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Grand Tour (cycling)

Cycling races Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España


Cycling races Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España

In road bicycle racing, a Grand Tour is one of the three major European professional cycling stage races: Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta a España. Collectively they are termed the Grand Tours, and all three races are similar in format, being three-week races with daily stages. They have a special status in the UCI regulations: more points for the UCI World Tour are distributed in Grand Tours than in other races, and they are the only stage races allowed to last longer than 14 days, and these differ from major stage races more than one week in duration.

All three races have a substantial history, with the Tour de France first held in 1903, Giro d'Italia first held in 1909 and the Vuelta a España first held in 1935. The Giro is generally run in May, the Tour in July, and the Vuelta in late August and September. The Vuelta was originally held in the spring, usually late April, with a few editions held in June in the 1940s. In 1995, however, the race moved to September to avoid direct competition with the Giro.

The Tour de France is the oldest and most prestigious in terms of points accrued to racers of all three, and is the most widely attended annual sporting event in the world. The Tour, the Giro and the Road World Cycling Championship make up the Triple Crown of Cycling.

The three Grand Tours are men's events, and as of 2025, no three week races currently exist on the women's road cycling circuit. The Vuelta Femenina, Giro d'Italia Women and Tour de France Femmes are sometimes considered to be equivalent races for women – taking place over shorter, smaller routes around a week in length. The Vuelta Femenina was first held under that name in 2023, the Giro d'Italia Women was first held in 1988, and various women's Tour de France events have taken place since 1984 – with the Tour de France Femmes having its first edition in 2022.

Description

In their current form, the Grand Tours are held over three consecutive weeks and typically include two rest days near the beginning of the second and third weeks. If the opening stages are in a country not neighbouring the home nation of the race, there is sometimes an additional rest day after the opening weekend to allow for transfers. The stages are a mix of long massed start races (sometimes including mountain and hill climbs and descents; others are flat stages favoring those with a sprint finish) and individual and team time trials. Stages in the Grand Tours are generally under 200 kilometres in length.

UCI rules regarding 'Grand Tours'

Grand Tour events have specific rules and criteria as part of Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) regulations. For the UCI World Tour, more points are given in grand tours than in other races; the winner of the Tour de France receives 1000 points, and the winners of the Giro and Vuelta receive 850 points. Depending on the nature of other races, points vary for the winner of the overall classification The grand tours have a special status for the length: they are allowed to last between 15 and 23 days – whereas other stage races are not allowed to last longer than 14 days.

Teams

Historically, controversy surrounds which teams are invited to the event by the organiser. Typically, the UCI prefers top-rated professional teams to enter, while operators of the Grand Tours often want teams based in their country or those unlikely to cause controversy. Between 2005 and 2007, organisers had to accept all ProTour teams, leaving only two wildcard teams per Tour. However, the Unibet team, a ProTour team normally guaranteed entry, was banned from the three Grand Tours for violating gambling advertising laws. In 2008, following numerous doping scandals, some teams were refused entry to the Grand Tours: Astana did not compete at the 2008 Tour de France and Team Columbia did not compete at the 2008 Vuelta a España.

Since 2011, under UCI World Tour rules, all eighteen UCI WorldTeams are guaranteed a place in all three events, as well as the top two UCI ProTeams from the previous year's world ranking. As of 2025, the race organizers are free to invite two more wildcard teams from the top 40 teams in the world ranking (shrinking to the top 30 in 2026). This new rule is intended to prevent organizers from favoring low-ranked domestic teams, such as the 2023 Vuelta a España, where were ranked 62nd and invited over many higher performing teams.

In 2023, riders Primož Roglič, Jonas Vingegaard and Sepp Kuss won the Giro, Tour and Vuelta respectively, making the team the first to win all three Grand Tours in a single calendar year.

Competitions

The main competition is the individual general classification, decided on aggregate time (sometimes after allowance of time bonuses). There are also classifications for teams and young riders, and based on climbing and sprinting points, and other minor competitions. Five riders have won three individual classifications open to all riders (general, mountains, young and points classifications) in the same race: Eddy Merckx in the 1968 Giro d'Italia and 1969 Tour de France and 1973 Vuelta a España, Tony Rominger in the 1993 Vuelta a España, Laurent Jalabert in the 1995 Vuelta a España, Marco Pantani in the 1998 Giro d'Italia, and Tadej Pogačar in the 2020 Tour de France and 2021 Tour de France.

Riders

It is rare for cyclists to ride all grand tours in the same year; in 2004, 474 cyclists started in at least one of the grand tours, 68 of them rode two Grand Tours and only two cyclists started in all three grand tours. It is not unusual for sprinters to start each of the Grand Tours and aim for stage wins before the most difficult stages occur. Alessandro Petacchi and Mark Cavendish started all three Grand Tours in 2010 and 2011, respectively, as did some of their preferred support riders. For both riders in both years, only the Tour de France was ridden to its conclusion.

Over the years, 36 riders have completed all three Grand Tours in one year: Adam Hansen did so six years in a row. The only riders to have finished in the top 10 in each of the three tours during the same year are Raphaël Géminiani in 1955 and Gastone Nencini in 1957. In 2023 Sepp Kuss became the first rider since Nencini to start and finish all three tours in one year, while winning one of them - in Kuss' case the 2023 Vuelta a España.

Riders from the same country winning all three Grand Tours in a single year has happened only on four occasions. It first occurred in 1964 with French riders Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor, with the second occurrence in 2008 with Spanish riders Alberto Contador and Carlos Sastre. 2018 marked the only time three different riders from the same country won all three Tours, these being British riders Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Simon Yates. In 2024 Slovenian riders Tadej Pogačar (winning the Giro and the Tour) and Primož Roglič (winning the Vuelta) repeated the accomplishments of the aforementioned French, Spanish and British riders.

Women's Grand Tour events

, no three week races currently exist on the women's road cycling circuit. Historically, women have participated in three week long stages races, with various women's Tour de France events taking place since 1984. In the contemporary UCI Women's World Tour, the Giro d'Italia Women (first held in 1988), the Tour de France Femmes (first held in 2022) and the Vuelta Femenina (started in 2015, gaining its current name in 2023) are sometimes considered to be equivalent races for women – taking place over shorter, smaller routes around a week in length.* *The Vuelta Femenina takes place in May, the Giro d'Italia Women is held in June and the Tour de France Femmes is held in late July / August.

Some media and teams have referred to these women's events as Grand Tours, as they are the biggest events in the women's calendar. However, they are not three week stage races, they do not have a special status in the rules and regulations of cycling (such as more points in the UCI Women's World Tour, or allowing an increased number of stages), and some have argued that the races need to visit high mountains (such as the Alps) or contain time trial stages to be considered an equivalent event.

Campaign groups such as Le Tour Entier and The Cyclists' Alliance continue to push organisers and the UCI to allow for longer stage races for women, as well as to improve the quality and economic stability of the women's peloton to allow for three week long races in future.

From 2026, the UCI will award more ranking points to Giro d'Italia Women, Tour de France Femmes and the Vuelta Femenina compared to other races in the UCI Women's World Tour.

General Classification winners

Main article: General classification, List of Grand Tour general classification winners

Wins per year

Legend
Flag icon key: List of National Flags
YearGiro d'ItaliaTour de FranceVuelta a España
1903started in 1909FRA Maurice Garin (1/1)started in 1935
1904FRA Henri Cornet (1/1)
1905FRA Louis Trousselier (1/1)
1906FRA René Pottier (1/1)
1907FRA Lucien Petit-Breton (1/2)
1908FRA Lucien Petit-Breton (2/2)
1909ITA Luigi Ganna (1/1)LUX François Faber (1/1)
1910ITA Carlo Galetti (1/3)FRA Octave Lapize (1/1)
1911ITA Carlo Galetti (2/3)FRA Gustave Garrigou (1/1)
1912ITA Team Atala (Carlo Galetti (3/3),
Giovanni Micheletto (1/1) & Eberardo Pavesi (1/1))BEL Odile Defraye (1/1)
1913ITA Carlo Oriani (1/1)BEL Philippe Thys (1/3)
1914ITA Alfonso Calzolari (1/1)BEL Philippe Thys (2/3)
1915Not contested during World War I
1916
1917
1918
1919ITA Costante Girardengo (1/2)BEL Firmin Lambot (1/2)
1920ITA Gaetano Belloni (1/1)BEL Philippe Thys (3/3)
1921ITA Giovanni Brunero (1/3)BEL Léon Scieur (1/1)
1922ITA Giovanni Brunero (2/3)BEL Firmin Lambot (2/2)
1923ITA Costante Girardengo (2/2)FRA Henri Pélissier (1/1)
1924ITA Giuseppe Enrici (1/1)ITA Ottavio Bottecchia (1/2)
1925ITA Alfredo Binda (1/5)ITA Ottavio Bottecchia (2/2)
1926ITA Giovanni Brunero (3/3)BEL Lucien Buysse (1/1)
1927ITA Alfredo Binda (2/5)LUX Nicolas Frantz (1/2)
1928ITA Alfredo Binda (3/5)LUX Nicolas Frantz (2/2)
1929ITA Alfredo Binda (4/5)BEL Maurice De Waele (1/1)
1930ITA Luigi Marchisio (1/1)FRA André Leducq (1/2)
1931ITA Francesco Camusso (1/1)FRA Antonin Magne (1/2)
1932ITA Antonio Pesenti (1/1)FRA André Leducq (2/2)
1933ITA Alfredo Binda (5/5)FRA Georges Speicher (1/1)
1934ITA Learco Guerra (1/1)FRA Antonin Magne (2/2)
1935ITA Vasco Bergamaschi (1/1)BEL Romain Maes (1/1)BEL Gustaaf Deloor (1/2)
1936ITA Gino Bartali (1/5)BEL Sylvère Maes (1/2)BEL Gustaaf Deloor (2/2)
1937ITA Gino Bartali (2/5)FRA Roger Lapébie (1/1)Not contested during the Spanish Civil War
1938ITA Giovanni Valetti (1/2)ITA Gino Bartali (3/5)
1939ITA Giovanni Valetti (2/2)BEL Sylvère Maes (2/2)
1940ITA Fausto Coppi (1/7)Not contested during World War II
1941Not contested during World War IIESP Julián Berrendero (1/2)
1942ESP Julián Berrendero (2/2)
1943Not contested during World War II
1944
1945ESP Delio Rodríguez (1/1)
1946ITA Gino Bartali (4/5)ESP Dalmacio Langarica (1/1)
1947ITA Fausto Coppi (2/7)FRA Jean Robic (1/1)BEL Edward Van Dijck (1/1)
1948ITA Fiorenzo Magni (1/3)ITA Gino Bartali (5/5)ESP Bernardo Ruiz (1/1)
1949ITA Fausto Coppi (3/7)ITA Fausto Coppi (4/7)Not contested
1950SUI Hugo Koblet (1/2)SUI Ferdinand Kübler (1/1)ESP Emilio Rodríguez (1/1)
1951ITA Fiorenzo Magni (2/3)SUI Hugo Koblet (2/2)Not contested
1952ITA Fausto Coppi (5/7)ITA Fausto Coppi (6/7)
1953ITA Fausto Coppi (7/7)FRA Louison Bobet (1/3)
1954SUI Carlo Clerici (1/1)FRA Louison Bobet (2/3)
1955ITA Fiorenzo Magni (3/3)FRA Louison Bobet (3/3)FRA Jean Dotto (1/1)
1956LUX Charly Gaul (1/3)FRA Roger Walkowiak (1/1)ITA Angelo Conterno (1/1)
1957ITA Gastone Nencini (1/2)FRA Jacques Anquetil (1/8)ESP Jesús Loroño (1/1)
1958ITA Ercole Baldini (1/1)LUX Charly Gaul (2/3)FRA Jean Stablinski (1/1)
1959LUX Charly Gaul (3/3)ESP Federico Bahamontes (1/1)ESP Antonio Suárez (1/1)
1960FRA Jacques Anquetil (2/8)ITA Gastone Nencini (2/2)BEL Frans De Mulder (1/1)
1961ITA Arnaldo Pambianco (1/1)FRA Jacques Anquetil (3/8)ESP Angelino Soler (1/1)
1962ITA Franco Balmamion (1/2)FRA Jacques Anquetil (4/8)GER Rudi Altig (1/1)
1963ITA Franco Balmamion (2/2)FRA Jacques Anquetil (6/8)FRA Jacques Anquetil (5/8)
1964FRA Jacques Anquetil (7/8)FRA Jacques Anquetil (8/8)FRA Raymond Poulidor (1/1)
1965ITA Vittorio Adorni (1/1)ITA Felice Gimondi (1/5)GER Rolf Wolfshohl (1/1)
1966ITA Gianni Motta (1/1)FRA Lucien Aimar (1/1)ESP Francisco Gabica (1/1)
1967ITA Felice Gimondi (2/5)FRA Roger Pingeon (1/2)NED Jan Janssen (1/2)
1968BEL Eddy Merckx (1/11)NED Jan Janssen (2/2)ITA Felice Gimondi (3/5)
1969ITA Felice Gimondi (4/5)BEL Eddy Merckx (2/11)FRA Roger Pingeon (2/2)
1970BEL Eddy Merckx (3/11)BEL Eddy Merckx (4/11)ESP Luis Ocaña (1/2)
1971SWE Gösta Pettersson (1/1)BEL Eddy Merckx (5/11)BEL Ferdinand Bracke (1/1)
1972BEL Eddy Merckx (6/11)BEL Eddy Merckx (7/11)ESP José Manuel Fuente (1/2)
1973BEL Eddy Merckx (9/11)ESP Luis Ocaña (2/2)BEL Eddy Merckx (8/11)
1974BEL Eddy Merckx (10/11)BEL Eddy Merckx (11/11)ESP José Manuel Fuente (2/2)
1975ITA Fausto Bertoglio (1/1)FRA Bernard Thévenet (1/2)ESP Agustín Tamames (1/1)
1976ITA Felice Gimondi (5/5)BEL Lucien Van Impe (1/1)ESP José Pesarrodona (1/1)
1977BEL Michel Pollentier (1/1)FRA Bernard Thévenet (2/2)BEL Freddy Maertens (1/1)
1978BEL Johan De Muynck (1/1)FRA Bernard Hinault (2/10)FRA Bernard Hinault (1/10)
1979ITA Giuseppe Saronni (1/2)FRA Bernard Hinault (3/10)NED Joop Zoetemelk (1/2)
1980FRA Bernard Hinault (4/10)NED Joop Zoetemelk (2/2)ESP Faustino Rupérez (1/1)
1981ITA Giovanni Battaglin (2/2)FRA Bernard Hinault (5/10)ITA Giovanni Battaglin (1/2)
1982FRA Bernard Hinault (6/10)FRA Bernard Hinault (7/10)ESP Marino Lejarreta (1/1)
1983ITA Giuseppe Saronni (2/2)FRA Laurent Fignon (1/3)FRA Bernard Hinault (8/10)
1984ITA Francesco Moser (1/1)FRA Laurent Fignon (2/3)FRA Éric Caritoux (1/1)
1985FRA Bernard Hinault (9/10)FRA Bernard Hinault (10/10)ESP Pedro Delgado (1/3)
1986ITA Roberto Visentini (1/1)USA Greg LeMond (1/3)ESP Álvaro Pino (1/1)
1987IRL Stephen Roche (1/2)IRL Stephen Roche (2/2)COL Luis Herrera (1/1)
1988USA Andrew Hampsten (1/1)ESP Pedro Delgado (2/3)IRL Sean Kelly (1/1)
1989FRA Laurent Fignon (3/3)USA Greg LeMond (2/3)ESP Pedro Delgado (3/3)
1990ITA Gianni Bugno (1/1)USA Greg LeMond (3/3)ITA Marco Giovannetti (1/1)
1991ITA Franco Chioccioli (1/1)ESP Miguel Induráin (1/7)ESP Melcior Mauri (1/1)
1992ESP Miguel Induráin (2/7)ESP Miguel Induráin (3/7)SUI Tony Rominger (1/4)
1993ESP Miguel Induráin (4/7)ESP Miguel Induráin (5/7)SUI Tony Rominger (2/4)
1994RUS Eugeni Berzin (1/1)ESP Miguel Induráin (6/7)SUI Tony Rominger (3/4)
1995SUI Tony Rominger (4/4)ESP Miguel Induráin (7/7)FRA Laurent Jalabert (1/1)
1996RUS Pavel Tonkov (1/1)DEN Bjarne Riis (1/1)SUI Alex Zülle (1/2)
1997ITA Ivan Gotti (1/2)GER Jan Ullrich (1/2)SUI Alex Zülle (2/2)
1998ITA Marco Pantani (1/2)ITA Marco Pantani (2/2)ESP Abraham Olano (1/1)
1999ITA Ivan Gotti (2/2)No winnerGER Jan Ullrich (2/2)
2000ITA Stefano Garzelli (1/1)No winnerESP Roberto Heras (1/4)
2001ITA Gilberto Simoni (1/2)No winnerESP Ángel Casero (1/1)
2002ITA Paolo Savoldelli (1/2)No winnerESP Aitor González (1/1)
2003ITA Gilberto Simoni (2/2)No winnerESP Roberto Heras (2/4)
2004ITA Damiano Cunego (1/1)No winnerESP Roberto Heras (3/4)
2005ITA Paolo Savoldelli (2/2)No winnerESP Roberto Heras (4/4)
2006ITA Ivan Basso (1/2)ESP Óscar Pereiro (1/1)KAZ Alexander Vinokourov (1/1)
2007ITA Danilo Di Luca (1/1)ESP Alberto Contador (1/7)RUS Denis Menchov (1/2)
2008ESP Alberto Contador (2/7)ESP Carlos Sastre (1/1)ESP Alberto Contador (3/7)
2009RUS Denis Menchov (2/2)ESP Alberto Contador (4/7)ESP Alejandro Valverde (1/1)
2010ITA Ivan Basso (2/2)LUX Andy Schleck (1/1)ITA Vincenzo Nibali (1/4)
2011ITA Michele Scarponi (1/1)AUS Cadel Evans (1/1)GBR Chris Froome (1/7)
2012CAN Ryder Hesjedal (1/1)GBR Bradley Wiggins (1/1)ESP Alberto Contador (5/7)
2013ITA Vincenzo Nibali (2/4)GBR Chris Froome (2/7)USA Chris Horner (1/1)
2014COL Nairo Quintana (1/2)ITA Vincenzo Nibali (3/4)ESP Alberto Contador (6/7)
2015ESP Alberto Contador (7/7)GBR Chris Froome (3/7)ITA Fabio Aru (1/1)
2016ITA Vincenzo Nibali (4/4)GBR Chris Froome (4/7)COL Nairo Quintana (2/2)
2017NED Tom Dumoulin (1/1)GBR Chris Froome (5/7)GBR Chris Froome (6/7)
2018GBR Chris Froome (7/7)GBR Geraint Thomas (1/1)GBR Simon Yates (1/2)
2019ECU Richard Carapaz (1/1)COL Egan Bernal (1/2)SLO Primož Roglič (1/5)
2020GBR Tao Geoghegan Hart (1/1)SLO Tadej Pogačar (1/5)SLO Primož Roglič (2/5)
2021COL Egan Bernal (2/2)SLO Tadej Pogačar (2/5)SLO Primož Roglič (3/5)
2022AUS Jai Hindley (1/1)DEN Jonas Vingegaard (1/3)BEL Remco Evenepoel (1/1)
2023SLO Primož Roglič (4/5)DEN Jonas Vingegaard (2/3)USA Sepp Kuss (1/1)
2024SLO Tadej Pogačar (3/5)SLO Tadej Pogačar (4/5)SLO Primož Roglič (5/5)
2025GBR Simon Yates (2/2)SLO Tadej Pogačar (5/5)DEN Jonas Vingegaard (3/3)

A. Lance Armstrong was declared the winner of seven consecutive Tours from 1999 to 2005. However, on 22 October 2012, he was stripped of all his titles by the UCI for his use of performance-enhancing drugs. The organizers of the Tour de France announced that the winner's slot would remain empty in the record books, rather than transfer the win to the second-place finishers each year.

Wins per rider

RankRiderTotalGiroTourVuelta11108777755555
1BEL5 (1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974)5 (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974)1 (1973)
2FRA3 (1980, 1982, 1985)5 (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985)2 (1978, 1983)
3FRA2 (1960, 1964)5 (1957, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)1 (1963)
4ITA5 (1940, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953)2 (1949, 1952)
ESP2 (1992, 1993)5 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995)
ESP2 (2008, 2015)2 (2007, 2009)3 (2008, 2012, 2014)
GBR 1 (2018)4 (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017)2 (2011, 2017)
8ITA5 (1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1933)
ITA3 (1936, 1937, 1946)2 (1938, 1948)
ITA3 (1967, 1969, 1976)1 (1965)1 (1968)
SLO 1 (2023)4 (2019, 2020, 2021, 2024)
SLO 1 (2024)4 (2020, 2021, 2024, 2025)
  • Active riders marked in bold.

Wins by country

RankCountryTotalGiroTourVueltaFirst winLatest win1Italy2France3Spain4Belgium5Great Britain6SwitzerlandSlovenia8Luxembourg9United States10NetherlandsColombia12GermanyRussiaDenmark15Ireland16Australia17SwedenKazakhstanCanadaEcuador
856910619092016
51636919031995
484123219412015
33718819122022
1236320112025
1032519501997
1024420192025
725019092010
613219862023
512219672017
521219872021
401319621999
430119942009
403119962025
311119871988
211020112022
11001971
10012006
11002012
11002019

All three wins in the same year by one country

YearCountryGiroTourVuelta
1964FranceFRA Jacques AnquetilFRA Jacques AnquetilFRA Raymond Poulidor
2008SpainESP Alberto ContadorESP Carlos SastreESP Alberto Contador
2018United KingdomGBR Chris FroomeGBR Geraint ThomasGBR Simon Yates
2024SloveniaSLO Tadej PogačarSLO Tadej PogačarSLO Primož Roglič

All three wins in the same year by a home rider

YearGiroTourVuelta
1957ITA Gastone NenciniFRA Jacques AnquetilESP Jesús Loroño
1961ITA Arnaldo PambiancoFRA Jacques AnquetilESP Angelino Soler
1966ITA Gianni MottaFRA Lucien AimarESP Francisco Gabica
1975ITA Fausto BertoglioFRA Bernard ThévenetESP Agustín Tamames

Winners of all three Grand Tours

Seven cyclists have won all three of the Grand Tours during their career:

RiderTotalGiroTourVuelta851110747
FRA Jacques Anquetil2 (1960, 1964)5 (1957, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)1 (1963)
ITA Felice Gimondi3 (1967, 1969, 1976)1 (1965)1 (1968)
BEL Eddy Merckx5 (1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974)5 (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974)1 (1973)
FRA Bernard Hinault3 (1980, 1982, 1985)5 (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985)2 (1978, 1983)
ESP Alberto Contador2 (2008, 2015)2 (2007, 2009)3 (2008, 2012, 2014)
ITA Vincenzo Nibali2 (2013, 2016)1 (2014)1 (2010)
GBR Chris Froome1 (2018)4 (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017)2 (2011, 2017)

Hinault and Contador are the only cyclists to have won each Grand Tour at least twice.

Winners of three or more consecutive Grand Tours

  • BEL Eddy Merckx: 4 Grand Tours – Giro (1972), Tour (1972), Vuelta (1973), Giro (1973)
  • ITA Fausto Coppi: 3 Grand Tours – Giro (1952), Tour (1952), Giro (1953).
  • FRA Bernard Hinault: 3 Grand Tours – Giro (1982), Tour (1982), Vuelta (1983).
  • GBR Chris Froome: 3 Grand Tours – Tour (2017), Vuelta (2017), Giro (2018).

Winners of multiple Grand Tours in a single year

No rider has won all three Grand Tours in a single year in any classification (general, points, mountain, young rider). Few riders have even finished all three in a single year; of those who have, two finished in the top ten in each: Raphaël Géminiani (4th, 6th and 3rd in the Giro, Tour and Vuelta in 1955) and Gastone Nencini (1st, 6th and 9th in 1957).

Eleven riders have achieved a double by winning two grand tours in the same calendar year.

Giro d'Italia and Tour de France
1949
1952
1964
1970
1972
1974
1982
1985
1987
1992
1993
1998
2024
Tour de France and Vuelta a España
1963
1978
2017
Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España
1973
1981
2008

Of the above eleven, Pantani, Roche and Battaglin's doubles were their only Grand Tour victories in their careers.

Merckx, Roche and Pogacar also won the men's road race at the World Championship in the same year as their Giro-Tour double to complete the Triple Crown of Cycling.

Smallest margin between 1st and 2nd placed rider

The margins between the winner of a Grand Tour and the runner-up are often narrow, and rarely larger than a few minutes.

As of 2021, there have been 54 Grand Tours with a winning margin less than one minute. The smallest margins are as follows:

RankWinnerTimeRunner-upMarginRace
1FRA Éric Caritoux90h 08' 03""ESP Alberto Fernández+00h 00' 06"Vuelta a España (1984)
2USA Greg LeMond87h 38' 35"FRA Laurent Fignon+00h 00' 08"Tour de France (1989)
3ESP José Manuel Fuente86h 48' 18"PRT Joaquim Agostinho+00h 00' 11"Vuelta a España (1974)
ITA Fiorenzo Magni124h 51' 52"ITA Ezio CecchiGiro d'Italia (1948)
5BEL Eddy Merckx113h 08' 13"ITA Gianbattista Baronchelli+00h 00' 12"Giro d'Italia (1974)
6ITA Angelo Conterno105h 37' 52"ESP Jesús Loroño+00h 00' 13"Vuelta a España (1956)
ITA Fiorenzo Magni108h 56' 12"ITA Fausto CoppiGiro d'Italia (1955)
8ESP Augustín Tamames88h 00" 56'ESP Domingo Perurena+00h 00' 14"Vuelta a España (1975)
SLO Primož Roglič85h 29" 02'GRB Geraint ThomasGiro d'Italia (2023)
10CAN Ryder Hesjedal91h 39' 02"ESP Joaquim Rodríguez+00h 00' 16"Giro d'Italia (2012)

The biggest winning margin in a Grand Tour was 2h 59' 21" in Maurice Garin's win at the first Tour de France in 1903. The biggest margin in the history of Giro d'Italia was in 1914 when Alfonso Calzolari won by 1h 57' 26", and the biggest margin in the history of Vuelta a España was in 1945 when Delio Rodríguez finished 30' 08" clear.

Days leading classification

In previous tours, sometimes a stage was broken in two (or three). "Days" column gives the number of times the cyclist was a classification leader at the end of the day. Numbers in brackets include split stages.

after the end of 2025 Vuelta a España

Legend
RankRiderDaysLeading spanGiroTourVueltaBEL Eddy MerckxFRA Bernard HinaultFRA Jacques AnquetilESP Miguel InduráinGBR Chris FroomeSLO Tadej PogačarSUI Alex ZülleITA Francesco MoserITA Gino BartaliSLO Primož Roglič
1182 (200)1968–197576 (78)97 (111)9 (11)
2121 (125)1978–19863175 (79)15
3108 (110)1957–19674251 (52)15 (16)
4931985–199529604
5892011–201835927
6742020–202520540
7641992–200012448
863 (66)1975–198550 (52)6 (7)7
962 (73)1936–194942 (50)20 (23)0
622019–202591142

Sixteen other cyclists have led the overall standings in all three Grand Tours during their careers. No rider has done so in a single season.

Tadej Pogačar amassed most Grand Tour days at the top of the classification in a single calendar year - 39 in 2024.

Points classification winners

Main article: Points classification, List of Grand Tour points classification winners

The Tour/Giro/Vuelta triple has been achieved by five riders – Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, Mark Cavendish, Laurent Jalabert, Eddy Merckx and Alessandro Petacchi.

RankRiderTotalGiroTourVuelta98876
1GER Erik Zabel06 (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)3 (2002, 2003, 2004)
2IRL Sean Kelly04 (1982, 1983, 1985, 1989)4 (1980, 1985, 1986, 1988)
SVK Peter Sagan1 (2021)7 (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)0
4FRA Laurent Jalabert1 (1999)2 (1992, 1995)4 (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997)
5BEL Eddy Merckx2 (1968, 1973)3 (1969, 1971, 1972)1 (1973)

Mountains classification winners

Main article: King of the Mountains, List of Grand Tour mountains classification winners

The Tour/Giro/Vuelta triple has been achieved by two riders – Federico Bahamontes and Luis Herrera.

RankRiderTotalGiroTourVuelta99876
1ITA Gino Bartali7 (1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1946, 1947)2 (1938, 1948)0
ESP Federico Bahamontes1 (1956)6 (1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964)2 (1957, 1958)
3BEL Lucien Van Impe2 (1982, 1983)6 (1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1983)0
4FRA Richard Virenque07 (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004)0
5ESP Julio Jiménez03 (1965, 1966, 1967)3 (1963, 1964, 1965)

Young rider classification winners

Main article: Young rider classification

The Tour/Giro double has been achieved by three riders – Egan Bernal, Nairo Quintana and Andy Schleck. The Giro/Vuelta double has been achieved by one rider – Miguel Ángel López. The Tour/Vuelta double has been achieved by two riders – Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel.

RankRiderTotalGiroTourVuelta54333
1SLO Tadej Pogačar04 (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)1 (2019)
2LUX Andy Schleck1 (2007)3 (2008, 2009, 2010)0
3GER Jan Ullrich03 (1996, 1997, 1998)0
COL Nairo Quintana1 (2014)2 (2013, 2015)0
COL Miguel Ángel López2 (2018, 2019)01 (2017)

Grand Tour stage wins

Stage wins by rider

Three cyclists have won stages in all three of the Grand Tours in the same season: Miguel Poblet in 1956, Pierino Baffi in 1958 and Alessandro Petacchi in 2003. The rider with the most Grand Tour stage wins in one season is Freddy Maertens who won 20 stages in 1977: 13 in the Vuelta a España and 7 in the Giro d'Italia.

:Cyclists whose names are in bold are still active. :This list is complete up to and including the 2025 Vuelta a España.

RankRiderTotalGiroTourVueltaYears
1BEL Eddy Merckx6424 a3461967–1975
2ITA Mario Cipollini57421231989–2003
3GBR Mark Cavendish55173532008–2024
4ITA Alessandro Petacchi48226202000–2011
5ITA Alfredo Binda4341201925–1933
6FRA Bernard Hinault4162871978–1986
7ITA Learco Guerra3931801930–1937
ESP Delio Rodríguez3900391941–1947
9BEL Rik Van Looy37127181958–1969
10BEL Freddy Maertens35715131976–1981
11ITA Fausto Coppi3122901940–1955
12ITA Costante Girardengo3030001913–1926
SLO Tadej Pogačar3062132019–2025
14ITA Gino Bartali29171201935–1950
15ITA Marino Basso2715661966–1977
ITA Francesco Moser2723221973–1986
17ITA Raffaele Di Paco26151101930–1938
ESP Miguel Poblet2620331955–1961
ITA Giuseppe Saronni2624021978–1985
20ITA Franco Bitossi2521401964–1975
ITA Guido Bontempi25165 b41981–1993
FRA Laurent Jalabert2534181992–2001
FRA André Leducq2502501927–1938
BEL Rik Van Steenbergen2515461949–1957
25BEL Roger De Vlaeminck2422111970–1984
AUS Robbie McEwen24121201999–2007
27FRA Jacques Anquetil2361611957–1964
FRA André Darrigade2312201953–1964
29GER André Greipel2271142008–2017
SLO Primož Roglič2243152016–2024
NED Jean Paul van Poppel224991986–1994
32LUX Charly Gaul21111001955–1961
NED Gerben Karstens2116141965–1976
IRL Sean Kelly2105161978–1988
SUI Tony Rominger2153131988–1996
36FRA Jean Alavoine2031701909–1923
LUX Nicolas Frantz2002001924–1929
ITA Giuseppe Olmo2020001933–1937
GER Erik Zabel2001281995–2007
40FRA François Faber1901901908–1914
Germany Marcel Kittel1941412011–2017
BEL Patrick Sercu1913601970–1977
43Germany Rudi Altig184861962–1969
Italy Nino Defilippis189721952–1964
Italy Adolfo Leoni1817101938–1951
Slovakia Peter Sagan1821242011–2021
47Uzbekistan Djamolidine Abdoujaparov171971991–1996
Spain Alejandro Valverde1714122003–2019
49SUI Urs Freuler1615101981–1989
ESP Miguel Induráin1641201989–1995
FRA René Le Grevès1601601933–1939
Italy Fiorenzo Magni166731948–1955
Italy Marco Pantani168801994–2000
FRA Charles Pélissier1601601929–1935
BEL Jasper Philipsen1601062020–2025

a Not counting the two-man team time trial Prologue win in 1973 Giro.

b Not counting the TTT/ITT combined format Preface win in 1988 Tour.

Stage wins by country

Before 1958, all Grand Tour stage winners had come from just 10 European countries: France, Luxembourg, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and Portugal. By 1973 the list of countries had expanded by just four more countries, all European (Great Britain, Ireland, Denmark and Sweden), to a total of 14. As of 2025, riders representing 42 countries from all populated continents have won stages in Grand Tours.

  • Englishman Brian Robinson became the first non-continental Grand Tour stage winner winning Stage 7 of the 1958 Tour de France, after Italian Arigo Padovan who crossed the line first was relegated for sprinting irregularities.

  • Dane Ole Ritter became the first Scandinavian stage winner when he won the 45km (28mi) long Stage 16 ITT in the 1967 Giro. A year later he broke the hour record in Mexico.

  • Colombian Martin Emilio Rodriguez was the first Grand Tour stage winner from the Americas when in the flat Stage 15 of the 1973 Giro he attacked with 4km to go to beat the chasing peloton by 3 seconds.

  • Australian Donald Allan became the first Grand Tour stage winner from Oceania in an upset win of Stage 17 of the 1975 Vuelta in a bunch sprint in front of thousands of fans in a finish in a Bilbao football stadium.

  • South African Alan van Heerden became the first African to win a Grand Tour stage winning Stage 7 of the 1979 Giro in a sprint win among a small breakaway. Van Heerden rode in the pro peloton 1979-1980 despite South Africans being banned from cycling from 1976 due to apartheid.

  • Greg Lemond of the United States became the first North American to win a Grand Tour stage when he won the penultimate Stage 20 46km long ITT of the 1985 Tour de France, beating teammate Bernard Hinault by 5 seconds. Hinault won that Tour overall by 1'42" with Lemond second, Lemond won the 1986 Tour by 3'10" with Hinault second.

Number of Grand Tour Stage Wins by Country and by First Year Won

Country#1st yr.
17661909
9281903
9171909
8121929
3421936
2041932
1521936
1501958
1131975
941973
881908
771967
622009
541960
531985
491993
381975
311945
241994
171986
162000
151992
151993
142000
131985
121972
112018
101931
81998
81988
62008
61979
61989
51990
41990
41993
42006
42022
32007
21980
11991
12012

|}

YearITAFRABELESPNEDGERSUIGBRAUSCOLLUXDENSLOIRLUSARUSNORPORSVKPOLCZEUZBUKRKAZURSSWEECUAUTESTCANBLRRSAMEXVENGDRLATLTUERIARGNZLBRACRCITAFRABELESPNEDGERSUIGBRAUSCOLLUXDENSLOIRLUSARUSNORPORSVKPOLCZEUZBUKRKAZURSSWEECUAUTESTCANBLRRSAMEXVENGDRLATLTUERIARGNZLBRACRC
1903-5----1-----------------------------------
1904-5----1-----------------------------------
1905-11----------------------------------------
1906-13----------------------------------------
1907-15----------------------------------------
1908-10--------4-------------------------------
1909871-------6-------------------------------
19101012--------3-------------------------------
191111121-------2-------------------------------
19121085---------------------------------------
191310210-------2-------------------------------
1914874---2---2-------------------------------
191911112---1-----------------------------------
192012613---------------------------------------
19211159---------------------------------------
19221168---------------------------------------
192311122---------------------------------------
19241745-------2-------------------------------
19251718-------4-------------------------------
192613-12-------4-------------------------------
192715615-------3-------------------------------
192812134-------5-------------------------------
1929141091------2-------------------------------
193020133---------------------------------------
19311986------------------------3--------------
19321976--2------------------------------------
1933191011---------------------------------------
193419212---------------------------------------
19352515154-----------------------2--------------
1936231317121-1---2-------------------------------
1937269102-43---1-------------------------------
193825812-311---1-------------------------------
193919177-1-1---2-------------------------------
194020-----------------------------------------
1941---22--------------------------------------
194234-13--------------------------------------
1945---17-------------2------------------------
194619--202------------1------------------------
19473012417--3-----------------------------------
1948306916--------------------------------------
19492585---1---1-------------------------------
1950269517--6---2-------------------------------
1951207621-7---1-------------------------------
19522297-2-2---1-------------------------------
19532110216-3-----------------------------------
195412159-5-6-----------------------------------
19552912374-1---3-------------------------------
1956221310102-1---6-------------------------------
195716229111-----2-------------------------------
1958211211121--1--5-------------------------------
19591318913--31--4------1------------------------
196014141814--2---1--1----------------------------
1961111616131-----2------1------------------------
1962181512736-------1----------------------------
196321111692--------2----------------------------
1964161016136212----------------------------------
196525617114111----------------------------------
1966242814145-1--1-------------------------------
19671211151010414---1------------------------------
19681511191343-3----------------------------------
19692352212-1-4---1-----2------------------------
1970196271151----11------------------------------
1971196211010------1------------------------------
197210727159--------------------1----------------
19735834127--3-1-------1------------------------
197411930173--1---------2------------------------
197518326136--111------1-------------------------
1976133307125----1------1------------------------
197717930576----------1-------------------------
19781712157123-------1----------------------------
197913111761211------2--11-------2-----1----------
1980201168122-----1-7-----------1-------------1--
198122910139-3----1-1--3-------------------------
1982111413126-7-2----1-----------1----------------
1983201481351211--1-------------1----------------
198415161771161-1------21------------------------
198514710105-5--6-1-43--2------1-----------------
198614128154131-----33-12-1----1-----------------
198717124159111-4---52-11------------------------
1988155-1115233-2-2-22--1-1---------1------------
1989105481225313-3-13--2-3----1-------1---------
199019941071--23-1----1-------3-------114-------
199124711271-112-2------------7---------------1-
19922085118231-2---11------4--------------------
199320329219--2-3--121--1-61------------1------
19942012-43-72-2-3---3--4--31------------2------
1995218162781-1-2--12--1--12-------------------
199627721438--2-4---4-----12--1----------------
1997219-7491111-1---6----3-1--1----------------
19982624746611------4----1-1--2--1-------------
199922569361-11-----2------2-----1--1---1------
2000252314521113-----2----3--1------------------
2001174491912-4-1--11----2-------1--11---------
2002212115211153----121-----------1---2---------
2003272-1413-241-2--2-1-----11---------1--------
2004233213--1-51----321-----1-----1-------------
200520221221--72-2--221------2---1-----1--------
2006123112-8-16111---131----34------------1-----
200722239-52-3312--123--------------1------2---
2008195513-3161-11--322-------------1-----------
20098617173102-1111142------1-----11-----1--1--
201010938-1393-21--51211----1-1----1-----------
20118331125192-2--12-413---------1-1--2----1---
201285314-811121-1--21--3-1----1---------------1
201395241711252-1-221-21-2--1------1-----1-----
2014157-5214--75--1---2--3---------1------1-----
20151245104813421-1111-1111---------1-----------
201684744911113121--3--3---------1-------------
201778345613381-3-2-1-14---1---2--------------
20189826421844-1242-1-3-------1--1------------
2019865653-255-16221--1----1--2----1----------
20206852-31442-394--11111--1--2--1------------
2021859-612553-3912---11-------11-------------
20225410271-4631742------1-----3--1-1-----1----
20236310434-263-8612--2-1-------1-1------------
20245611521124--11521-----1-----2--1-------3----
20255310571-371-941--11--------1-----1---------
TOTAL17669289178123422041521501139488776254534938312417161515141312111088666544443211

Grand Tour finishers

The rider who has finished most Grand Tours is Matteo Tosatto, with 28 across 20 years (12 Tours, 11 Giros and 5 Vueltas, 1997-2016). Tosatto also has the most participations with 34 (12 Tours, 13 Giros and 9 Vueltas). Adam Hansen has finished the most consecutive Grand Tours: 20 tours from 2011 Vuelta a España till 2018 Giro d'Italia.

Only 36 riders have finished all three Grand Tours in one season. Adam Hansen has done this six times consecutively. Marino Lejarreta completed every grand tour of the season for the 4th time in 1991. His record of 4 was not passed until Adam Hansen completed the Vuelta in 2016. Bernardo Ruiz was the first rider to ride every tour of a season on three occasions which he completed in 1957. Both Eduardo Chozas and Carlos Sastre have accomplished the feat twice.

Gastone Nencini (1957) and Sepp Kuss (2023) are the only cyclists to both ride all three Grand Tours and win one in the same season. The best average finish was in the first year three Grand Tours were finished in one season, 1955, when Raphaël Géminiani finished 4th, 6th and 3rd in the Giro, Tour and Vuelta, respectively. Nencini's 1st, 6th and 9th is the only other time a rider has finished top 10 in all 3 Grand Tours in a year. In Marino Lejarreta's 4 years that he rode 12 Grand Tours, he finished in the top 10 in eight of them including top 5 five times.

Riders finishing all three Grand Tours in a season

RiderYearFinal GC positionGiroTourVuelta
USA Sepp Kuss202314121
BEL Thomas De Gendt2019516056
AUS Adam Hansen (6)20179311395
ESP Alejandro Valverde20163612
AUS Adam Hansen (5)201668100110
FRA Sylvain Chavanel2015365447
AUS Adam Hansen (4)20157711455
AUS Adam Hansen (3)2014736453
AUS Adam Hansen (2)2013727260
AUS Adam Hansen20129481123
GER Sebastian Lang20115611377
ESP Carlos Sastre (2)20108208
NZL Julian Dean2009136121132
ITA Marzio Bruseghin200832710
GER Erik Zabel2008804349
BEL Mario Aerts2007207028
ESP Carlos Sastre20064344
ITA Giovanni Lombardi200588118114
ESP Jon Odriozola2001586983
ITA Mariano Piccoli1999385058
ITA Guido Bontempi1992407562
AUS Neil Stephens1992577466
ESP Eduardo Chozas (2)1991101111
ITA Marco Giovannetti199183018
ESP Marino Lejarreta (4)19915533
ESP Inaki Gaston1991236114
ESP Alberto Leanizbarrutia1991643944
USSR Vladimir Poulnikov1991118866
ITA Valerio Tebaldi1991478987
ESP Eduardo Chozas199011633
ESP Marino Lejarreta (3)19907555
ESP Marino Lejarreta (2)198910520
ESP Luis Javier Lukin1988328260
ESP Marino Lejarreta198741034
FRA Philippe Poissonnier1985869066
ESP José Luis Uribezubia1971295027
ESP Jose Manuel Fuente1971397254
ESP Federico Bahamontes19581786
ITA Pierino Baffi1958236337
ITA Mario Baroni1957745346
ITA Gastone Nencini1957169
ESP Bernardo Ruiz (3)195755243
ITA Arrigo Padovan1956122619
ESP Bernardo Ruiz (2)1956387031
ESP José Serra195626819
FRA Raphaël Géminiani1955463
ESP Bernardo Ruiz1955282214
FRA Louis Caput1955685455

References

References

  1. (January 1, 2017). "UCI Cycling regulations—Part 2: Road Races".
  2. "UCI Cycling regulations".
  3. McMahon, Daniel. "Tour de France, world's biggest annual sporting event, is an amazing race and breathtaking logistical feat".
  4. "Relegation watch gets a new twist with Tour de France wildcard limitations".
  5. . (17 September 2023). ["Kuss crowned Vuelta champion as Jumbo-Visma make history"](https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230917-kuss-crowned-vuelta-champion-as-jumbo-visma-make-history).
  6. Riche, Antoine. (19 March 2005). "Doubler deux Grands Tours revient à la mode". CyclisMag.
  7. (16 July 2018). "Why is there no women's Tour de France?". BBC Sport.
  8. (27 July 2022). "For Women's Cyclists, It's a Steep Climb to Tour Equality". The New York Times.
  9. Rogers, Owen. (2020-11-19). "Giro Rosa: fading glory".
  10. Goldman, Tom. (22 July 2022). "After more than 30 years, a multiday women's Tour de France is back". NPR.org.
  11. (2022-08-02). "9 conclusions from historic 2022 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift".
  12. (2022-06-18). "All info on the 2022 Giro Donne, the first women's Grand Tour of the year for the Movistar Team {{!}} Movistar Team".
  13. (1 April 2022). "UCI CYCLING REGULATIONS PART 2 ROAD RACES".
  14. Frattini, Kirsten. (16 October 2021). "A closer look reveals the inequity at Tour de France Femmes".
  15. Rogers, Owen. (2022-07-31). "Seven woman teams a possibility at the 2023 Tour de France Femmes".
  16. Ostlere, Lawrence. (22 July 2022). "Why the inaugural Tour de France Femmes 'changes everything'".
  17. (1 June 2025). "Part II Road Races - Amendments to Regulations as from 20.10.2025".
  18. Price, Matilda. (2025-06-20). "UCI points update brings Women's WorldTour system in line with men's, designating women's Monuments and boosting Tour de France Femmes".
  19. Later declared the legitimate winner
  20. "The History of Tour de France". letour.fr.
  21. "Historical Results – The Grand Tours".
  22. (September 9, 2003). "Petacchi equals Poblet and Baffi". cyclingnews.com.
  23. "Most stage wins".
  24. (2015-07-01). "British riders' wins in the Grand Tours: From Robinson to Yates".
  25. echoes1983. (2014-10-23). "Martin Emilio ‘Cochise’ Rodriguez Gutierrez".
  26. "The 12 Australian stage winners at the La Vuelta a España {{!}} AusCycling".
  27. Steel, Classic. (2023-03-22). "Racing under the radar: South Africa’s apartheid era ‘ghost riders’ in the pelotons of European road cycling".
  28. [http://www.spaziociclismo.it/?action=read&idnotizia=22725 L'impresa di Adam Hansen: completati Giro, Tour e Vuelta in un anno], Spazio Ciclismo, 9. sept. 2012
  29. "Tour Xtra: Tour Records". cvccbike.com.
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