Contador ahead of Porte...

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Porte is chasing at almost three minutes on the Peyresourde, and no-one's helping him either..!

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Froome is isolated in front, but he's cool and calm as he mixes himself a cocktail of coke and water...

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Simon Clarke has caught the Rolland/Hesjedal escape and then dropped them on the long descent...

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Porte chases alone on the ensuing climb of Val Louron-Azet - but the gap is still at three minutes...

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Clarke is out in front on this penultimate climb - he'll take maximum mountain points at the top...

Jonathan Castroviejo leads the Movistar train towards the summit, it is hard but effective work..!

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Froome still looks cool as he descends the Louron-Azet climb...

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Porte appears to be smiling at his predicament a she too descends, but he'll lose 18-minutes by the end..!

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Andrew Talansky is suffering on the last climb of the day, it's going to be a tough two weeks for the young American...

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ST GIRONS/BAGNERES DE BIGORRE

There's an elite group at the head of the race on the Hourguette d'Ancizan - notably Froome, Quintana, Contador, Kreuziger, Schleck and Valverde...

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Nairo Quintana starts to attack in the last five-kilometres - exactly to the Movistar plan to hurt Froome...

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Quintana goes again, and this time Froome looks uncomfortable behind...

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Froome regains his composure and chases Quintana, but no-one will help the Sky race-leader...

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Dan Martin attacks on with a few kilometres of climbing left - he'll catch Quintana and be joined by Fuglsang on the sinuous descent...

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Martin does most of the work ahead of Fuglsang - Garmin has ended the day the way it began, by attacking..!

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Dan Martin easily wins stage nine ahead of Fuglsang - what a day for the Irish/Anglo cyclist..!

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Chris Froome is all smiles on the podium - but that hides the fact that this was a very tough day for the race-leader..!

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