Hello and welcome to the decisive stage of this year's Vuelta a Espana - a 97km mountain schlep in Andorra that features six categorised climbs and will decide the destiny of the red jersey. Can Simon Yates hold on? We'll find out over the next few hours...

The two leading groups have come together again so we have 15 riders out ahead after the chasing group of Dario Cataldo, Omar Fraile (Astana), Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing Team), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Amanuel Ghebreigzhabier (Dimension Data), Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha Alpecin), David de la Cruz (Team Sky), Jai Hindley (Team Sunweb) and Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) bridge over. Jose Herrada is trying to bridge over but is 55 seconds down.

Not that this is high on your agenda, but Rafal Majka won the intermediate sprint at La Massana ahead of Mollema and De Gendt. It came at the start of the climb, but that's the nature of today's stage - which boasts 4,000m of climbs in less than 100km.

We're almost onto the next climb, the Cat.1 Coll de Ordino (9.8km at 7.1%). It's a gradual grind that peaks at 8.5% so nothing too wacky. We're hearing that Tony Gallopin was dropped from the pack on the last climb - the Frenchman is in 10th on GC so on course for his highest ever finish in a Grand Tour. But he could drop a few places today...

Confirmation that it was De Gendt who trousered the 10pts over that last summit with once again Mollema settling for second place. That puts the Dutchman into second place in the KOM standings but he still trails the Belgian by a fair gap.

Our six leaders have 15 seconds on a chase group of nine riders: Kelderman, De la Cruz, Zakarin, Herrada, Ghebreigzabhier, Roche, Fraile, Cataldo and Oliviera. The Brambilla/Kudus group is 50 seconds back and the main pack is 2'20" in arrears.

De Gendt is caught by his pursuers so we have six out ahead now: Vincenzo Nibali, Rafal Majka, Michael Woods, Michal Kwiatkowski, Bauke Mollema and Thomas De Gendt .

Nibali, Majka, Woods, Kwiatkowski and Mollema are closing in on De Gendt on the descent. There are groups all over the road - but the gaps are minimal, with just 2'10" separating the Belgian on the front and the main red jersey pack. Although there will be numerous gruppettos further back, I'd expect...

Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo), Merhawi Kudus (Dimension Data) and Andrey Amador (Movistar Team) have managed to zip clear of the main pack but their gap is small. De Gendt, meanwhile, crests the summit and takes the 10pts.

De Gendt is riding cannily, knowing that the more points he gets now, the better chance he has of keeping the polka dot jersey. While there's a huge hoard up for grabs, you'd fancy him holding on now.

Panic over for Yates: his twin brother Adam is back in this main pack, which is regrouping with Quintana at its head, as well as Damian Howson. Out ahead, De Gendt has fought fire with fire and ridden clear of the leading group in pursuit of more KOM points.

Meanwhile, out ahead Mollema has been joined by Majka, Nibali and De Gendt. Quintana has now been pegged back by the GC group and already Yates looks isolated. Kruijswijk has George Bennett and Movistar have Quintana, Valverde and Carapaz. It's about 25-strong with another group trying to bridge over.

The Quintana move isn't really coming to anything. Mitchelton-Scott have sent Matteo Trentin, the European champion, forward to try and stick on his wheel. But it's a bit of a mismatch, to be fair. But the pack has all stretched out on these hairpins as a result, so Quintana has forced an early selection.

Meanwhile, back in the main pack it's Mitchelton-Scott who are fronting the peloton, which trails the lone leader Mollema by two minutes. Nairo Quintana is right there on the front, looking as if he may have a pop from distance. A couple of riders so try something - Brambilla and Cherel. AND THEN QUINTANA GOES! Well, well, well, Movistar are really going for this. They have Oliveira in the break, Anacona bridging over, and now Quintana on the offensive.

Jai Hindley (Team Sunweb) and Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) have managed to bridge over to that chasing group. They trail the leading 15 riders by 30 seconds. And out of the blue there's an attack from Bauke Mollema! The Trek rider doesn't want to let De Gendt have the polka dot jersey without a fight - and he's taken this one with a long way out.

Lluis Mas (Caja Rural) is trying to bridge over from the peloton and he's been joined by a handful of riders in Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates), Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha Alpecin), Pierre Rolland (EF Education First) and Winner Anacona (Movistar).

The 15 leaders are: Vincenzo Nibali, Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Dario Cataldo, Omar Fraile (Astana), Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing Team), Rafal Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar Team), Amanuel Ghebreigzhaber (Dimension Data), Michael Woods (Education First-Drapac), David De La Cruz, Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky), Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), Jose and Jesus Herrada (Cofidis).

It's up and down all day today with hardly any flat. Already, the riders are onto the next climb - the Cat.1 Coll de Beixalis (7.1km at 8%). They tackle this one twice but from two different directions either side of the third climb, the Coll de Ordino.

We spoke to Simon Yates ahead of the stage - and he remains extremely focused and cautious, which is no surprise given what happened to him in the Giro...

Here's how the GC looks going into today's all-important stage with Simon Yates 1'38" clear of Alejandro Valverde and another 20 seconds ahead of Steven Kruijswijk. With Enric Mas and Miguel Angel Lopez also lurking, there's going to be a fierce battle for the podium places... but unless the British leader really cracks, it's hard seeing him relinquish the red jersey.

Loads of big-name riders in this break - including Vincenzo Nibali of Bahrain Merida. The Italian made big strides on the descent. There's around a dozen riders off the front with a handful chasing over.

De Gendt zips clear near the summit to pocket the 5pts. That puts the Belgian 15pts clear of Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis) in the battle for the polka dot jersey. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) crested in second place, which puts the Dutchman one point behind Mate in third place. Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) is third over.