16 different riders have won 10 or more stage wins in the Vuelta Espana since its inception in 1935. Three have passed away, while two are still active (Alejandro Valverde and John Degenkolb) in 2022.
The Spanish rider, Dello Rodriguez (19 April 1916 – 14 January 1994) has the most stage wins with 39. His last win was in 1947.
Italian sprinter, Alessandro Petacchi is second with 20 stage wins. His last win was in Stage 7 of the 2010 edition. He won five stages each in 2003 (Stage 3, 5, 12, 14, and 21) and 2005 (3, 4, 8, 12, and 21).
Belgian Rik Van Looy, and Frenchman Laurent Jalabert both have won 18 stages.
| Rider | Nationality | Stage wins | Last win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delio Rodríguez | Spain | 39 | 1947 |
| Alessandro Petacchi | Italy | 20 | 2010 |
| Rik Van Looy | Belgium | 18 | 1965 |
| Laurent Jalabert | France | 18 | 1997 |
| Sean Kelly | Ireland | 16 | 1988 |
| Gerben Karstens | Netherlands | 14 | 1976 |
| Freddy Maertens | Belgium | 13 | 1977 |
| Alejandro Valverde | Spain | 13 | 2019 |
| Tony Rominger | Switzerland | 12 | 1996 |
| Marcel Wüst | Germany | 12 | 1999 |
| Julián Berrendero | Spain | 11 | 1947 |
| Augustin Tamames | Spain | 11 | 1975 |
| Domingo Perurena | Spain | 11 | 1978 |
| Eddy Planckaert | Belgium | 10 | 1966 |
| Roberto Heras | Spain | 10 | 2005 |
| John Degenkolb | Germany | 10 | 2015 |
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.