Bonjour le Tour! Hello and welcome to live coverage of Stage 18 of the Tour de France - the first of three brutal stages in the Alps which will decide the outcome of the 106th edition of the race.

Two Ineos riders in the top three now - but do they have enough to leap above Alaphilippe?

Today's stage result...

We're hearing that George Bennett attacked again on the descent of the Galibier - and that's a blow to Jumbo-Visma teammate Kruijswijk if the Kiwi has to withdraw.

Bernal had caught Benoot, Woods and Pauwels as he came home at 4'46" in eighth place. Kamna was fourth at 2'58" and Caruso fifth at 3'00". It was Kruijswijk who led the favourites home at 5'18". Phew... it took a while to warm up, but that was an exciting finale.

The remnants of the break in dribs and drabs before Egan Bernal comes home - and the Colombian takes 30-odd seconds on the yellow jersey group. Julian Alaphilippe retains the maillot jaune with three (two, really) more days to go.

CORRECTION: This is Quintana's third stage win on the Tour - not first. Interpret Procyclingstats at your peril... whoops, my bad! Scrap that grand slam nonsense I was spouting earlier - the Colombian already achieved that years ago.

Second place for Frenchman Romain Bardet (Ag2R-La Mondiale) who crosses the line 1'37" down. He gave it his best shot. Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) comes home for third at 2'28".

Nairo Quintana (Movistar) wins stage 18 of the Tour de France in Valloire - the only man to do so after Eddy Merckx in 1972. He has blood on his jersey (from a nose bleed?) but he won't care - up go the arms for a third career win on the Tour.

Into the final kilometre for Quintana...

It's started to rain! That will add a little spice into the closing moments...

Uran closes the gap and Alaphilippe is called to heel. But, still, the Frenchman won't lose any time today as he edges ever closer to winning the Tour. Personally, I think he'll still crack tomorrow or Saturday provided his rivals attack from further out.

Meanwhile, Nairo Quintana rides through the 5km-to-go banner with 1'30" over Bardet and so he's going to complete his Grand Tour stage collection today unless there's a disaster.

Alaphilippe is now on the front - and he's riding clear of his GC rivals! Unbelievable.

Alaphilippe, with Porte behind, has almost closed the gap on the six others. Bernal still has 35 seconds and so Ineos could have both him and Thomas on the virtual podium tonight.

Wow - record ascent for Quintana on the Galibier...

Quintana still has 1'35" on Bardet. Bernal is only 25 seconds clear of the Pinot-Thomas chase group which also includes Landa, Kruijswijk, Buchmann and Uran. Alaphilippe is about 20 seconds back but is a very good descender so could hold on yet.

Pinot catches Thomas before the summit and the others are also there, too. Alaphilippe was almost pushed off his bike by fans trying to push him up the climb there - shocking stuff from the fans.

Pinot now leading the chase - and Alaphilippe has been dropped!

Now Thomas attacks! Buchmann and Pinot leading the chase with Landa and Kruijswijk. Uran and Alaphilippe manage to latch onto the chase group but the Welshman is opening up a gap. Richie Porte there too.