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
Vuelta Year Winner Nationality Team
68 2013 Chris Horner   United States RadioShack-Leopard
67 2012 Alberto Contador   Spain Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
66 2011 Juan José Cobo   Spain Geox–TMC
65 2010 Vincenzo Nibali   Italy Liquigas–Doimo
64 2009 Alejandro Valverde   Spain Caisse d'Epargne
63 2008 Alberto Contador   Spain Astana
62 2007 Denis Menchov (2)   Russia Rabobank
61 2006 Alexandre Vinokourov   Kazakhstan Astana
60 2005 Denis Menchov   Russia Rabobank
59 2004 Roberto Heras   Spain Liberty Seguros
58 2003 U.S. Postal
57 2002 Aitor González Kelme
56 2001 Ángel Casero Festina
55 2000 Roberto Heras Kelme
54 1999 Jan Ullrich   Germany Team Telekom
53 1998 Abraham Olano   Spain Team Banesto
52 1997 Alex Zülle    Switzerland Team ONCE
51 1996
50 1995 Laurent Jalabert   France Team ONCE
49 1994 Tony Rominger    Switzerland Mapei-Clas
48 1993 Clas-Cajastur
47 1992
46 1991 Melchor Mauri   Spain Team ONCE
45 1990 Marco Giovannetti   Italy Seur
44 1989 Pedro Delgado   Spain Reynolds-Banesto
43 1988 Seán Kelly   Ireland Kas-Mavic
42 1987 Luis Herrera   Colombia Café de Colombia
41 1986 Álvaro Pino   Spain Zor - BH
40 1985 Pedro Delgado Orbea-MG
39 1984 Éric Caritoux   France Skil-Reydel-SEM-Mavic
38 1983 Bernard Hinault Renault-Elf-Gitane
37 1982 Marino Lejarreta   Spain Teka
36 1981 Giovanni Battaglin   Italy Inoxpran
35 1980 Faustino Ruperez   Zor-Vereco
34 1979 Joop Zoetemelk   Netherlands Miko-Mercier-Vivagel
33 1978 Bernard Hinault   France Renault-Gitane-Campagnolo
32 1977 Freddy Maertens   Belgium Flandria-Velda-Latina
31 1976 José Pesarrodona   Kas
30 1975 Augustin Tamames Super Ser
29 1974 José Manuel Fuente Kas-Kaskol
28 1973 Eddy Merckx   Belgium Molteni
27 1972 José Manuel Fuente   Kas-Kaskol
26 1971 Ferdinand Bracke   Belgium Peugeot-BP-Michelin
25 1970 Luis Ocaña   Bic
24 1969 Roger Pingeon   France Peugeot-BP-Michelin
23 1968 Felice Gimondi   Italy Salvarani
22 1967 Jan Janssen   Netherlands Pelforth-Sauvage-Lejeune
21 1966 Francisco Gabica   Kas-Kaskol
20 1965 Rolf Wolfshohl   Germany Mercier-BP-Hutchinson
19 1964 Raymond Poulidor   France
18 1963 Jacques Anquetil St.Raphael-Gitane
17 1962 Rudi Altig   Germany St.Raphael-Helyett
16 1961 Angelino Soler   Faema
15 1960 Franz De Mulder   Belgium Groene Leeuw
14 1959 Antonio Suarez   Licor 43
13 1958 Jean Stablinski   France Essor-Leroux
12 1957 Jesus Loroño   Gamma
11 1956 Angelo Conterno   Italy Bianchi-Pirelli
10 1955 Jean Dotto   France Vampire-d'Alessandro
1951-1954 No competition held
9 1950 Emilio Rodriguez   Sangalhos
0 1949 No competition held
8 1948 Bernardo Ruiz   Peugeot-Dunlop
7 1947 Edouard Van Dyck   Belgium Alycon-Dunlop
6 1946 Dalmacio Langarica   Galindo-Cicles Tabay
5 1945 Delio Rodriguez
1943 and 1944 No competition held (World War II)
4 1942 Julian Berrendero   Informaciones
3 1941
1937-1940 No competition held (Spanish Civil War)
2 1936 Gustaaf Deloor   Belgium
1 1935