The Vuelta España King of Mountains Classification (Montaña Clasificación) is a secondary competition after the General Classification and Points Classification.
The King of Mountains Classification started the same year as the Vuelta España in 1935. Up until 2005, the leader wore a green jersey. Between 2006 and 2009, the leader wore an orange jersey.
From 2010 onwards, the King of Mountains Classification leader will wear a white jersey with blue dots throughout the race (except Stage 1). The rider who leads the classification at the finish of the last stage in Madrid will be the King of Mountains Classification winner.
Points are awarded to the first six riders to crest each categorized climb. The climbs are categorized as Cima Alberto Fernandez, Especial (ESP), 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, with ESP being the steepest.
Cima Alberto Fernandez is the highest point of each year’s Vuelta Espana. The Especial (ESP) is similar to a Hors catégorie (HC) climb in the Tour de France.
Multiple K.O.M (Montaña Clasificación) winners
51 different riders have won the King of Mountains Classification in 78 editions.
- Spanish rider, José Luis Laguía won a record five times in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, and 1965.
- José María Jiménez (Spain) won four times in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001.
- David Moncoutié (France) is the only rider who has won four consecutive times from 2008 to 2011.
| Wins | Winner | Country | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | José Luis Laguía | Spain | 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986 |
| 4 | David Moncoutié | France | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 |
| 4 | José María Jiménez | Spain | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 |
| 3 | Andrés Oliva | Spain | 1975, 1976, 1978 |
| 3 | Antonio Karmany | Spain | 1960, 1961, 1962 |
| 3 | Julio Jiménez | Spain | 1963, 1964, 1965 |
| 2 | Emilio Rodriguez | Spain | 1946, 1947, 1950 |
| 2 | Federico Bahamontes | Spain | 1957, 1958 |
| 2 | Felipe Yáñez | Spain | 1979, 1984 |
| 2 | Félix Cárdenas | Colombia | 2003, 2004 |
| 2 | José Luis Abilleira | Spain | 1973, 1974 |
| 2 | Julián Berrendero | Spain | 1942, 1945 |
| 2 | Luis Herrera | Colombia | 1987, 1991 |
| 2 | Omar Fraile | Spain | 2015, 2016 |
| 2 | Tony Rominger | Switzerland | 1993, 1996 |
Past K.O.M winners
| Year | Winner | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Richard Carapaz | Ecuador |
| 2021 | Michael Storer | Australia |
| 2020 | Guillaume Martin | France |
| 2019 | Geoffrey Bouchard | France |
| 2018 | Thomas De Gendt | Belgium |
| 2017 | Davide Villella | Colombia |
| 2016 | Omar Fraile | Spain |
| 2015 | Omar Fraile | Spain |
| 2014 | Luis León Sánchez | Spain |
| 2013 | Nicolas Edet | France |
| 2012 | Simon Clarke | Australia |
| 2011 | David Moncoutié | France |
| 2010 | David Moncoutié | France |
| 2009 | David Moncoutié | France |
| 2008 | David Moncoutié | France |
| 2007 | Denis Menchov | Russia |
| 2006 | Egoi Martínez | Spain |
| 2005 | Joaquim Rodríguez | Spain |
| 2004 | Félix Cárdenas | Colombia |
| 2003 | Félix Cárdenas | Colombia |
| 2002 | Aitor Osa | Spain |
| 2001 | José María Jiménez | Spain |
| 2000 | Carlos Sastre | Spain |
| 1999 | José María Jiménez | Spain |
| 1998 | José María Jiménez | Spain |
| 1997 | José María Jiménez | Spain |
| 1996 | Tony Rominger | Switzerland |
| 1995 | Laurent Jalabert | France |
| 1994 | Luc Leblanc | France |
| 1993 | Tony Rominger | Switzerland |
| 1992 | Carlos Hernandez | Spain |
| 1991 | Luis Herrera | Colombia |
| 1990 | José Martín Farfán | Colombia |
| 1989 | Óscar Vargas | Colombia |
| 1988 | Álvaro Pino | Spain |
| 1987 | Luis Herrera | Colombia |
| 1986 | José Luis Laguía | Spain |
| 1985 | José Luis Laguía | Spain |
| 1984 | Felipe Yáñez | Spain |
| 1983 | José Luis Laguía | Spain |
| 1982 | José Luis Laguía | Spain |
| 1981 | José Luis Laguía | Spain |
| 1980 | Juan Fernández | Spain |
| 1979 | Felipe Yáñez | Spain |
| 1978 | Andrés Oliva | Spain |
| 1977 | Pedro Torres | Spain |
| 1976 | Andrés Oliva | Spain |
| 1975 | Andrés Oliva | Spain |
| 1974 | José Luis Abilleira | Spain |
| 1973 | José Luis Abilleira | Spain |
| 1972 | José Manuel Fuente | Spain |
| 1971 | Joop Zoetemelk | Netherlands |
| 1970 | Agustín Tamames | Spain |
| 1969 | Luis Ocaña | Spain |
| 1968 | Francisco Gabica | Spain |
| 1967 | Mariano Díaz | Spain |
| 1966 | Gregorio San Miguel | Spain |
| 1965 | Julio Jiménez | Spain |
| 1964 | Julio Jiménez | Spain |
| 1963 | Julio Jiménez | Spain |
| 1962 | Antonio Karmany | Spain |
| 1961 | Antonio Karmany | Spain |
| 1960 | Antonio Karmany | Spain |
| 1959 | Antonio Suárez | Spain |
| 1958 | Federico Bahamontes | Spain |
| 1957 | Federico Bahamontes | Spain |
| 1956 | Nino Defilippis | Italy |
| 1955 | Giuseppe Buratti | Italy |
| 1950 | Emilio Rodriguez | Spain |
| 1948 | Bernardo Ruiz | Spain |
| 1947 | Emilio Rodriguez | Spain |
| 1946 | Emilio Rodriguez | Spain |
| 1945 | Julián Berrendero | Spain |
| 1942 | Julián Berrendero | Spain |
| 1941 | Fermin Trueba | Spain |
| 1936 | Salvador Molina | Spain |
| 1935 | Edoardo Molinar | Italy |
How K.O.M. points are awarded
The points are awarded according to the table below.
| Clinb category | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cima Alberto Fernandez | 20 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Especial (ESP) | 15 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| First | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | |
| Second | 5 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Third | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Alex Lee is the founder and editor-at-large of Mr. Mamil. Coming from a professional engineering background, he breaks down technical cycling nuances into an easy-to-understand and digestible format here.
He has been riding road bikes actively for the past 12 years and started racing competitively in the senior category during the summer recently.