# Mountains classification in the Vuelta a España

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 | Third |
| 1935 | Edoardo Molinar (ITA) | Luigi Barral (ITA) | Leo Amberg (SUI) |
| 1936 | Salvador Molina (ESP) | Julián Berrendero (ESP) | Fermín Trueba |
| 1937–1940: no race ||||
| 1941 | Fermin Trueba (ESP) | Julián Berrendero (ESP) | José Jabardo (ESP) |
| 1942 | Julián Berrendero (ESP) | Pierre Brambilla (ITA) | Isidro Berajano (ESP) |
| 1943–1944: no race ||||
| 1945 | Julián Berrendero (ESP) | Joao Rebelo (POR) | Pedro Font (ESP) |
| 1946 | Emilio Rodríguez (ESP) | Dalmacio Langarica (ESP) | Julián Berrendero (ESP) |
| 1947 | Emilio Rodríguez (ESP) | Martin Mancisidor (ESP) | Manuel Costa (ESP) |
| 1948 | Bernardo Ruiz (ESP) | Emilio Rodríguez (ESP) | Bernardo Capo (ESP) |
| 1949: no race ||||
| 1950 | Emilio Rodríguez (ESP) | José Serra (ESP) | Jesús Loroño (ESP) |
| 1951–1954: no race ||||
| 1955 | Giuseppe Buratti (ITA) | Antonio Gelabert (ESP) | Gilbert Bauvin (FRA) |
| 1956 | Nino Defilippis (ITA) | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) | Antonio Suárez |
| 1957 | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) | Carmelo Morales (ESP) | Benigno Aspuru (ESP) |
| 1958 | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) | Jesús Loroño (ESP) | Hilaire Couvreur (BEL) |
| 1959 | Antonio Suárez (ESP) | Richard Van Genechten (BEL) | Antonio Karmany (ESP) |
| 1960 | Antonio Karmany (ESP) | Antonio Suárez (ESP) | Frans De Mulder (BEL) |
| 1961 | Antonio Karmany (ESP) | Julio Jiménez (ESP) | José Perez-FRs (ESP) |
| 1962 | Antonio Karmany (ESP) | José Segú (ESP) | Julio Jiménez (ESP) |
| 1963 | Julio Jiménez (ESP) | Antonio Karmany (ESP) | Guy Ignolin (FRA) |
| 1964 | Julio Jiménez (ESP) | José Perez-FRs (ESP) | Ventura Díaz (ESP) |
| 1965 | Julio Jiménez (ESP) | Antonio Gómez del Moral (ESP) | Esteban Martín (ESP) |
| 1966 | Gregorio San Miguel (ESP) | Domingo Perurena (ESP) | Mariano Díaz (ESP) |
| 1967 | Mariano Díaz (ESP) | Gregorio San Miguel (ESP) | Vicente López Carril (ESP) |
| 1968 | Francisco Gabica (ESP) | Antonio Gómez del Moral (ESP) | José Perez-FRs (ESP) |
| 1969 | Luis Ocaña (ESP) | Roger Pingeon (FRA) | Gilbert Bellone (FRA) |
| 1970 | Agustín Tamames (ESP) | Ventura Díaz (ESP) | Joaquim Galera (ESP) |
| 1971 | Joop Zoetemelk (NED) | Luis Balagué (ESP) | Wilfried David (BEL) |
| 1972 | José Manuel Fuente (ESP) | Andrés Oliva (ESP) | Miguel María Lasa (ESP) |
| 1973 | José Luis Abilleira (ESP) | Eddy Merckx (BEL) | Luis Balagué (ESP) |
| 1974 | José Luis Abilleira (ESP) | José Manuel Fuente (ESP) | Luis Ocaña (ESP) |
| 1975 | Andrés Oliva (ESP) | Pedro Torres (ESP) | Luis Ocaña (ESP) |
| 1976 | Andrés Oliva (ESP) | Ludo Loos (BEL) | Joaquim Agostinho (POR) |
| 1977 | Pedro Torres (ESP) | Andrés Oliva (ESP) | Ludo Loos (BEL) |
| 1978 | Andrés Oliva (ESP) | Enrique Cima (ESP) | Bernard Hinault (FRA) |
| 1979 | Felipe Yáñez (ESP) | Vicente Belda (ESP) | Joop Zoetemelk (NED) |
| 1980 | Juan Fernández (ESP) | Anastasio Greciano (ESP) | José Luis Laguía (ESP) |
| 1981 | José Luis Laguía (ESP) | Vicente Belda (ESP) | José Luis Cerron (ESP) |
| 1982 | José Luis Laguía (ESP) | Juan Fernández (ESP) | José Recio (ESP) |
| 1983 | José Luis Laguía (ESP) | Fiorenzo Aliverti (ITA) | Marino Lejarreta (ESP) |
| 1984 | Felipe Yáñez (ESP) | José Luis Laguía (ESP) | Éric Caritoux (FRA) |
| 1985 | José Luis Laguía (ESP) | Robert Millar (GBR) | Francisco Rodríguez (COL) |
| 1986 | José Luis Laguía (ESP) | Álvaro Pino (ESP) | Eduardo Chozas (ESP) |
| 1987 | Luis Herrera (COL) | Vicente Belda (ESP) | Henri Abadie (FRA) |
| 1988 | Álvaro Pino (ESP) | Anselmo Fuerte (ESP) | Seán Kelly (IRL) |
| 1989 | Óscar Vargas (COL) | Pedro Delgado (ESP) | Ivan Ivanov (URS) |
| 1990 | José Martín Farfán (COL) | Álvaro Mejía (COL) | Pablo Wilches (COL) |
| 1991 | Luis Herrera (COL) | Marino Lejarreta (ESP) | Fabio Parra (COL) |
| 1992 | Carlos Hernández (ESP) | Tony Rominger (SUI) | Julio Cesar Cadena (COL) |
| 1993 | Tony Rominger (SUI) | Alex Zülle (SUI) | Antonio Miguel Diaz (ESP) |
| 1994 | Luc Leblanc (FRA) | Michele Coppolillo (ITA) | Tony Rominger (SUI) |
| 1995 | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | Roberto Pistore (ITA) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 1996 | Tony Rominger (SUI) | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | Dmitri Konysjev (RUS) |
| 1997 | José María Jiménez (ESP) | Alex Zülle (SUI) | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) |
| 1998 | José María Jiménez (ESP) | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | Fernando Escartín (ESP) |
| 1999 | José María Jiménez (ESP) | Frank Vandenbroucke (BEL) | Roberto Heras (ESP) |
| 2000 | Carlos Sastre (ESP) | Roberto Heras (ESP) | Roberto Laiseka (ESP) |
| 2001 | José María Jiménez (ESP) | Claus Michael Møller (DEN) | Juan Miguel Mercado (ESP) |
| 2002 | Aitor Osa (ESP) | Roberto Heras (ESP) | Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP) |
| 2003 | Félix Cárdenas (COL) | Aitor Osa (ESP) | Joan Horrach (ESP) |
| 2004 | Félix Cárdenas (COL) | Roberto Heras (ESP) | Santiago Pérez (ESP) |
| 2005 | Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP) | Eladio Jiménez (ESP) | Roberto Heras (ESP) |
| 2006 | Egoi Martínez (ESP) | Pietro Caucchioli (ITA) | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) |
| 2007 | Denis Menchov (RUS) | Jurgen Van Goolen (BEL) | Carlos Sastre (ESP) |
| 2008 | David Moncoutié (FRA) | Christophe Kern (FRA) | Alberto Contador (ESP) |
| 2009 | David Moncoutié (FRA) | David de la Fuente (ESP) | Julián Sánchez (ESP) |
| 2010 | David Moncoutié (FRA) | Serafín Martínez (ESP) | Ezequiel Mosquera (ESP) |
| 2011 | David Moncoutié (FRA) | Matteo Montaguti (ITA) | Juan José Cobo (ESP) Dan Martin (IRL) |
| 2012 | Simon Clarke (AUS) | David de la Fuente (ESP) | Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP) |
| 2013 | Nicolas Edet (FRA) | Chris Horner (USA) | Daniele Ratto (ITA) |
| 2014 | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) | Alberto Contador (ESP) | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) |
| 2015 | Omar Fraile (ESP) | Rubén Plaza (ESP) | Fränk Schleck (LUX) |
| 2016 | Omar Fraile (ESP) | Kenny Elissonde (FRA) | Robert Gesink (NED) |
| 2017 | Davide Villella (ITA) | Miguel Ángel López (COL) | Chris Froome (GBR) |
| 2018 | Thomas De Gendt (BEL) | Bauke Mollema (NED) | Luis Ángel Maté (ESP) |
| 2019 | Geoffrey Bouchard (FRA) | Ángel Madrazo (ESP) | Sergio Samitier (ESP) |
| 2020 | Guillaume Martin (FRA) | Tim Wellens (BEL) | Richard Carapaz (ECU) |
| 2021 | Michael Storer (AUS) | Romain Bardet (FRA) | Primož Roglič (SLO) |
| 2022 | Richard Carapaz (ECU) | Robert Stannard (AUS) | Enric Mas (ESP) |
| 2023 | Remco Evenepoel (BEL) | Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) | Michael Storer (AUS) |
| 2024 | Jay Vine (AUS) | Marc Soler (ESP) | Pablo Castrillo (ESP) |

### Multiple winners

| Wins | Rider | Editions |
| 5 | José Luis Laguía (ESP) | 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986 |
| 4 | José María Jiménez (ESP) | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 |
| 4 | David Moncoutié (FRA) | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 |
| 3 | Emilio Rodríguez (ESP) | 1946, 1947, 1950 |
| 3 | Antonio Karmany (ESP) | 1960, 1961, 1962 |
| 3 | Julio Jiménez (ESP) | 1963, 1964, 1965 |
| 3 | Andrés Oliva (ESP) | 1975, 1976, 1978 |
| 2 | Julián Berrendero (ESP) | 1942, 1945 |
| 2 | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) | 1957, 1958 |
| 2 | José Luis Abilleira (ESP) | 1973, 1974 |
| 2 | Felipe Yáñez (ESP) | 1979, 1984 |
| 2 | Luis Herrera (COL) | 1987, 1991 |
| 2 | Tony Rominger (SUI) | 1993, 1996 |
| 2 | Félix Cárdenas (COL) | 2003, 2004 |
| 2 | Omar Fraile (ESP) | 2015, 2016 |

## Days in leader's jersey

after the end of 2024 Vuelta a España
| Rider | Days | Stages |
| José Luis Laguía | 90 | 94 |
| José Luis Abilleira | 66 | 75 |
| David Moncoutié | 47 | 47 |
| Julián Berrendero | 46 | 49 |
| José María Jiménez | 42 | 42 |
| Tony Rominger | 35 | 36 |
| Felipe Yáñez | 33 | 37 |
| Emilio Rodríguez | 30 | 33 |
| Julio Jiménez | 30 | 31 |
| Luis Herrera | 26 | 26 |
| Federico Bahamontes | 25 | 26 |
| Gregorio San Miguel | 23 | 26 |
| Andrés Oliva | 23 | 26 |
| José Martín Farfán | 23 | 23 |
| Félix Cárdenas | 23 | 23 |
| Laurent Jalabert | 22 | 22 |
| Omar Fraile | 22 | 22 |
| Antonio Karmany | 21 | 22 |
| Francisco Cerezo | 21 | 21 |