# King of the Mountains

The King of the Mountains (KoM) is an award given to the best climbing specialist in a men's cycling road race; in women's cycle racing, Queen of the Mountains (QoM) is used.
While the title may be given to the rider who achieves the highest position over several designated climbs in a single-day road race, it is more usually applied to stage races (for example, the Grand Tours, Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España) where points are accumulated over the duration of the whole race.
In the Tour de France, where it is officially known as the Mountains classification, at the top of each significant climb, points are awarded to the riders who are first over the top. The climbs are categorised from 1 (most difficult) to 4 (least difficult) based on their steepness and length. A fifth category, called Hors catégorie (outside category) applies to mountains rated even more severe than first category. Similar ratings apply to climbs in the other major Tours.
In the Tour de France, the leader in the mountains competition wears a distinctive polka dot jersey (French: maillot à pois rouges). Although the King of the Mountains was first recognised in the 1933 Tour de France, the distinctive jersey was not introduced until 1975. In the Giro, the King of the Mountains leader wore a green jersey until 2011; in 2012, the jersey changed to blue at the behest of the corporate sponsor of the mountains classification. In the Vuelta several jersey designs have been used, but since 2010 it has been white with blue polka dots.
Additionally, King or Queen of the Mountains can also apply to the highest ranked user in certain activities tracked by services such as Strava.

## Mountains classification winners of the Grand Tours
### Winners by year

Legend :
* Rider also won General classification
* Rider also won General and Points classification
* Rider also won General and Young Rider classification
* Rider also won Young Rider classification
| Year | Giro d'Italia | Tour de France | Vuelta a España |
| 1933 | Alfredo Binda (ITA) (1/1) | Vicente Trueba (ESP) (1/1) | Race not held |
| 1934 | Remo Bertoni (ITA) (1/1) | René Vietto (FRA) (1/1) | Race not held |
| 1935 | Gino Bartali (ITA) (1/9) | Félicien Vervaecke (BEL) (1/2) | Edoardo Molinar (ITA) (1/1) |
| 1936 | Gino Bartali (ITA) (2/9) | Julián Berrendero (ESP) (1/3) | Salvador Molina (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1937 | Gino Bartali (ITA) (3/9) | Félicien Vervaecke (BEL) (2/2) | Race not held |
| 1938 | Giovanni Valetti (ITA) (1/1) | Gino Bartali (ITA) (4/9) | Race not held |
| 1939 | Gino Bartali (ITA) (5/9) | Sylvere Maes (BEL) (1/1) | Race not held |
| 1940 | Gino Bartali (ITA) (6/9) | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1941 | Race not held | Race not held | Fermín Trueba (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1942 | Race not held | Race not held | Julián Berrendero (ESP) (2/3) |
| 1943 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1944 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1945 | Race not held | Race not held | Julián Berrendero (ESP) (3/3) |
| 1946 | Gino Bartali (ITA) (7/9) | Race not held | Emilio Rodríguez (ESP) (1/3) |
| 1947 | Gino Bartali (ITA) (8/9) | Pierre Brambilla (ITA) (1/1) | Emilio Rodríguez (ESP) (2/3) |
| 1948 | Fausto Coppi (ITA) (1/5) | Gino Bartali (ITA) (9/9) | Bernardo Ruiz (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1949 | Fausto Coppi (ITA) (2/5) | Fausto Coppi (ITA) (3/5) | Race not held |
| 1950 | Hugo Koblet (SUI) (1/1) | Louison Bobet (FRA) (1/2) | Emilio Rodríguez (ESP) (3/3) |
| 1951 | Louison Bobet (FRA) (2/2) | Raphaël Géminiani (FRA) (1/3) | Race not held |
| 1952 | Raphaël Géminiani (FRA) (2/3) | Fausto Coppi (ITA) (4/5) | Race not held |
| 1953 | Pasquale Fornara (ITA) (1/1) | Jesús Loroño (ESP) (1/1) | Race not held |
| 1954 | Fausto Coppi (ITA) (5/5) | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) (1/9) | Race not held |
| 1955 | Gastone Nencini (ITA) (1/2) | Charly Gaul (LUX) (1/4) | Giuseppe Buratti (ITA) (1/1) |
| 1956 | Charly Gaul (LUX) (2/4) | Charly Gaul (LUX) (3/4) | Nino Defilippis (ITA) (1/1) |
| 1956 | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) (2/9) | Charly Gaul (LUX) (3/4) | Nino Defilippis (ITA) (1/1) |
| 1957 | Raphaël Géminiani (FRA) (3/3) | Gastone Nencini (ITA) (2/2) | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) (3/9) |
| 1958 | Jean Brankart (BEL) (1/1) | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) (5/9) | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) (4/9) |
| 1959 | Charly Gaul (LUX) (4/4) | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) (6/9) | Antonio Suárez (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1960 | Rik Van Looy (BEL) (1/1) | Imerio Massignan (ITA) (1/2) | Antonio Karmany (ESP) (1/3) |
| 1961 | Vito Taccone (ITA) (1/2) | Imerio Massignan (ITA) (2/2) | Antonio Karmany (ESP) (2/3) |
| 1962 | Angelino Soler (ESP) (1/1) | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) (7/9) | Antonio Karmany (ESP) (3/3) |
| 1963 | Vito Taccone (ITA) (2/2) | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) (8/9) | Julio Jiménez (ESP) (1/6) |
| 1964 | Franco Bitossi (ITA) (1/3) | Federico Bahamontes (ESP) (9/9) | Julio Jiménez (ESP) (2/6) |
| 1965 | Franco Bitossi (ITA) (2/3) | Julio Jiménez (ESP) (4/6) | Julio Jiménez (ESP) (3/6) |
| 1966 | Franco Bitossi (ITA) (3/3) | Julio Jiménez (ESP) (5/6) | Gregorio San Miguel (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1967 | Aurelio Gonzales (ESP) (1/2) | Julio Jiménez (ESP) (6/6) | Mariano Díaz (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1968 | Eddy Merckx (BEL) (1/3) | Aurelio Gonzales (ESP) (2/2) | Francisco Gabica (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1969 | Claudio Michelotto (ITA) (1/1) | Eddy Merckx (BEL) (2/3) | Luis Ocaña (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1970 | Martin Vandenbossche (BEL) (1/1) | Eddy Merckx (BEL) (3/3) | Agustín Tamames (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1971 | José Manuel Fuente (ESP) (1/4) | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) (1/8) | Joop Zoetemelk (NED) (1/1) |
| 1972 | José Manuel Fuente (ESP) (2/4) | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) (2/8) | José Manuel Fuente (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1973 | José Manuel Fuente (ESP) (3/4) | Pedro Torres (ESP) (1/1) | José Luis Abilleira (ESP) (1/2) |
| 1974 | José Manuel Fuente (ESP) (4/4) | Domingo Perurena (ESP) (1/1) | José Luis Abilleira (ESP) (2/2) |
| 1975 | Francisco Galdós (ESP) (1/1) | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) (3/8) | Andrés Oliva (ESP) (1/5) |
| 1975 | Andrés Oliva (ESP) (2/5) | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) (3/8) | Andrés Oliva (ESP) (1/5) |
| 1976 | Andrés Oliva (ESP) (4/5) | Giancarlo Bellini (ITA) (1/1) | Andrés Oliva (ESP) (3/5) |
| 1977 | Faustino Fernández Oviés (ESP) (1/1) | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) (4/8) | Pedro Torres (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1978 | Ueli Sutter (SUI) (1/1) | Mariano Martínez (FRA) (1/1) | Andrés Oliva (ESP) (5/5) |
| 1979 | Claudio Bortolotto (ITA) (1/3) | Giovanni Battaglin (ITA) (1/1) | Felipe Yáñez (ESP) (1/2) |
| 1980 | Claudio Bortolotto (ITA) (2/3) | Raymond Martin (FRA) (1/1) | Juan Fernández (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1981 | Claudio Bortolotto (ITA) (3/3) | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) (5/8) | José Luis Laguía (ESP) (1/5) |
| 1982 | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) (6/8) | Bernard Vallet (FRA) (1/1) | José Luis Laguía (ESP) (2/5) |
| 1983 | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) (7/8) | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) (8/8) | José Luis Laguía (ESP) (3/5) |
| 1984 | Laurent Fignon (FRA) (1/1) | Robert Millar (GBR) (1/2) | Felipe Yáñez (ESP) (2/2) |
| 1985 | José Luis Navarro (ESP) (1/1) | Luis Herrera (COL) (1/5) | José Luis Laguía (ESP) (4/5) |
| 1986 | Pedro Muñoz Machín Rodríguez (ESP) (1/1) | Bernard Hinault (FRA) (1/1) | José Luis Laguía (ESP) (5/5) |
| 1987 | Robert Millar (GBR) (2/2) | Luis Herrera (COL) (3/5) | Luis Herrera (COL) (2/5) |
| 1988 | Andrew Hampsten (USA) (1/1) | Steven Rooks (NED) (1/1) | Álvaro Pino (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1989 | Luis Herrera (COL) (4/5) | Gert-Jan Theunisse (NED) (1/1) | Óscar Vargas (COL) (1/1) |
| 1990 | Claudio Chiappucci (ITA) (1/5) | Thierry Claveyrolat (FRA) (1/1) | José Martín Farfán (COL) (1/1) |
| 1991 | Iñaki Gastón (ESP) (1/1) | Claudio Chiappucci (ITA) (2/5) | Luis Herrera (COL) (5/5) |
| 1992 | Claudio Chiappucci (ITA) (3/5) | Claudio Chiappucci (ITA) (4/5) | Carlos Hernández (ESP) (1/1) |
| 1993 | Claudio Chiappucci (ITA) (5/5) | Tony Rominger (SUI) (2/3) | Tony Rominger (SUI) (1/3) |
| 1994 | Pascal Richard (SUI) (1/1) | Richard Virenque (FRA) (1/7) | Luc Leblanc (FRA) (1/1) |
| 1995 | Mariano Piccoli (ITA) (1/2) | Richard Virenque (FRA) (2/7) | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) (1/3) |
| 1996 | Mariano Piccoli (ITA) (2/2) | Richard Virenque (FRA) (3/7) | Tony Rominger (SUI) (3/3) |
| 1997 | José Jaime González (COL) (1/2) | Richard Virenque (FRA) (4/7) | José María Jiménez (ESP) (1/4) |
| 1998 | Marco Pantani (ITA) (1/1) | Christophe Rinero (FRA) (1/1) | José María Jiménez (ESP) (2/4) |
| 1999 | José Jaime González (COL) (2/2) | Richard Virenque (FRA) (5/7) | José María Jiménez (ESP) (3/4) |
| 2000 | Francesco Casagrande (ITA) (1/1) | Santiago Botero (COL) (1/1) | Carlos Sastre (ESP) (1/2) |
| 2001 | Fredy González (COL) (1/2) | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) (2/3) | José María Jiménez (ESP) (4/4) |
| 2002 | Julio Perez Cuapio (MEX) (1/1) | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) (3/3) | Aitor Osa (ESP) (1/1) |
| 2003 | Fredy González (COL) (2/2) | Richard Virenque (FRA) (6/7) | Félix Cárdenas (COL) (1/2) |
| 2004 | Fabian Wegmann (GER) (1/1) | Richard Virenque (FRA) (7/7) | Félix Cárdenas (COL) (2/2) |
| 2005 | José Rujano Guillén (VEN) (1/1) | Michael Rasmussen (DEN) (1/2) | Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP) (1/1) |
| 2006 | Juan Manuel Gárate (ESP) (1/1) | Michael Rasmussen (DEN) (2/2) | Egoi Martínez (ESP) (1/2) |
| 2007 | Leonardo Piepoli (ITA) (1/1) | Mauricio Soler (COL) (1/1) | Denis Menchov (RUS) (1/1) |
| 2008 | Emanuele Sella (ITA) (1/1) | Carlos Sastre (ESP) (2/2) | David Moncoutié (FRA) (1/4) |
| 2009 | Stefano Garzelli (ITA) (1/2) | Egoi Martínez (ESP) (2/2) | David Moncoutié (FRA) (2/4) |
| 2010 | Matthew Lloyd (AUS) (1/1) | Anthony Charteau (FRA) (1/1) | David Moncoutié (FRA) (3/4) |
| 2011 | Stefano Garzelli (ITA) (2/2) | Samuel Sánchez (ESP) (1/1) | David Moncoutié (FRA) (4/4) |
| 2012 | Matteo Rabottini (ITA) (1/1) | Thomas Voeckler (FRA) (1/1) | Simon Clarke (AUS) (1/1) |
| 2013 | Stefano Pirazzi (ITA) (1/1) | Nairo Quintana (COL) (1/1) | Nicolas Edet (FRA) (1/1) |
| 2014 | Julián Arredondo (COL) (1/1) | Rafał Majka (POL) (1/2) | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) (1/1) |
| 2015 | Giovanni Visconti (ITA) (1/1) | Chris Froome (GBR) (1/2) | Omar Fraile (ESP) (1/2) |
| 2016 | Mikel Nieve (ESP) (1/1) | Rafał Majka (POL) (2/2) | Omar Fraile (ESP) (2/2) |
| 2017 | Mikel Landa (ESP) (1/1) | Warren Barguil (FRA) (1/1) | Davide Villella (ITA) (1/1) |
| 2018 | Chris Froome (GBR) (2/2) | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) (1/1) | Thomas De Gendt (BEL) (1/1) |
| 2019 | Giulio Ciccone (ITA) (1/2) | Romain Bardet (FRA) (1/1) | Geoffrey Bouchard (FRA) (1/2) |
| 2020 | Ruben Guerreiro (POR) (1/1) | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) (1/3) | Guillaume Martin (FRA) (1/1) |
| 2021 | Geoffrey Bouchard (FRA) (2/2) | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) (2/3) | Michael Storer (AUS) (1/1) |
| 2022 | Koen Bouwman (NED) (1/1) | Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) (1/1) | Richard Carapaz (ECU) (1/2) |
| 2023 | Thibaut Pinot (FRA) (1/1) | Giulio Ciccone (ITA) (2/2) | Remco Evenepoel (BEL) (1/1) |
| 2024 | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) (3/3) | Richard Carapaz (ECU) (2/2) | Jay Vine (AUS) (1/1) |
| Year | Giro d'Italia | Tour de France | Vuelta a España |

#### Notes

A. $^a$ Franco Pellizotti was the Mountains leader but later had his results removed after his biological passport indicated irregular values, but the classification has not been remade yet. Egoi Martínez was ranked second and later declared winner. B. $^b$ Bernhard Kohl was the Mountains leader but later had his results removed after a positive test for MIRCERA and admission to the use of doping. Carlos Sastre was ranked second and later declared winner.

### Most wins

Two riders have won the "King of the Mountains" in the Tour de France six times: Federico Bahamontes (Spain) and Lucien Van Impe (Belgium), while Richard Virenque (France) holds the record with seven wins. Gino Bartali holds the record for the Giro d'Italia, also with seven wins, while José Luis Laguía has won the Vuelta equivalent five times.
| Rank | Rider | Total | Giro | Tour | Vuelta |
| 1 | Federico Bahamontes | 9 | 1 (1956) | 6 (1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964) | 2 (1957, 1958) |
| 1 | Gino Bartali | 9 | 7 (1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1946, 1947) | 2 (1938, 1948) | – |
| 3 | Lucien Van Impe | 8 | 2 (1982, 1983) | 6 (1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1983) | – |
| 4 | Richard Virenque | 7 | – | 7 (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004) | – |
| 5 | Julio Jiménez | 6 | – | 3 (1965, 1966, 1967) | 3 (1963, 1964, 1965) |
| 6 | Claudio Chiappucci | 5 | 3 (1990, 1992, 1993) | 2 (1991, 1992) | – |
| 6 | Fausto Coppi | 5 | 3 (1948, 1949, 1954) | 2 (1949, 1952) | – |
| 6 | Luis Herrera | 5 | 1 (1989) | 2 (1985, 1987) | 1 (1987) |
| 6 | José Luis Laguía | 5 | – | – | 5 (1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986) |
| 6 | Andrés Oliva | 5 | 2 (1975, 1976) | – | 3 (1975, 1976, 1978) |

### Career triples

No rider has won the "King of the Mountains" in all three Grand Tours in the same year. Only two riders, Federico Bahamontes and Luis Herrera, have won all three competitions in different years.
| Rider | Total | Giro | Tour | Vuelta |
| Federico Bahamontes (ESP) | 9 | 1 (1956) | 6 (1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964) | 2 (1957, 1958) |
| Luis Herrera (COL) | 5 | 1 (1989) | 2 (1985, 1987) | 2 (1987, 1991) |

### Natural doubles

Ten riders have won two mountains classifications in a single year:
Giro d'Italia and Tour de France :
| 1949 | Fausto Coppi |
| 1956 | Charly Gaul |
| 1983 | Lucien Van Impe |
| 1992 | Claudio Chiappucci |
Tour de France and Vuelta a España :
| 1958 | Federico Bahamontes |
| 1965 | Julio Jiménez |
| 1987 | Luis Herrera |
| 1993 | Tony Rominger |
Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España :
| 1972 | Manuel Fuente |
| 1975 | Andrés Oliva |
| 1976 | Andrés Oliva |

## Days leading classification

In previous tours, sometimes a stage was broken in two (or three). "Days" column gives the number of times the cyclist was a classification leader at the end of the day. Numbers in brackets include split stages.
after the end of 2024 Vuelta a España
Legend :
* Current records
* Rider was leading in all Grand Tours
* Rider was leading in all Grand Tours in one season
| Rank | Rider | Days | Leading span | Giro | Tour | Vuelta |
| 1 | Federico Bahamontes | 133 $^{(138)}$ | 1954–1964 | 34 $^{(35)}$ | 74 $^{(77)}$ | 25 $^{(26)}$ |
| 2 | Lucien Van Impe | 112 $^{(123)}$ | 1971–1983 | 34 $^{(35)}$ | 78 $^{(88)}$ | 0 |
| 3 | Gino Bartali | 98 $^{(113)}$ | 1935–1948 | 73 $^{(83)}$ | 25 $^{(30)}$ | 0 |
| 4 | Richard Virenque | 96 | 1992–2004 | 0 | 96 | 0 |
| 5 | Julio Jiménez | 95 $^{(99)}$ | 1961–1968 | 25 | 40 $^{(43)}$ | 30 $^{(31)}$ |
| 6 | Eddy Merckx | 92 $^{(97)}$ | 1968–1976 | 56 $^{(57)}$ | 36 $^{(40)}$ | 0 |
| 7 | José Luis Laguía | 90 $^{(94)}$ | 1981–1986 | 0 | 0 | 90 $^{(94)}$ |
| 8 | José Manuel Fuente | 71 $^{(80)}$ | 1971–1974 | 46 $^{(50)}$ | 8 $^{(10)}$ | 17 $^{(20)}$ |
| 9 | José Luis Abilleira | 66 $^{(75)}$ | 1973–1976 | 0 | 0 | 66 $^{(75)}$ |
| 10 | Fausto Coppi | 61 | 1940–1954 | 37 | 24 | 0 |
| 11 | Luis Herrera | 59 $^{(61)}$ | 1985–1991 | 8 $^{(9)}$ | 25 $^{(26)}$ | 26 |
| 12 | Julián Berrendero | 55 $^{(62)}$ | 1936–1947 | 0 | 9 $^{(13)}$ | 46 $^{(49)}$ |
Only four other riders were leading mountains classification in all three Grand Tours: Tony Rominger, Aurelio González Puente, Tim Wellens and Karsten Kroon.
The rider with the most Grand Tour days on the top of the King of the Mountains classification in one season is Federico Bahamontes - 31 in 1958. José Manuel Fuente amassed a record 34 stages as a KoM leader in one calendar year (1972).