The Tour de France Climber’s Classification is a secondary competition after the General Classification, similar to the Points Classification and Young Rider Classification. The Climber’s classification has been around since 1933 but it wasn’t until 1975 that the leader wears the polka dot jersey.
It’s widely referred to as the King of Mountain, Polka Dot jersey (maillot à pois rouges), or Mountains Classification.
Points are awarded for up to the first eight riders who were first on top of each categorized climb. The climbs in the Tour de France are categorized depending on their gradient and length.
It starts from Category 4 (least steep) to Category 3, Category 2, Category 1, and Hors Catégorie. It’s up to the organizers to determine the category. Hors Catégorie climbs have more points on offer, and sometimes there are double points offered, such as in stage 17 at Méribel Col de la Loze in 2020.
The rider with the most cumulative points will wear the polka dot jersey from Stage 2 to 21.
Multiple Tour de France Climber’s Classification winners
Jonas Vingegaard won the Climber’s Classification in the 2022 Tour de France.
Since its inception in 1933, there are 16 riders won the Climber’s classification more than once. The last rider who won twice was Tadej Pogačar in 2021, where he also won the General Classification and Young Rider classification.
Although the Tour de France features many mountainous terrains, the rider who wins the General Classification doesn’t often win the Climber’s classification. This often boils down to the race tactics and the strength of the riders and teams.
More reading : Tour de France Team Classification Winners
For example, in recent years, the General Classification contenders are happy to allow riders to go in the breakaway to collect the Climber’s classification points while they battle out among themselves on the last climbs.
There are only 13 years where the same rider won the Climber and General Classification.
- Jonas Vingegaard (2022)
- Tadej Pogačar (2020, 2021)
- Chris Froome (2015)
- Carlos Sastre (2008)
- Eddy Merckx (1969)
- Federico Bahamontes (1959)
- Fausto Coppi (1949, 1952)
- Sylvère Maes (1939)
- Gino Bartali (1938, 1948)
| Winner | Nationality | Wins | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Virenque | France | 7 | 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004 |
| Federico Bahamontes | Spain | 6 | 1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964 |
| Lucien Van Impe | Belgium | 6 | 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1983 |
| Julio Jiménez | Spain | 3 | 1965, 1966, 1967 |
| Félicien Vervaecke | Belgium | 2 | 1935, 1937 |
| Gino Bartali | Italy | 2 | 1938, 1948 |
| Fausto Coppi | Italy | 2 | 1949, 1952 |
| Charly Gaul | Luxembourg | 2 | 1955, 1956 |
| Imerio Massignan | Italy | 2 | 1960, 1961 |
| Eddy Merckx | Belgium | 2 | 1969, 1970 |
| Luis Herrera | Colombia | 2 | 1985, 1987 |
| Claudio Chiappucci | Italy | 2 | 1991, 1992 |
| Laurent Jalabert | France | 2 | 2001, 2002 |
| Michael Rasmussen | Denmark | 2 | 2005, 2006 |
| Rafał Majka | Poland | 2 | 2014, 2016 |
| Tadej Pogačar | Slovenia | 2 | 2020, 2021 |
Most Tour de France Climber’s Classification wins by nationality
French riders are the most successful in the Climber’s Classification with 23 wins with 16 different riders. The last win was by Romain Bardet in 2019.
Only 12 nationalities have won the Climber’s Classification in 82 editions. Except for Switzerland, all other nationalities have won at least once.
| Wins | Country | Last winner | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | France | Romain Bardet | 2019 |
| 18 | Spain | Samuel Sánchez | 2011 |
| 12 | Italy | Claudio Chiappucci | 1992 |
| 11 | Belgium | Lucien Van Impe | 1983 |
| 5 | Colombia | Nairo Quintana | 2013 |
| 3 | Denmark | Jonas Vingegaard | 2022 |
| 2 | United Kingdom | Chris Froome | 2015 |
| 2 | Luxembourg | Charly Gaul | 1956 |
| 2 | Netherlands | Gert-Jan Theunisse | 1989 |
| 2 | Poland | Rafał Majka | 2016 |
| 2 | Slovenia | Tadej Pogačar | 2021 |
| 1 | Switzerland | Tony Rominger | 1993 |
List Tour de France Climber’s Classification winners, 1933 to 2022
| Year | Rider | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Jonas Vingegaard | Denmark |
| 2021 | Tadej Pogačar | Slovenia |
| 2020 | Tadej Pogačar | Slovenia |
| 2019 | Romain Bardet | France |
| 2018 | Julian Alaphilippe | France |
| 2017 | Warren Barguil | France |
| 2016 | Rafał Majka | Poland |
| 2015 | Chris Froome | United Kingdom |
| 2014 | Rafał Majka | Poland |
| 2013 | Nairo Quintana | Colombia |
| 2012 | Thomas Voeckler | France |
| 2011 | Samuel Sánchez | Spain |
| 2010 | Anthony Charteau | France |
| 2009 | Egoi Martínez | Spain |
| 2008 | Carlos Sastre | Spain |
| 2007 | Mauricio Soler | Colombia |
| 2006 | Michael Rasmussen | Denmark |
| 2005 | Michael Rasmussen | Denmark |
| 2004 | Richard Virenque | France |
| 2003 | Richard Virenque | France |
| 2002 | Laurent Jalabert | France |
| 2001 | Laurent Jalabert | France |
| 2000 | Santiago Botero | Colombia |
| 1999 | Richard Virenque | France |
| 1998 | Christophe Rinero | France |
| 1997 | Richard Virenque | France |
| 1996 | Richard Virenque | France |
| 1995 | Richard Virenque | France |
| 1994 | Richard Virenque | France |
| 1993 | Tony Rominger | Switzerland |
| 1992 | Claudio Chiappucci | Italy |
| 1991 | Claudio Chiappucci | Italy |
| 1990 | Thierry Claveyrolat | France |
| 1989 | Gert-Jan Theunisse | Netherlands |
| 1988 | Steven Rooks | Netherlands |
| 1987 | Luis Herrera | Colombia |
| 1986 | Bernard Hinault | France |
| 1985 | Luis Herrera | Colombia |
| 1984 | Robert Millar | United Kingdom |
| 1983 | Lucien Van Impe | Belgium |
| 1982 | Bernard Vallet | France |
| 1981 | Lucien Van Impe | Belgium |
| 1980 | Raymond Martin | France |
| 1979 | Giovanni Battaglin | Italy |
| 1978 | Mariano Martínez | France |
| 1977 | Lucien Van Impe | Belgium |
| 1976 | Giancarlo Bellini | Italy |
| 1975 | Lucien Van Impe | Belgium |
| 1974 | Domingo Perurena | Spain |
| 1973 | Pedro Torres | Spain |
| 1972 | Lucien Van Impe | Belgium |
| 1971 | Lucien Van Impe | Belgium |
| 1970 | Eddy Merckx | Belgium |
| 1969 | Eddy Merckx | Belgium |
| 1968 | Aurelio González Puente | Spain |
| 1967 | Julio Jiménez | Spain |
| 1966 | Julio Jiménez | Spain |
| 1965 | Julio Jiménez | Spain |
| 1964 | Federico Bahamontes | Spain |
| 1963 | Federico Bahamontes | Spain |
| 1962 | Federico Bahamontes | Spain |
| 1961 | Imerio Massignan | Italy |
| 1960 | Imerio Massignan | Italy |
| 1959 | Federico Bahamontes | Spain |
| 1958 | Federico Bahamontes | Spain |
| 1957 | Gastone Nencini | Italy |
| 1956 | Charly Gaul | Luxembourg |
| 1955 | Charly Gaul | Luxembourg |
| 1954 | Federico Bahamontes | Spain |
| 1953 | Jesús Loroño | Spain |
| 1952 | Fausto Coppi | Italy |
| 1951 | Raphaël Géminiani | France |
| 1950 | Louison Bobet | France |
| 1949 | Fausto Coppi | Italy |
| 1948 | Gino Bartali | Italy |
| 1947 | Pierre Brambilla | Italy |
| 1939 | Sylvère Maes | Belgium |
| 1938 | Gino Bartali | Italy |
| 1937 | Félicien Vervaecke | Belgium |
| 1936 | Julián Berrendero | Spain |
| 1935 | Félicien Vervaecke | Belgium |
| 1934 | René Vietto | France |
| 1933 | Vicente Trueba | Spain |