"It is not a circus" - Rider hits out at Vuelta a Espana organisers as teams call for final stage time neutralisation
Cycling
The majority of the Vuelta a Espana peloton are calling for a neutralisation of general classification times, or at least a partial neutralisation, on stage 21 of the race on Sunday.
With 110 kilometers to conclude the Vuelta, the final stage takes place on a local city circuit around Granada. It will include four ascents of a 2.1 kilometre cobbled climb with an average gradient of over 7 percent. However, riders and teams have spoken out about safety fears around the circuit.
On Saturday afternoon, it was reported that the organisers were opposed to the request. No formal decision has been confirmed about the status of stage 21. The stage starts Sunday afternoon at 4:20 PM CET.
"In a stage like this, that is in principle quite possible. It is a difficult and dangerous loop through the center of Granada. We are discussing neutralizing the times, like in the Tour,” Decathlon rider Sander De Pestel told Sporza after stage 20.
The 2026 Vuelta a Espana
Calls for neutralised times in Vuelta finale
“Suppose someone falls or gets a flat 40 kilometers from the finish, it is impossible to catch up. The organisation does not want the timings to be neutralised.”
The peloton will complete four laps of a local circuit containing a short, technical cobbled climb. That departure from the traditional flat processional finale was intended to create one last battle for the stage victory, but the route has also raised concerns among teams about the risk of crashes and mechanical problems affecting the final general classification.
Neutralisation would not necessarily remove the competitive element from the stage. The riders could still contest the victory in Granada, but general classification times would be frozen at an agreed point before the finish.
Rider safety in Granada circuit
“There are many hairpin bends on the descents and the roads are extremely slippery through the city center.
“They really have to think a bit about the riders, and especially the general classification contenders, who have been fighting for every second for three weeks and could lose two minutes due to a flat tire. That would be a shame."
He added: "It is not a circus."
The calls for neutralisation echo situations at both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France this year. Both races featured some form of neutralisation on city circuit stages.
At the Giro, stage 15 in Milan saw the final lap times neutralised after calls from the general classification leaders. Meanwhile, at the Tour, the final stage saw times taken before the final Montmartre climb for the second year in a row.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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