Richard Carapaz won Stage 20 of the 2026 Tour de France on Saturday, finishing the climb to Alpe d'Huez first [1].

The victory comes during the penultimate stage of the 113th Tour, placing the overall standings in sharp focus before the final race day [2].

Stage 20 was a mountain challenge that began in Le Bourg-d'Oisans and concluded at the Alpe d'Huez finish in the French Alps [3]. The route covered approximately 171 km [4], though some reports list the exact distance as 170.9 km [5]. Riders faced a grueling ascent with a vertical elevation gain of over 5,000 m [5].

Loic Venance of The New York Times said, "Richard Carapaz had close to a perfect day in Saturday's penultimate stage of the race" [6]. Carapaz managed the steep terrain to secure the stage win, while other contenders focused on protecting their overall positions.

Tadej Pogacar finished the stage safely, maintaining his lead in the general classification. AP News staff said, "Pogacar has moved to within touching distance of a record‑equaling fifth Tour de France title after finishing safely in the penultimate stage" [7].

This stage is part of the broader race that runs from July 4 to 26, 2026 [8]. NBC Sports produced an extended highlights reel of the mountain stage for broadcast and online audiences to capture the decisive moments of the climb [3, 9].

USA Today staff said the event was a "grueling 170.9‑kilometer (106.2 miles) mountain challenge" [5]. The Alpe d'Huez climb remains one of the most iconic tests of endurance in professional cycling, serving as a final filter for the general classification contenders before the tour concludes tomorrow.

“Richard Carapaz had close to a perfect day in Saturday's penultimate stage of the race.”

Carapaz's victory demonstrates his continued dominance in high-altitude mountain stages, but the primary narrative remains Pogacar's pursuit of history. By finishing safely on Stage 20, Pogacar has effectively neutralized the most dangerous terrain of the race, leaving him only the final stage to complete before potentially equaling the record for the most Tour de France titles.