DH: The theatre of the mountains are here and this year is a celebration of the Pyrenees - we have four consecutive brutal days for you. Here is todays route...
Kg: We are actually pretty flat today for the first 120km bar one 4th category road bump, but then we get into it with the 16km and 8% average brute of the Port du Pailheres and this is immediately followed after its descent of the mountain top finish into Ax 3 Domaines.
Sm: We always felt the tour would be decided in the Pyrenees this year and this first one is certainly going to be a big one the Pailheres is a monster of a climb.
DH: Just 13 seconds cover our top three but to be honest I am finding it difficult to rule out anyone in the top 16.
Kg: Really, I would limit that to the first eleven perhaps down to Kashechkin at 4.29, sorry US fans Phinney surely cannot win here at 8.08.
Sm: Well I would go even further and limit it to the top four, Uran and Schleck are going to need some time on Spilak and Dekker for that final time trial. But certainly anyone down to Phinney really could move up onto the podium perhaps.
DH: Lets show you what happened in the early going.
Kg: Yes, it was Dauphine stage winner Mugerli of Gazzeta who launched an early solo move.
Lone move by Mugerli
DH: A useful all round cyclist this, noone else was bothered as he rolled over the early sprint where Flugal (Ikea) and Gautier (Lafarge) got second and third. Boonan, Bennati and Coppel went for it but timed their sprints a bit too late.
1st sprint minor placings
Sm: Let's be honest Daniel, Bennati has just got to get over the mountains to take that Green Jersey Boonan will be battling for second place.
DH: Indeed Boonan went on with it with Flugal and Gautier to form a three man chase group. Three man chase group forms
DH: This allowed Boonan to take four points for second place at the next sprint, he actually took second place at the 4th cat climb as well.
Boonan adds to his points
Kg: It took Boonan up to 112 points in the green jersey competition, still 38 points behind Bennati, but now 16 points clear of Van Stayen.
Sm: For a big sprinter he climbs well, but then we know that from his Tour of Flanders performances.
DH: With 50km to go the peleton have reduced the gap to Mugerli to about four minutes as they catch the three man chase group. We go to live pictures now and we see Thomas Dekker's Philips team stretching it out on the Pailheres.
Sm: It is Thomas Lovkvist again, really proving a big star domestique this year.
Tommy tests them again
DH: They reel Mugerli in, Chapeau to you but today it is time for the big boys.
Kg: The 10km to go sign for the climb, gents.
DH: ...and Henao Montoya attacks!
Columbian puts in the first serious dig of the day
Sm: So, so impressed with this riders Giro performance.
Kg: He started the day 14th 7.41 down, a lot of people make a fuss about Phinney going down, but Henao was in the same crash and is ahead of the American.
DH: Fair point Kingston, more riders are joining this move Gomez Marchante (21st at 10.10), Taaramae (13th at 5.57), Gesink (9th at 3.56) and Popovich (10th at 3.56)
Four more join Henao
Sm: It is a good move this from these riders, they may just be allowed a bit of breathing room.
DH: Caruso by the way (8th at 3.46) is trying to join these riders but cannot make it. Yes, the other favourites are content to sit behind the Philips pacers now being led by Gerdemann.
Kg: It is good pace, Vesuvio now giving a hand with Ignlinski, I cannot see Spilak or Dekker though.
DH: They are a bit back Kingston as Iglinski is pulling in Caruso by the 5km to go for the Peilheres climb banner.
Caruso is reeled in but Spilak, Dekker and Uran sit some way back
DH: It is Iglinski leading, then Schleck, Kashechkin, Alarcon, Fothen, Contador, Spilak, Uran, Solis, Dekker, Phinney, Pedraxe, Ardila roughly.
Sm: Schleck is sensing his chance here Dan look at him go.
Schleck goes on the attack
DH: Up front our leaders are still going strong, though Taaramae seems to be having problems hanging on.
Young Estonian falls away from lead group
DH: In fact Henao is pouring the pace on so much that Gomez Marcante and Gesink are struggling hold on as he crests with Popovich.
Henao crest the Pailheres first, then Popovich, Gomez M and Gesink
DH: Behind that Alarcon and Taaramae are together followed by Contador, Kasheshkin ...
Contador takes enough points for a temporary KOM lead
DH: Then Schleck who seems to be fading a bit followed by Pluchkin.
Sm: Yeah the others are all streaming past Schleck who seems to have gone into the red a bit on that climb.
Kg: KOM update for you chaps: Contador leads with 66, then Uran with 65, Kashechkin on 58 and Gomez Marchante with 58 also, Dekker 56, Popovich 54, Spilak 52 and Schleck 50 makes our top eight.
DH: Popovich and Henao Montoya are really pushing it on the descent.
Sm: What impresses me about the Columbian Henao when he attacks you know it is for real. You know he will get his head down and go hell for leather for the rest of the stage until he wins or his legs give out.
Popovich and Henao try to maintain their advantage
DH: By the way Andy Schleck is having a horrible time he really did crack on the end of that climb he is coming up as three minutes down at 27th place on the computer.
Schleck gingerly picks his way around the corners
DH: 15km to go we have our two leaders then a group of three.
Kg: Taaramae, Gomez Marchante and Gesink at 32 seconds
Sm: Then comes Dekker, Pluchkin and Uran at 1.08
DH: Then we have our yellow jersey group , Spilak is with Kiserlowski, Phinney and Caruso at 1.48
Sm: Alarcon is at 2.12 just ahead of a 14 man group.
Kg: Contador, Pedraza, Fothen, Perez Cuapio, Ardila, Ratiy, Iglinski, Menchov, Solis, Cabriera, Talabardon, Gerdemann, Zabriskie and Kashechkin and then it is Schleck behind that.
DH: Plenty going on here as we push onto the final climb with Henao and Popovich going at it here on the early slopes.
Henao and Popo still strong
DH: The Dekker/Uran group has got up to Gesinks group, it is looking good for those two and Spilak is having to fight hard behind.
Sm: Yes this is proving a tough day for Spilak, though there are plenty of other riders showing little at this stage Schleck, Fothen, Contador, Kashechkin....
Dekker and Uran bridge to next group up, it is beginning to look like one of them will be in yellow
DH: Up front and Popovich is having a bad patch here, this incredible Columbian is dropping him.
Sm: Popovich was doing very well, he has got to try and regain momentum here.
Henao drops Popovich with 5km to go
DH: Andy Schleck is attacking out there, he is trying to join that large 14 man group. He is going to drop down today you'd think though.
Schleck fights to save his Tour de France
DH: Contador and Kashechkin have moved clear of that group which still contains Marcus Fothen, he really doesn't seem to have it today.
Sm: He began okay Daniel, but he clearly is not quite at the place he was last year. I think the expectation may have got to him.
DH: Gesink though is having a much better time and he is moving away from the Dekker/Uran group... actually Dekker is trying to track him.
Gesink moves away from Dekker who is tracking and pulling clear of Uran
DH: 3.5 to go Henao leads
Popovich at 24 seconds
Gesink at 1.02
Dekker at 1.33, he could well be taking the lead today.
Taaramae, Pluchkin, Gomez Marchante, Uran and Kiserlowski at 2.00 ... Uran his hanging on a bit here. Phinney is at 2.31 and Spilak, Contador and Pedraza are at 2.42
Sm: Some other riders out there Perez Cuapio at 3 minutes, Fothen/Kashechkin group at 3.42 and Schleck at 4.14
DH: The whole thing is turning upside down, Spilak really needs to do something, he does he is attacking and has bridged to the Uran group.
Spilak launches late bid to save his yellow jersey
DH: He goes past Pluchkin and Taaramae and is now trying to get onto Dekkers wheel.
Sm: Gritty stuff from Spilak this.
Spilak now has Dekker in his sights
DH: Spilak has hit the wall a bit though as Dekker accelerates slightly the gap is about 10 seconds I would say. Uran seems like he has no more to offer though.
Sm: Yep, it is between Dekker and Spilak for the overall today.
Spilak still on the defensive against Dekker
DH: It is Pluchkin who leads the rest, which is Taaramae, Gomez M, Kiserlowski, Uran, Phinney and P Cuapio.
PLuchkin pushes to try and get to the big two
DH: Up front no-one can stop Henao, what a win!
Henao savours a magnificent victory
DH: It is Jaraslov Popovich who will really move up though, he is well and truly back in this race with a fine 2nd.
Popovich holds his form
DH: Gesink will be climbing with him into the GC top five as he gets third.
Gesink takes third
DH: So the key battle behind Dekker, there is definately a gap there folks back to Spilak. It is not much by then the gap between them this morning was not either!
Dekker has a slight gap on Spilak
Kg: It is twelve seconds unbelievable!
DH: Spilak holds by ONE SECOND!
Sm: Amazing how that has happened twice here and once in the Vuelta!
DH: Pluchkin comes in 6th ahead of Taaramae, Gomez M and Kiserlowski.
Pluchkin has a reasonable day
DH: Uran comes home 10th just a little ahead of Phinney, Perez Cuapo and Contador - both are sufficiently low down to be overtaken quite convincingly by Popovich in the King of the Mountains competition.
Uran comes in
DH: Schleck had a worse day coming in 30 seconds later and now we see the fallen champion Fothen over five minutes back!
Difficult to see a way back for Fothen
Sm: A massive day today really, Spilak so gutsy to hold on there he seemed cooked and came back from the dead. Dekker though must be confident if he can carry on like this, big mover of the day is Popovich who pops into contention!
