The 20th and penultimate stage of the Tour de France on Saturday has been curtailed from due to fears over landslides in worsening weather conditions, organizers said Friday.

The stage from Albertville to Val Thorens in the French Alps will now be raced over just 59 km rather than the scheduled 130 km.

"Following difficult weather and landslides forecast for tomorrow, the route of the 20th stage of the Tour de France has been modified," said a statement by the organizers.

The decision means that the first two climbs have been cut from the schedule and the peloton goes straight to Val Torrens.

"Three mudslides occurred in the descent at Cormet de Roselend," Tour Director Christian Prudhomme said.

"One of them has damaged the road conditions and we cannot go there. It's the only possible decision."

He added: "Fresh mudslides are possible – we must take the direct route."

Egan Bernal snatched the overall lead on Friday after the 19th stage was abandoned in a massive hail storm with the Team Ineos rider now poised to become the first Colombian to win cycling's greatest prize.

The 19th stage had no official winner, but the yellow jersey went to Bernal as he crossed the day's penultimate summit first and was racing downhill with Simon Yates when the pair were told of the danger ahead. The road to Tignes was buried in hail and rubble from a landslide.

Bernal led atop the Col de l'Iseran in the Alps where the race times were taken when the stage was halted.

The 22-year-old will become the first Colombian to win the race should he hold on over the 33 km climb to Saturday's summit finish in the Alps with just Sunday's procession into Paris to follow.

His job on Saturday appeared straightforward late on Friday night when organizers cut the penultimate stage by over half its distance due to reports of more mudslides.

Overnight leader Julian Alaphilippe was a further minute adrift when Friday's stage was halted and was disconsolate after the race.

"I don't think I can win the yellow jersey back," said Alaphilippe, who is 48 seconds off the overall lead. "I was beaten by something stronger than me."

Alaphilippe wore the yellow jersey for 14 days, carrying the hopes of a public eager to see a French winner for the first time since Bernard Hinault in 1985 and defying pundits who felt he would wilt in the Pyrenees.

Stage 19 featured a 126.5-km mountain ride from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Tignes in France on July 26.

General ranking of Top 3 riders after stage 19:

1. Egan Bernal (Colombia/Team Ineos) 78 hours 0 minutes and 42 seconds

2. Julian Alaphilippe (France/Team Deceuninck-Quick-Step) +48 seconds

3. Geraint Thomas (UK/Team Ieos) +1 minute and 16 seconds