Schedules and keys of the queen stage of the Tour: Croix de Fer, Télégraphe, Galibier, and Alpe d'Huez will decide the race

After three weeks of racing, the Tour de France reserves its toughest test for the penultimate day. Stage 20 brings together everything that makes this race legendary: four high mountain passes, more than 5,500 meters of elevation, and a route where any fainting can cost several minutes.

Preview of Stage 20 of the Tour de France 2026: the queen stage arrives with 5,600 meters of elevation and the giants of the Alps

The general classification may be well established, but the queen stage always has an unpredictable component. The accumulated fatigue, altitude, and an endless succession of climbs turn this day into a survival test for both the contenders for the yellow jersey and those still seeking a prestigious victory.

Key points and schedule for Stage 20 of the Tour de France 2026

• Start: 11:20 AM (CEST)
• Expected finish: between 4:11 PM and 4:50 PM (CEST)
• Route: Bourg-d’Oisans – Alpe d’Huez
• Distance: 170.9 km
• Total ascent: around 5,600 meters
• Type of stage: high mountain

Four giants before returning to Alpe d’Huez

The race barely offers ten kilometers of respite before facing the first of the day's great colossi. The Croix de Fer opens the stage with 24 km at 5.2%, a very long ascent that exceeds 2,000 meters in altitude and can select the breakaway from the very first moments.

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After a long descent, the riders will link two historic climbs with hardly any rest. First will come the Col du Télégraphe, with 11.9 km at 7.1%, and almost immediately the Col du Galibier, at 17.7 km at 6.9%, which with its 2,642 meters of altitude will be the highest point of the Tour de France 2026.

But the real final blow will still be to come. After another long descent, the Col de Sarenne, a climb of 12.8 km at 7.3% with numerous sections above 10% that usually breaks the rhythm and punishes the legs much more than its numbers suggest. From its summit, there will be just a few kilometers to Alpe d’Huez, where the riders will link a short descent with the final 3.7 kilometers at 6.2% before crossing the finish line.

The stage where anyone can pay the effort of three weeks

More than a day of constant attacks, this stage can turn into a test of endurance. Each climb will eliminate riders until only the strongest climbers remain, while teams will have to decide whether to control the breakaway or reserve their last strength for the decisive moments.

The forecast of rain at the highest altitudes adds an extra factor of uncertainty, especially in the long descents of the Galibier and the Sarenne.

Favorites

Tadej Pogačar is once again the main candidate in a stage made for the best climbers, although the physical condition of several of his teammates could force him to race more proactively than ever. Remco Evenepoel faces the last big test before securing second place, while Isaac del Toro and Paul Seixas will star in another chapter of their duel for the podium.

If the breakaway manages to gain ground, riders like Richard Carapaz, Sepp Kuss, Tobias Halland Johannessen, Thymen Arensman, or Lenny Martinez have the perfect profile to conquer the queen stage of the Tour.

With four mythical climbs, the highest point of the Tour, and more than 5,500 meters of elevation, Stage 20 has all the ingredients to become the toughest and most spectacular day of this edition. Everything that remains to be decided in the Alps will have its last opportunity here.