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Vuelta a España

Tour of Spain

Winners, Podium, Length, Average Speed, Stages, Dates

2009 Vuelta

A Narrative History of the Vuelta

The Vuelta was not held on a consistent basis until 1955. It is only in recent years that it has really gained stature as a true "Grand Tour". In this list of winners, it is ironic that one of the greatest riders in Spanish history, Federico Bahamontes, never did better than second in his home tour.

Vuelta organizers realized that with a spring calender crowded with Classics and the Giro, the Vuelta would always have trouble competing for the best riders (Miguel Indurain had missed 3 consecutive Vueltas by 1994). In 1995 the Spanish national tour was moved from its traditional late April start to autumn.

Year

First Place

Second

Third

Distance,
stages

Average Speed
km/hr
1935
April 29-
May 15 		 Gustaaf Deloor
120hr 1min 2sec		 Mariano Canardo
@ 12min 33sec		 Antoine Dignef
@ 19min 33sec		 3425 km
14 stages		 28.537
1936
May 15-
May 31		 Gustaaf Deloor
150hr 7min 54sec		 Alfons Deloor
@ 11min 39sec		 Antonio Bertola
@ 17min 39sec		 4407 km
21 stages		 28.994
1941
June 12-
July 6		 Julian Berrendero
168hr 45min 26sec		 Fermin Trueba
@ 1min 7sec		 Jose Jabardo
@ 6min 32sec		 4406 km
22 stages		 26.108
1942
June 30-
July 19		 Julian Berrendero
134hr 5min 9sec		 Diego Chafer
@ 8min 38sec		 Antonio-Andres Sancho
@ 13min 12sec		 3688 km
19 stages		 27.505
1945
May 10-
May 31 		Delio Rodriguez
135hr 43min 55sec		 Julian Berrendero
@ 30min 8sec		 Juan Gimeno
@ 37min 18sec		 3803 km
19 stages		 28.018
1946
May 7-
May 30		 Dalmacio Langarica
137hr 10min 38sec		 Julian Berrendero
@ 17min 32sec		 Jan Lambrichs
@ 23min 54sec		 3797 km
23 stages		 27.679
1947
May 12-
June 5		 Edouard Van Dyck
132hr 27min		 Manuel Costa
@ 2min 14sec		 Delio Rodriguez
@ 11min 4sec		 3893 km
24 stages		 29.392
1948
June 13-
July 4		 Bernardo Ruiz
155hr 6min 30sec		 Emilio Rodriguez
@ 9min 7sec		 Bernardo Capo
@ 20min 45sec		 3990 km
20 stages		 25.723
1950
August 17-
Sept 10		 Emilio Rodriguez
134hr 49min 19sec		 Manolo Rodriguez
15min 30sec		 Jose Serra
@ 16min 5sec		 3932 km
24 stages		 29.118
1955
April 23-
May 8		 Jean Dotto
81hr 4min 2sec		 Antonio Jimenez-Quiles
@ 3min 6sec		 Raphael Geminiani
@ 5min 5sec		 2740 km
15 stages		 33.74
1956
April 26-
May 11		 Angelo Conterno
105hr 37min 52sec		 Jesus Lorono
@ 13sec		 Raymond Impanis
@ 1min 54sec		 3537 km
17 stages		 30.33
1957
April 16-
May 12		 Jesus Loreno
84hr 44min 6sec		 Federico Bahamontes
@ 8min 11sec		 Bernardo Ruiz
@ 9min 34ssec		 2975 km
16 stages		 35.04
1958
April 4-
May 15		 Jean Stablinski
94hr 54min 21sec		 Pasquale Fornara
@ 2min 51sec		 Fernando Manzaneque
@ 3min 1sec		 3246 km
16 stages		 34.20
1959
April 24-
May 10		 Antonio Suarez
84hr 36min 20sec		 Jose Segu
@ 1min 6sec		 Rik Van Looy
@ 7min		 3033 km
17 stages		 35.85
1960
April 29-
May 15		 Franz De Mulder
103hr 5min 57sec		 Armand Desmet
@ 15min 21sec		 Miguel Pacheco
@ 19min 24sec		 3567 km
17 stages		 34.60
1961
April 29-
May 11		 Antonio Soler
77hr 36min 17sec		 Francois Mahe
@ 51sec		 Jose Perez-Frances
@ 2min 23sec		 2796.5 km
16 stages		 36.65 
1962
April 27-
May 13		 Rudi Altig
78hr 35min 27sec		 Jose Perez-Frances
@ 7min 14sec		 Seamus Elliot
@ 7min 17sec		 2814 km
17 stages		 36.17
1963
May 1-
May 15		 Jacques Anquetil
64hr 46min 20sec		 Jose-Martin Colmenarejo
@ 3min 6sec		 Miguel Pacheco
@ 3min 32sec		 2442 km
15 stages		 37.70
1964
April 30-
May 16		 Raymond Poulidor
78hr 23min 35sec		 Luis Otano
@ 33sec		 Jose Perez-Frances
@ 1min 26sec		 2869 km
17 stages		 36.63
1965
April 29-
May 16		 Rolf Wolfshohl
92hr 36min 3sec		 Raymond Poulidor
@ 6min 36sec		 Rik Van Looy
@ 8min 55sec		 3410 km
18 stages		 36.95
1966
April 28-
May 15		 Francisco Gabica
78hr 53min 55sec		 Eusebio Velez
@ 39sec		 Carlos Echevarria
@ 44sec		 2950.5 km
18 stages		 37.61 
1967
April 27-
May 16		 Jan Janssen
76hr 38min 4sec		 Jean-Pierre Ducasse
@ 1min 43sec		 Aurelio Gonzalez
@ 1min 45sec		 2941 km
18 stages		 38.72 
1968
April 25-
May 12		 Felice Gimondi
78hr 29min		 Jose Perez-Frances
@ 2min 15sec		 Eusebio Valez
@ 5min 8sec		 2981 km
18 stages		 37.92
1969
April 23-
May 11		 Roger Pingeon
73hr 18min 45sec		 Luis Ocana
@ 1min 54sec		 Marinus Wagtmans
@ 5min 10sec		 2946 km
18stages		 40.18 
1970
April 23-
May 12		 Luis Ocana
89hr 57min 12sec		 Agustin Tamames
@ 1min 18sec		 Herman Van Springel
@ 1min 27sec		 3568 km
19 stages		 39.58 
1971
April 29-
May 16		 Ferdi Bracke
73hr 50min 5sec		 Wilfried David
@ 59sec		 Luis Ocana
@ 1min 51sec		 2793 km
17 steges		 39.83 
1972
April 27-
May 14		 Jose-Miguel Fuente
82hr 34min 14sec		 Miguel Lasa
@ 6min 34sec		 Agustin Tamames
@ 7min		 3078.6 km
17 stages		 37.28
1973
April 26-
May 13		 Eddy Merckx
84hr 40min 50sec		 Luis Ocana
@ 3min 46sec		 Bernard Thevenet
@ 4min 16sec		 3056.8 km
17 stages		 36.10
1974
April 23-
May 12		 Jose-Manuel Fuente
86hr 48min 18sec		 Joaquim Agostinho
@ 11sec		 Miguel Lasa
@ 1min 9sec		 2988 km
19 stages		 34.42
1975
April 22-
May 11		 Agustin Tamames
80hr 56sec		 Domingo Perurena
@ 14sec		 Miguel Lasa
@ 34sec		 3075.7 km
19 stages		 34.95 
1976
April 27-
May 16		 Jose Pesarrondona
93hr 19min 10sec		 Luis Ocana
@ 1min 3sec		 Jose Nazabal
@ 1min 41sec		 3441.6 km
19 stages		 35.81
1977
April 26-
May 15		 Freddy Maertens
78hr 54min 36sec		 Miguel Lasa
@ 2min 51sec		 Klaus-Peter Thaler
@ 3min 23sec		 2785.1 km
19 stages		 35.29
1978
April 25-
May 14		 Bernard Hinault
85hr 24min 14sec		 Jose Pesarrondona
@ 3min 2sec		 Jean-Rene Bernaudeau
@ 3min 47sec		 2990.4 km
19 stages
20th annuled		 35.01
1979
April 24-
May 13		 Joop Zoetemelk
94hr 57min 3sec		 Francisco Galdos
@ 2min 41sec		 Michel Pollentier
@ 3min 21sec		 3373.6 km
19 stages		 35.53 
1980
April 22-
May 11		 Faustino Ruperez
88hr 23min 21sec		 Pedro Torres
@ 2min 15sec		 Claude Criquielion
@ 3min		 3216.8 km
19 stages		 36.39
1981
April 21-
May 10		 Giovanni Battaglin
98hr 4min 49sec		 Pedro Munoz
@ 2min 9sec		 Vicente Belda
@ 2min 29sec		 3446.1 km
19 stages		 35.14
1982
April 20-
May 9		 Marino Lejarreta
95hr 47min 23sec		 Michel Pollentier
@ 18sec		 Sven-Ake Nilsson
@ 1min 17sec		 3456.7 km
19 stages		 36.86
1983
April 19-
May 8		 Bernard Hinault
94hr 28min 26sec		 Marino Lejarreta
@ 1min 12sec		 Alberto Fernandez
@ 3min 58sec		 3398.8 km
19 stages		 35.88
1984
April 17-
May 6		 Eric Caritoux
90hr 8min 3sec		 Alberto Fernandez
@ 6sec		 Raimund Dietzen
@ 1min 33sec		 3583.6 km
19 stages		 39.87
1985
April 23-
May 12		 Pedro Delgado
95hr 58min		 Robert Millar
@ 36sec		 Sean Kelly
@ 46sec		 3474.6 km
19 stages		 36.42 
1986
April 22-
May 3		 Alvaro Pino
98hr 16min 4sec		 Robert Millar
@ 1min 6sec		 Sean Kelly
@ 5min 19sec		 3666.5 km
21 stages		 37.31
1987
April 23-
May 15		 Luis Herrera
105hr 34min 25sec		 Raimund Dietzen
@ 1min 4sec		 Laurent Fignon
@ 3min 13sec		 3921.4 km
22 stages		 37.14
1988
April 25-
May 15		 Sean Kelly
89hr 19min 23sec		 Raimund Dietzen
@ 1min 27sec		 Anselmo Fuerte
@ 1min 29sec		 3424.8 km
21 stages		 38.51
1989
April 24-
May 15		 Pedro Delgado
93hr 1min 47sec		 Fabio Parra
@ 35sec		 Oscar Vargas
@ 3min 9sec		 3656 km
22 stages		 39.31
1990
April 24-
May 15		 Marco Giovannetti
94hr 36min 40sec		 Pedro Delgado
@ 1min 28sec		 Anselmo Fuerte
@ 1min 48sec		 3711 km
22 stages		 39.22
1991
April 29-
May 19		 Melchior Mauri
82hr 48min 7sec		 Miguel Indurain
@ 2min 52sec		 Marino Lejarreta
@ 3min 11sec		 3215.5 km
21 stages		 38.80
1992
April 27-
May 17		 Tony Rominger
96hr 14min 50sec		 Jesus Montoya
@ 1min 4sec		 Pedro Delgado
@ 1min 42sec		 3558 km
21 stages		 36.97
1993
April 26-
May 16		 Tony Rominger
96hr 7min 3sec		 Alex Zulle
@ 29sec		 Laudelino Cubino
@ 8min 54sec		 3605.2 km
21 stages		 37.51
1994
April 25-
May 15		 Tony Rominger
92hr 7min 48sec		 Mikel Zarrabeitia
@ 7min 28sec		 Pedro Delgado
@ 9min 27sec		 3531.3 km
21 stages		 38.33
1995
Sept 2-
Sept 24		 Laurent Jalabert
95hr 30min 33sec		 Abraham Olano
@ 4min 22sec		 Johan Bruyneel
@ 6min 48sec		 3637.1 km
21 stages		 38.08
1996
Sept 7-
Sept 29		 Alex Zulle
97hr 31min 46sec		 Laurent Dufaux
@ 6min 23sec		 Tony Rominger
@ 8min 29sec		 3947 km
22 stages		 40.47
1997
Sept 6-
Sept 28		 Alex Zulle
91hr 15min 55sec		 Fernando Escartin
@ 5min 7sec		 Laurent Dufaux
@ 6min 11sec		 3759.2 km
22 stages		 41.19
1998
Sept 5-
Sept 17		 Abraham Olano
93hr 44min 8sec		 Fernando Escartin
@ 1min 23sec		 Jose-Maria Jimenez
@ 2min 12sec		 3781 km
22 stages		 40.34
1999
Sept 4-
Sept 26		 Jan Ullrich
89hr 52min 3sec		 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano
@ 4min 15sec		 Roberto Heras
@ 5min 57sec		 3548.7 km
21 stages		 39.49
2000
Aug 26-
Sept 17		 Roberto Heras
70hr 26min 14sec		 Angel Casero
@ 2min 33sec		 Pavel Tonkov
@ 4min 55sec		 2894 km
21 stages		 41.09
2001
Sept 8-
Sept 30		 Angel Casero
70hr 49min 5sec		 Oscar Sevilla
@ 47sec		 Levi Leipheimer
@ 2min 59sec		 3007.5 km
21 stages		 42.47
2002
 Sept 7-
Sept 29		 Aitor Gonzalez
75hr 13min 52sec		 Roberto Heras
@ 2min 14sec		 Joseba Beloki
@ 3min 11sec		 3128.7 km
21 stages		 41.59 
2003
 Sept 6-
Sept 28		 Roberto Heras
69hr 31min 52sec		 Isidro Nozal
@ 28sec		 Alejandro Valverde
@ 2min 25sec		 2955.4 km
21 stages		 42.50
2004
Sept 4-
Sept 26		 Roberto Heras
77hr 42min 46sec		 Santiago Perez
@ 30sec		 Francisco Mancebo
@ 2min 13sec		 3036.4 km
21 stages		 39.07
2005
Aug 27-
Sept 18		 Denis Menchov
82hr 27min 31sec
Original winner Roberto Heras disqualified for dope		 Carlos Sastre
@ 18sec		 Francisco Mancebo
@ 1min 22sec		 3358 km
21 stages		 40.74
2006
Aug 26-
Sep 17		 Alexandre Vinokourov
81hr 23min 7sec		 Alejandro Valverde
@ 1min 12sec		 Andrey Kashechkin
@ 3min 12sec		 3192km
21 stages		 39.48
2007
Sept 1-
Sep 23		 Denis Menchov
80hr 59min 7sec		 Carlos Sastre
@ 3min 31sec		 Samuel Sanchez
@ 3min 46sec		 3291 km
21 stages		 40.68
2008
Aug 30-
Sept 21		 Alberto Contador
80hr 40min 23sec		 Levi Leipheimer
@ 1min 1sec		 Carlos Sastre
@ 4min 31sec		 3133.8 km
21 stages		 38.96
2009
Aug 29-
Sept 20		 Alejandro Valverde
87hr 22min 37sec		 Samuel Sánchez
@ 55sec		 Cadel Evans
@ 1min 32sec		 3293.7 km
21 stages		 37.699
2010
Aug 28-
Sep 19