Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España will celebrate its 80th edition in 2025. First organised in 1935, it has grown into one of cycling’s three Grand Tours and a key fixture on the late summer calendar. The 2025 race runs from 23 August to 14 September, starting in Turin and finishing in Madrid. Riders will cover around 3,150 kilometres over 21 stages across Italy, France, Andorra and Spain. The race is broadcast in more than 190 countries, reaching a global audience of millions. At stake is the maillot rojo, one of the most prestigious jerseys in professional cycling.
When 50 cyclists set off from the Spanish capital in April 1935, few could have imagined they were launching what would become one of cycling’s greatest stage races. Nearly ninety years later, the Vuelta a España remains the youngest of the sport’s three Grand Tours (after the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia), but no less prestigious. It is an annual three-week spectacle, rich with history, epic athletic feats and cultural significance in Spain.
Origin of the Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España was first organised in 1935 by former cyclist Clemente López Dóriga together with newspaper editor Juan Pujol, as a promotional event to boost sales of their Madrid sports daily Informaciones. Inspired by the success of the Tour and Giro in France and Italy, Pujol launched Spain’s own national tour that spring. The inaugural Vuelta featured 50 entrants tackling 3,411 km over 14 gruelling stages, and it captivated Spaniards as riders braved long, dusty roads. Belgian rider Gustaaf Deloor emerged victorious in that first edition after a fierce duel with Spain’s Mariano Cañardo. Deloor even repeated his triumph in 1936, cementing himself as the Vuelta’s first star.
Early plans to make the race an annual fixture were soon derailed by turmoil. The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 and then World War II meant the Vuelta skipped most years in the late 1930s and early 1940s. It resumed intermittently in the 1940s before returning for good in 1955. Since then, the race has been held every year, steadily building a following and tapping into a growing national passion for cycling.
Evolution of the race
As the Vuelta gained popularity in the post-war decades, it expanded in both scope and difficulty. The race distance increased and organisers began including more punishing mountain climbs through Spain’s diverse terrain. From early on, the country’s high sierras and the Pyrenees tested riders’ endurance, but the addition of now-legendary summit finishes like the misty Lakes of Covadonga in 1983 brought new drama to the race. In 1999, organisers unveiled the fearsome Alto de L’Angliru, a brutally steep ascent intended to rival the Tour de France’s iconic climbs, which quickly became an infamous Vuelta centrepiece.
The format of the event settled into the roughly 21-stage, three-week challenge known today, with routes changing annually to visit different regions of Spain. For its first six decades the Vuelta was held in the spring, often overlapping with the Giro, but in 1995 it moved to a late-August and September schedule. This shift significantly boosted international participation and prestige.
The leader’s jersey has also evolved. It began as orange in 1935, changed colours multiple times (even mirroring the Tour’s yellow for many years), and since 2010 has been the distinctive red jersey, the maillot rojo, worn by the overall leader.
Despite periods of political upheaval and financial uncertainty, including a near collapse in the 1970s, the Vuelta endured and modernised. By the late 20th century it had firmly secured its place alongside the Tour and Giro as one of cycling’s Grand Tours, while retaining a character all its own.
Iconic moments and champions
With its rich history, the Vuelta a España has produced legendary moments and iconic champions that have defined the race’s story. In the 1950s and 60s, as the event’s stature grew, foreign stars joined the fray. Frenchman Jacques Anquetil claimed victory in 1963, becoming the first cyclist to win all three Grand Tours. Italian great Felice Gimondi followed in 1968, and Belgium’s Eddy Merckx, known as “The Cannibal” for his voracious winning, dominated the 1973 Vuelta, taking six stage wins and nearly every classification.
Spanish fans have celebrated plenty of home heroes as well. Luis Ocaña won in 1970, Pedro Delgado triumphed twice in the 1980s, and Alberto Contador in the 2000s became the first Spaniard to win all three Grand Tours, including three Vueltas.
The race has seen its share of epic battles. None was more nail-biting than the 1984 edition, when little-known Éric Caritoux of France won the Vuelta by a mere six seconds over Spain’s Alberto Fernández, the closest finish in the event’s history. In 1987, Colombia’s Luis Herrera made history as the first non-European to win a Grand Tour with his Vuelta victory, marking the race’s growing global reach.
The 1990s were marked by the dominance of Switzerland’s Tony Rominger, who became the first to capture three consecutive Vuelta titles from 1992 to 1994. Not long after, Spaniard Roberto Heras set a record with four overall wins, a mark only recently tied by Slovenia’s Primož Roglič.
Through triumphs and the occasional controversy, these champions and rivalries have elevated the Vuelta’s profile. Fans still recount legendary feats, from Freddy Maertens winning 13 stages in 1977 to Chris Horner becoming the oldest Grand Tour winner at age 41 in 2013, all part of the Vuelta’s colourful lore.
As the youngest of the three Grand Tours, it has developed a unique identity with steep climbs, unpredictable battles and a rich history of achievements. This overview highlights the most notable records and statistics from the Vuelta’s past, covering overall wins, youngest champions, legendary climbs and decisive time gaps.
Most overall wins
The record for the most overall victories in the Vuelta a España is shared by two riders. Spain’s Roberto Heras and Slovenia’s Primož Roglič both claimed four overall titles. Heras won in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005. Roglič took the red jersey in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024. Several other stars have won the Vuelta three times, including Alberto Contador and Tony Rominger, but no rider has gone beyond the four-win mark.
Youngest and oldest winner
Some winners of the Vuelta made history with their age as much as with their performance. The youngest overall winner is Angelino Soler, who won the race in 1961 at just 21 years old. At the other end of the spectrum, Chris Horner became the oldest Grand Tour winner in 2013 when he took the Vuelta title at the age of 41. These two examples show that the Vuelta can be won by rising talents as well as experienced veterans.
Fastest edition
The fastest Vuelta on record took place in 2001. That year, the riders completed the race with an average speed of 42.534 kilometres per hour. In the early decades of the race, average speeds were much lower due to rougher roads, heavier bikes and limited support.
Most stage wins
The record for most stage wins in Vuelta history belongs to Spanish sprinter Delio Rodríguez. He collected a total of 39 stage victories during the 1940s, a number that still stands unmatched. Another remarkable feat came in 1977, when Belgian rider Freddy Maertens won 13 of the 19 stages in a single edition. That performance remains one of the most dominant ever seen in a Grand Tour.
Smallest and largest winning margins
The smallest margin of victory in the Vuelta happened in 1984. Éric Caritoux won the general classification by just 6 seconds over Alberto Fernández. On the other hand, the largest winning gap was recorded in 1945, when Delio Rodríguez finished more than 30 minutes ahead of his closest rival. These examples show just how varied and unpredictable the race can be.
