The 2026 Tour de France reaches its penultimate stage on Saturday, with Stage 20 offering one final opportunity to make a decisive move before the traditional procession into Paris.
The 2026 Tour de France reaches its penultimate stage on Saturday with what many are calling the true queen stage of this year's race. While Tadej Pogačar all but secured a fifth Tour de France title with a breathtaking solo victory atop Alpe d'Huez on Stage 19, Stage 20 still promises fireworks as the peloton tackles one final Alpine test before Sunday's ceremonial ride into Paris.
After three weeks of relentless racing, fatigue will be at its highest, and any remaining hopes of yellow jersey glory could hinge on one last mountainous showdown. While the race leader will be looking to defend their advantage, the chasing pack has little choice but to attack from the opening climbs.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of Stage 20, including the route, start time, TV coverage and the latest betting odds.
What time is Tour de France Stage 20?
Stage 20 takes place on Saturday, 25 July 2026, covering 170.9km from Le Bourg-d'Oisans to Alpe d'Huez. It is widely regarded as the Queen Stage of this year's Tour, packing a staggering 5,450 metres of elevation gain into the penultimate day of racing and offering the final opportunity for the general classification contenders to overturn the yellow jersey before Paris.
The route breaks down as follows:
- Col de la Croix de Fer (HC) – 24km at 5.2%, beginning almost immediately after the start and setting the tone for the day.
- Col du Télégraphe (Cat. 1) – Climbed after the long valley section, acting as the gateway to the day's highest ascent.
- Col du Galibier (HC) – One of cycling's most iconic climbs, taking the peloton above 2,600 metres before a lengthy descent back towards Bourg-d'Oisans.
- Col de Sarenne (Cat. 1) – Making its Tour de France debut, this lesser-known but brutally demanding ascent replaces the traditional 21-hairpin approach to Alpe d'Huez and serves as the final climb before the finish.
Unlike Friday's shorter, explosive mountain stage, Saturday is an all-day endurance test. The riders face four legendary Alpine climbs with virtually no respite, before reaching Alpe d'Huez via the previously unseen Col de Sarenne route rather than the famous switchbacks climbed on Stage 19.
It is the first time the Tour has finished at Alpe d'Huez on consecutive days using two different approaches, making Stage 20 one of the most unique and demanding mountain stages in recent Tour history.
How to Watch Tour de France Stage 20 in the UK?
UK viewers can watch Stage 20 of the Tour de France live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage beginning ahead of the riders rolling out from Le Bourg-d'Oisans. Every kilometre of the penultimate stage is available live, including all four major Alpine climbs and the decisive finish on Alpe d'Huez via the Col de Sarenne.
The stage is also available to stream live through discovery+, which includes TNT Sports coverage as part of its premium subscription. Unlike previous years, ITV no longer broadcasts the Tour de France, with Warner Bros. Discovery taking exclusive UK rights from the 2026 edition onwards.
For fans unable to watch the race live, Channel 5 is showing free-to-air daily highlights each evening, offering a comprehensive recap of the day's action from the Alps.
Tour de France Stage 20 Winner Odds
With one mountain stage remaining before the ceremonial finish in Paris, Stage 20 represents the final opportunity for the climbers to chase a prestigious Tour de France victory. The brutal route over the Croix de Fer, Télégraphe, Galibier and Col de Sarenne should once again favour the elite mountain specialists, although a successful breakaway cannot be ruled out if the general classification battle has already been settled. Current odds via Oddschecker:
| Rider | Best Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Tadej Pogačar | 9/4 | Betfred |
| Richard Carapaz | 3/1 | Virgin Bet |
| Sepp Kuss | 13/2 | PricedUp |
| Isaac Del Toro | 11/1 | Betfred |
| Remco Evenepoel | 14/1 | SpreadEx |
| Thymen Arensman | 40/1 | SpreadEx |
Pogačar once again heads the market after extending his grip on the yellow jersey, with bookmakers expecting the Slovenian to cap another dominant Tour by winning on the race's toughest stage. Sepp Kuss remains the leading alternative thanks to his climbing pedigree and freedom to attack, while Richard Carapaz will be full of confidence after his aggressive riding throughout the Alps.
Evenepoel still possesses the explosive climbing ability to challenge if he commits to an all-or-nothing attack, but the market suggests the battle for the stage is more likely to revolve around Pogačar and the specialist climbers than the overall classification hopefuls.
Tour de France 2026 Full Schedule
| Stage | Date | Route | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (TTT) | 4 July | Barcelona – Barcelona | 19.6km |
| 2 | 5 July | Tarragona – Barcelona | 168.5km |
| 3 | 6 July | Granollers – Les Angles | 195.9km |
| 4 | 7 July | Carcassonne – Foix | 181.9km |
| 5 | 8 July | Lannemezan – Pau | 158.3km |
| 6 | 9 July | Pau – Gavarnie-Gèdre | 186.2km |
| 7 | 10 July | Hagetmau – Bordeaux | 175.1km |
| 8 | 11 July | Périgueux – Bergerac | 180.4km |
| 9 | 12 July | Malemort – Ussel | 185.5km |
| Rest day | 13 July | Cantal | — |
| 10 | 14 July | Aurillac – Le Lioran | 166.6km |
| 11 | 15 July | Vichy – Nevers | 161.3km |
| 12 | 16 July | Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours – Chalon-sur-Saône | 179.1km |
| 13 | 17 July | Dole – Belfort | 205.8km |
| 14 | 18 July | Mulhouse – Le Markstein Fellering | 155.3km |
| 15 | 19 July | Champagnole – Plateau de Solaison | 183.9km |
| Rest day | 20 July | Haute-Savoie | — |
| 16 (ITT) | 21 July | Évian-les-Bains – Thonon-les-Bains | 26.1km |
| 17 | 22 July | Chambéry – Voiron | 174.7km |
| 18 | 23 July | Voiron – Orcières-Merlette | 185.2km |
| 19 | 24 July | Gap – Alpe d'Huez | 127.9km |
| 20 | 25 July | Le Bourg d'Oisans – Alpe d'Huez | 170.9km |
| 21 | 26 July | Thoiry – Paris Champs-Élysées | 133km |
