8 kilometers at 10% - Spanish legend Pedro Delgados reveals the brutality of the Vuelta's final mountain ascent
Cycling
Güéjar Sierra is, for Perico Delgado, like Rome: all roads end up passing through it. Azallanas, El Duque and, in this Vuelta a España 2026, a new protagonist that could decide the race: the Collado del Alguacil. The climb, a first in the Spanish Grand Tour, awaits as the final backdrop to a queen stage after almost 5,000 metres of elevation gain and with the general classification still in play.
The route offers virtually no respite. The opening kilometres towards Güéjar Sierra already start to load the legs, though the real hell comes later. The final eight kilometres average close to 10%, with ramps hitting 18% and broken tarmac that further heightens the sense of brutality. A combination designed to open gaps among almost all the favourites.
The approach will not be simple either. The peloton must thread a fast, twisting run-in before reaching Güéjar Sierra, although by then the race should already be heavily reduced. Then the decisive moment will arrive. For Perico, any rider who wants to change the course of the GC will have to find the exact moment to attack, while those who crest the climb with fewer matches left will be limited to survival.
All of this unfolds under heat and altitude. Although the Collado del Alguacil sits at a high elevation, temperatures could once again take center stage. If the wind blows as a tailwind, it will help on the ascent but also reduce the body’s ability to cool. With Enric Mas defending the red jersey and his rivals forced to attack, the Vuelta’s final climb promises a true test of endurance, ambition, and pain tolerance.
Eight kilometres at 10% to decide the Vuelta
The access to the Collado del Alguacil starts with a few kickers that still allow the body to recover a touch, but the severity soon bites. Perico Delgado checks it on the bike and offers a first warning: “This is where the dance begins.” The ramps quickly hit 12% and force riders onto every bit of available gearing. There are still more than eight kilometres to the summit, but the legs are already heavy.
From there the real ascent begins. The average over the final eight kilometres hovers around 10%, with ramps to 18%, and the broken surface adds another layer of difficulty. It is not a steady-gradient climb but a succession of ramps and short breathers that deceive the rider. A 12% sector can give way to 7 or 8%, but the road never truly stops pointing uphill. For riders arriving after nearly 5,000 metres of climbing, each of those percentages will exact a hefty toll.
The organisers had to alter the original route due to a major landslide caused by winter weather. The initial version included El Purche or Monachil, two ascents of Azallanas, and a finish at the Collado del Alguacil. The new layout keeps the overall severity almost intact: two consecutive passes of El Purche, El Duque —the other side of Azallanas— and, finally, the Alguacil as the stage’s supreme judge.
The climb thus becomes the perfect arena for the favourites to go head-to-head. With four and a half kilometres remaining, the Garmin shows virtually no respite. Gradients swing between 8, 10 and 11%, while the heat starts to punish the riders even more. The rough tarmac, far from easing the effort, adds resistance and turns every pedal stroke into a duel with the mountain.
Profile of stage 20 of the Vuelta a España
Time to attack
The decisive sector comes near the Puntal de las Majadas. For Perico, there will be nowhere left to hide. “If someone hasn’t moved before, it’s because he can’t,” he sums up. With barely a kilometre and a half to go and a gradient that stays consistently above 10%, the race will enter its definitive phase. It will be all or nothing for those who still have the strength to try to change the general classification.
The challenge will also be psychological. As the road steepens, riders feel they are moving very little despite the massive effort. The heat, the ramps and the accumulated fatigue after an extreme day turn the final kilometers into a true time trial against oneself. At that point, the ambition to win the Vuelta and the sight of rivals ahead or behind become the last sources of energy to keep pressing.
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For Enric Mas, the Collado del Alguacil is the last great defence of the red jersey. For his chasers, the final chance to attack a lead built over three weeks. The climb seems tailored to favour the purest climbers and punish any weakness. Roglič, Gall, Carapaz and Onley must decide when to take risks, while Mas will have to weigh every response and manage an advantage that could become definitive on the Granadan ramps.
The final reward will match the effort. After an extreme ascent, the Collado del Alguacil offers a spectacular balcony over Sierra Nevada and a near-perfect setting to close the Vuelta’s last great mountain battle. “You couldn’t ask for a more beautiful and harder finale,” says Perico. There, among impossible ramps, heat and burning legs, the race could decide who wears red in Madrid.
Javier RampeCycling Journalist
Javier Rampe is a sports analyst with more than 15 years of experience. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Rome and a Diploma in Business Studies from the University of Cádiz. Despite coming from an academic background not particularly associated with cycling, his passion for both cycling and journalism was instilled in him from an early age. He grew up following Miguel Indurain and José María “El Chava” Jiménez. An admirer of Michael Robinson’s communication style and journalistic approach, he was inspired to pursue a degree in Journalism at the University of Buenos Aires, which he is currently completing.
He has always maintained close ties with the worlds of sport and culture, contributing from a young age to sports blogs and film and music review websites. His work has appeared in media outlets such as Cope, RAI, and Radio Con Vos. He is also the founder of the cycling-focused podcast El Contraanálisis and the football interview channel Días De Fútbol, dedicated to conversations with professional footballers.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Javier has interviewed some of the most influential figures in modern cycling, including Alejandro Valverde and Tadej Pogačar, as well as key voices in anti-doping policy such as Alberto Yelmo, David Varillas, and Marcelo Milano. Marcos Maynar, in relation to the ‘Operación Ílex’ case, is also among the personalities he has interviewed. He enjoys conducting in-depth analysis of the cycling ecosystem and has attended major events such as Strade Bianche, the Vuelta a Andalucía, and Itzulia, as well as numerous national cyclo-cross races.
His background in economics, combined with extensive experience in marketing and corporate communications, drives his continuous study of positioning strategies and ensures that he always keeps his focus on crafting compelling and evocative headlines.
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