Vuelta Ciclista a España

cycling road race held in Spain

The Vuelta Ciclista a España (also Vuelta a España, or simply Vuelta) is a long-distance bicycle race. The first race was in 1935. The Tour de France and Giro d'Italia were both very successful, and both run by newspaper companies. A newspaper called Informaciones in Spain decided to start a similar race in Spain. It is now one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and, after the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, is the third most important road cycling stage race in the world.

The leader of the Vuelta wore a golden jersey from 1998 until 2010, when it was changed to red

The leader of the race wears the red jersey. This is the same as the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. The leader of the combination classification wears a white jersey. The leader of the mountain climbers' competition wears a white jersey with blue polka-dots. The leader of the sprinters' competition wears a green jersey.

The race was run in the spring until 1995. Since 1995 it has been run in September.

Winners of the Vuelta a España

change
VueltaYearWinnerNationalityTeam
682013Chris Horner  United StatesRadioShack-Leopard
672012Alberto Contador  SpainTeam Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
662011Juan José Cobo  SpainGeox–TMC
652010Vincenzo Nibali  ItalyLiquigas–Doimo
642009Alejandro Valverde  SpainCaisse d'Epargne
632008Alberto Contador  SpainAstana
622007Denis Menchov (2)  RussiaRabobank
612006Alexandre Vinokourov  KazakhstanAstana
602005Denis Menchov  RussiaRabobank
592004Roberto Heras  SpainLiberty Seguros
582003U.S. Postal
572002Aitor GonzálezKelme
562001Ángel CaseroFestina
552000Roberto HerasKelme
541999Jan Ullrich  GermanyTeam Telekom
531998Abraham Olano  SpainTeam Banesto
521997Alex Zülle   SwitzerlandTeam ONCE
511996
501995Laurent Jalabert  FranceTeam ONCE
491994Tony Rominger   SwitzerlandMapei-Clas
481993Clas-Cajastur
471992
461991Melchor Mauri  SpainTeam ONCE
451990Marco Giovannetti  ItalySeur
441989Pedro Delgado  SpainReynolds-Banesto
431988Seán Kelly  IrelandKas-Mavic
421987Luis Herrera  ColombiaCafé de Colombia
411986Álvaro Pino  SpainZor - BH
401985Pedro DelgadoOrbea-MG
391984Éric Caritoux  FranceSkil-Reydel-SEM-Mavic
381983Bernard HinaultRenault-Elf-Gitane
371982Marino Lejarreta  SpainTeka
361981Giovanni Battaglin  ItalyInoxpran
351980Faustino Ruperez Zor-Vereco
341979Joop Zoetemelk  NetherlandsMiko-Mercier-Vivagel
331978Bernard Hinault  FranceRenault-Gitane-Campagnolo
321977Freddy Maertens  BelgiumFlandria-Velda-Latina
311976José Pesarrodona Kas
301975Augustin TamamesSuper Ser
291974José Manuel FuenteKas-Kaskol
281973Eddy Merckx  BelgiumMolteni
271972José Manuel Fuente Kas-Kaskol
261971Ferdinand Bracke  BelgiumPeugeot-BP-Michelin
251970Luis Ocaña Bic
241969Roger Pingeon  FrancePeugeot-BP-Michelin
231968Felice Gimondi  ItalySalvarani
221967Jan Janssen  NetherlandsPelforth-Sauvage-Lejeune
211966Francisco Gabica Kas-Kaskol
201965Rolf Wolfshohl  GermanyMercier-BP-Hutchinson
191964Raymond Poulidor  France
181963Jacques AnquetilSt.Raphael-Gitane
171962Rudi Altig  GermanySt.Raphael-Helyett
161961Angelino Soler Faema
151960Franz De Mulder  BelgiumGroene Leeuw
141959Antonio Suarez Licor 43
131958Jean Stablinski  FranceEssor-Leroux
121957Jesus Loroño Gamma
111956Angelo Conterno  ItalyBianchi-Pirelli
101955Jean Dotto  FranceVampire-d'Alessandro
1951-1954 No competition held
91950Emilio Rodriguez Sangalhos
01949No competition held
81948Bernardo Ruiz Peugeot-Dunlop
71947Edouard Van Dyck  BelgiumAlycon-Dunlop
61946Dalmacio Langarica Galindo-Cicles Tabay
51945Delio Rodriguez
1943 and 1944 No competition held (World War II)
41942Julian Berrendero Informaciones
31941
1937-1940 No competition held (Spanish Civil War)
21936Gustaaf Deloor  Belgium
11935