Following talks between the Vuelta a España organisers and the CPA, the union representing the riders, the final lap of the concluding Granada circuit on stage 21 will be neutralised.
Times for the general classification will be taken after the fourth of five passages of the finish line. There will be a stage winner declared after the final lap.
In a statement, organisers Unipublic said: “The organiser in agreement with the UCI Commissaires’ Panel have decided to neutralise the time for the general individual classification in Stage 21 starting with the last local lap at 9.8KM before the finish.”
Latest Videos FromCyclingnews
“The bonus seconds at the finish will not be counted. The points for the general points classification will continue to be awarded at the finish.”
The move comes after concerns were raised about the safety of the course around Granada. The route is littered with narrow, winding roads and dry conditions have made the tarmac slippery in places.
Belgian rider Sander de Pestel, riding for Decathlon-CMA CGM in support of third-place Felix Gall, was outspoken in his concerns about the final circuit on Saturday, saying: “It’s not a circus.”
“I would not want Mas to lose the Vuelta because of a crash and then have no chance of coming back,” De Pestel told Sporza. “And I would not want Roglič to lose another place because of a puncture.”
“There are a lot of hairpins on the descents and the roads are extremely slippery through the centre,” De Pestel added. “If someone crashes or has a puncture with 40 kilometres to go, it is impossible to come back,” De Pestel said. “It is a difficult and dangerous circuit through the centre of Granada.”
Reports from Spanish newspaper AS suggested that the Vuelta organisers and the UCI commissaires were initially opposed to any neutralisation, but several teams were insistent that the general classification times should be taken ahead of the finish line in order to make the racing safer.
The ruling follows a trend of Grand Tour stage neutralisations in recent years. The new course around Montmartre, which has closed the Tour de France in the last two years, has also been neutralised. Stage 15 at the 2026 Giro d’Italia around Milan was also raced without GC times taken at the end.
The undulating final stage in Granada is expected to favour the likes of Wout van Aert and Matthew Brennan (both Visma-Lease a Bike), as Enric Mas (Movistar) looks set to become Spain’s first man to win La Vuelta in 14 years.
For unbeatable coverage across road, gravel and tech, subscribe to Cyclingnews. You'll get comprehensive race coverage of La Vuelta a España, subscriber-exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! Join today.
