Hello and welcome to live coverage of stage 19 of the Tour de France - a short, sharp, sadistic schlep from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to the ski resort of La Toussuire. The 138km stage includes four big climbs and should see fireworks from the outset. We're live from 12:20 UK time - bring it on!

Terrible scene there as Froome is almost punched in the face by an old man gesticulating wildly and flicking the bird at the yellow jersey...

Nibali makes the most of the situation and attacks!

MECHANICAL FOR CHRIS FROOME! Something happens and the yellow jersey has to unclip on the side of the road. Poels waits for him...

Valverde is making little headway, with Poels and Froome combining to pull the pack back within striking distance.

ATTACK: Spanish national champion Alejandro Valverde attacks the main pack with just over 5km to go of this climb. No reaction from the pack. Valverde catches Plaza quickly and the two veteran Spaniards ride in tandem.

Plaza has been dropped by Uran and Kruijswijk in pursuit of Rolland.

There's been a regrouping around the yellow jersey, with about 20 riders in this main group - driven by three Astana riders in Scarpini, Nibali and Kangert. Poels is back with Froome for Sky. Quintana and Valverde are together, while Contador has Kreuziger.

Contador will now have Kreuziger to help out - the Czech rider was in the break. They trail Rolland by 2:15, with Uran, Kruijswijk and Plaza 30 seconds up the road.

An acceleration by Nibali is covered by Froome, Valverde, Quintana and Contador. They are picking off the escapes one by one and join the main group that includes Bardet and Rodriguez.

Loads of the escapees have been caught now - the latest being Rogers and Cummings. Nibali and Scarponi drive the pace, and Wout Poels has been dropped. Froome now has no team-mates.

Rigoberto Uran has attacked from the leading group in pursuit of Rolland.

Astana and Movistar drive the pace on the front of the pack. Contador, Valverde, Quintana and Nibali are all there, while Froome is quite isolated. Warren Barguil has been dropped.

Richie Porte has been dropped by the pack - and Geraint Thomas too. The Welshman is really struggling.

Rolland might be on a good day, but his Europcar team-mate Thomas Voeckler has been dropped by the pack. 'Pierrot' has about 8km left of this climb, but he's done the hardest part and he has 1:50 over the other escapees.

With team-mate Rolland up the road, Romain Sicard has dropped back into second place and lets Mick Rogers of Tinkoff-Saxo to take up the slack.

Believe it or not: Thibaut Pinot, aged 22 and riding his debut Tour, finished second at La Toussuire behind Rolland in 2012 to underline his promise, with the likes of Froome, Wiggins and Nibali all further behind. A year earlier, Pinot was second on the same mountain behind Joaquim Rodriguez in the Dauphine. Can he make it third time lucky – or will he do a Fuglsang?

History: When Pierre Rolland won in La Toussuire in 2012 it was overshadowed by the incident that saw Chris Froome ordered back to help yellow jersey Bradley Wiggins after both Sky riders had become detached on the final ascent. The race's only previous finish at La Toussuire resulted in a solo victory to Denmark's Michael Rassmussen.

ATTACK: Pierre Rolland (Europcar) pings off the front of the break. Can he make it a La Toussuire double?

Still it's Sicard driving the pace for Eurosport, with Kreuziger and Bardet right behind. It's quite a fast pace. The gap is 2:45 for them over the yellow jersey group.

The break is slimming down as Losada drops back to leave Katusha team-mate Rodriguez on his own in is pursuit of the polka dot points.

Laurens ten Dam is driving the pace for LottoNL-Jumbo on the front of the pack, his jersey undone and his face gurning with determination. Jarlinson Pantano of IAM is the latest rider to blow off the back.