Stage 20 of the 2026 Tour de France covered 170.9 kilometres from Le Bourg d’Oisans to Alpe d’Huez, the penultimate stage before the Paris finale. The demanding Alpine route tested the contenders, but the general-classification contest had effectively been settled much earlier. Cyclingnews reported that Tadej Pogačar had secured the yellow jersey by Stage 6, after UAE Team Emirates-XRG established its advantage on the Tourmalet. The late mountain stages were designed to keep the battle alive, yet Alpe d’Huez ultimately tested the leaders rather than determining the Tour on its own.
Richard Carapaz won the stage in 4:59:39, with Remco Evenepoel 26 seconds behind. Sepp Kuss took third at 31 seconds, while Pogačar finished fourth, 1:05 behind Carapaz. Stage 20 was followed by Stage 21 from Thoiry to Paris Champs-Élysées. Pogačar’s fourth-place finish on the Alpine stage did not stop him from taking the overall title: he completed the Tour 6:26 ahead of Evenepoel, earning his record-equalling fifth victory.
The Paris finale was shortened to 88.7 kilometres and moved to a Paris start as emergency services responded to wildfires in southwestern France. Riders climbed Montmartre three times, tackling its approximately one-kilometre ascent before the finish on the Champs-Élysées. Pogačar finished 30th after easing up, with the overall standings already secured.
Spanish cycling fans were due to follow the Alpine stage on RTVE Play, with coverage scheduled from 12:45 Spanish peninsular time on Teledeporte and from 15:50 on La 1. Carlos de Andrés and Pedro Delgado were set to provide commentary. Teledeporte’s social media channels offered updates and interviews, while RTVE.es/Deportes provided stage coverage. Correspondent Josué Elena reported from the race, focusing on Spanish riders and teams.
Before the stage, coverage had focused on Pogačar’s performances on Alpe d’Huez. For background on an earlier account of his Tour campaign, see Pogacar's solo victory on Alpe d'Huez shakes up the Tour standings.
The late Alpine challenge formed part of a Tour designed to build toward the mountain stages around Alpe d’Huez. Tour director Christian Prudhomme rejected the suggestion that the course had been designed specifically to hinder Pogačar. He argued that the Slovenian had shown he could excel across varied terrain, including cobbles, gravel roads and descents. That versatility, combined with his team’s early control of the general classification, shaped the context for Stage 20: a demanding final mountain test, but not the stage that decided the overall winner.
