The mountains classification in the Vuelta a España is a secondary classification in the Vuelta a España. For this classification, points are given to the cyclists who cross the mountain peaks first. The classification was established in 1935, when it was won by Italian Edoardo Molinar, and until 2005 the leader in the mountain classification wore a green jersey. In 2006, it became an orange jersey, and in 2010 it became white with blue dots.
Spaniard José Luis Laguía has won this classification a record five times, including three consecutive. Other cyclists who have won this ranking for three consecutive times were Antonio Karmany, Julio Jiménez, José María Jiménez, all Spaniards. Overall, the Spaniards have dominated this classification by 47 out of 68 times.
In 2010, David Moncoutié considered retirement, but remained a professional cyclist to try to win his third consecutive mountains classification. In 2011, he became the first rider ever to win this award in four consecutive years.
Jersey As of 2010, the leader of the mountains classification is awarded a white jersey with blue dots. The mountains jersey is third in the rankings of jerseys, behind the jersey for the general classification and points classification in the Vuelta a España but before the combination classification; this means that if a cyclists leads both the general classification and the mountains classification, he wears the jersey for the general classification, and the mountains jersey is passed on to the second cyclist in that ranking.
Rules The organisation of the Vuelta designates which climbs are given points, and in which category they fall. As of 2022, there are 6 categories: most points are scored on the Top Alberto Fernández, the highest point of the Vuelta. Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 Top Alberto Fernández 20 15 10 6 4 2 High climb finish (Categoria Especial) 15 10 6 4 2 1 First category 10 6 4 2 1 Second category 5 3 1 Third category 3 2 1 Fourth category 2 1
If two or more cyclists have the same number of points, the cyclist who was first on the 'Top Alberto Fernandez' gets the higher ranking. If that does not solve the problem, the cyclists with the most high climb finishes wins gets the higher ranking. If that does not solve it, the cyclists with the most first category wins, and so on. If after the third category there is still a tie, the order in the general classification is used.
List of winners
+Winners of the mountain classification Year First Second Third1935 1936 Fermín Trueba1937–1940: no race1941 1942 1943–1944: no race1945 1946 1947 1948 1949: no race1950 1951–1954: no race1955 1956 Antonio Suárez1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Multiple winners Wins Rider Editions 5 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986 4 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 3 1946, 1947, 1950 1960, 1961, 1962 1963, 1964, 1965 1975, 1976, 1978 2 1942, 1945 1957, 1958 1973, 1974 1979, 1984 1987, 1991 1993, 1996 2003, 2004 2015, 2016 2024, 2025
Days in leader's jersey after the end of 2026 Vuelta a España RiderDaysStages José Luis Laguía9094 José Luis Abilleira6675 David Moncoutié4747 Julián Berrendero4649 José María Jiménez4242 Tony Rominger3536 Felipe Yáñez3337 Emilio Rodríguez3033 Julio Jiménez3031 Jay Vine3030 Luis Herrera2626 Federico Bahamontes2526 Gregorio San Miguel2326 Andrés Oliva2326 José Martín Farfán2323 Félix Cárdenas2323 Laurent Jalabert 2222 Omar Fraile2222 Antonio Karmany2122 Francisco Cerezo2121
References