Pogacar and Vuelta rivals face altered queen stage showdown as landslides force route change

The Vuelta a España has announced a significant alteration to the route of stage 20 after landslides forced organisers to remove the planned ascent of Alto de Hazallanas.

The Category 1 climb was originally scheduled to feature twice on the penultimate stage, the final mountain showdown of the 2026 edition.

However, damage caused by severe weather in February has left the access road to Hazallanas unable to meet the safety requirements needed for the race.

In its place, riders will climb Puerto de El Duque for the first time in Vuelta history. The new ascent has been selected to keep the character of the stage as close as possible to the original route, with the climb joining the same final section used by Hazallanas before continuing towards the finish on the Collado del Alguacil.

The revised stage will still begin in La Calahorra and finish on the summit of Collado del Alguacil, while maintaining almost the same distance and difficulty. The route remains around 187km long, with approximately 5,000 metres of climbing, ensuring that the final mountain stage remains a major test for the GC contenders.

The finishing climb remains the defining feature of Stage 20. Collado del Alguacil will host its first-ever Vuelta summit finish, with the 8.3km ascent averaging 9.8%. 

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) will be among those hoping to win the penultimate stage as the world champion has confirmed he will return to the Vuelta for the first time since 2019. 

After winning a record-equalling fifth Tour de France in July, Pogačar is aiming to become the ninth male rider to win all three Grand Tours.