Grand Tour (cycling) explained

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,[1] and they are the only stage races allowed to last longer than 14 days,[2] 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.[3] 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 2023, 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 classificationThe 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 the UCI World Tour rules, all UCI WorldTeams are guaranteed a place in all three events, and obliged to participate, and the organisers are free to invite wildcard teams of UCI ProContinental status to make up the 22 teams that usually compete.

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.[4]

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.[5] 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, 34 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.

Riders from the same country winning all three Grand Tours in a single year has happened only on three 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.

On four occasions, each of the three Grand Tours in the same year was won by a home rider, that is, an Italian winning the Giro, a Frenchman winning the Tour and a Spaniard winning the Vuelta. The last occasion this occurred was 1975.

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.[6] [7] 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.[8] [9] The Vuelta Femenina takes place in May, the Giro d'Italia Women is generally run in late June / early July and the Tour de France Femmes is held in late July following the men's Tour de France.

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.[10] [11] 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),[12] [13] 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.[14]

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,[13] as well as to improve the quality and economic stability of the women's peloton to allow for three week long races in future.[15]

General Classification winners

See main article: article, General classification and List of Grand Tour general classification winners.

Wins per year

Legend
Rider won 3 Grand Tours in the same year
Rider won 2 Grand Tours in the same year
Flag icon key: List of National Flags
Year Giro d'Italia Tour de France Vuelta a España
1903 started in 1909 Maurice Garin (1/1) started in 1935
1904 Henri Cornet (1/1)
1905 Louis Trousselier (1/1)
1906 René Pottier (1/1)
1907 Lucien Petit-Breton (1/2)
1908 Lucien Petit-Breton (2/2)
1909 Luigi Ganna (1/1) François Faber (1/1)
1910 Carlo Galetti (1/3) Octave Lapize (1/1)
1911 Carlo Galetti (2/3) Gustave Garrigou (1/1)
1912 Team Atala (Carlo Galetti (3/3),
Giovanni Micheletto (1/1) & Eberardo Pavesi (1/1))
Odile Defraye (1/1)
1913 Carlo Oriani (1/1) Philippe Thys (1/3)
1914 Alfonso Calzolari (1/1) Philippe Thys (2/3)
1915 Not contested during World War I
1916
1917
1918
1919 Costante Girardengo (1/2) Firmin Lambot (1/2)
1920 Gaetano Belloni (1/1) Philippe Thys (3/3)
1921 Giovanni Brunero (1/3) Léon Scieur (1/1)
1922 Giovanni Brunero (2/3) Firmin Lambot (2/2)
1923 Costante Girardengo (2/2) Henri Pélissier (1/1)
1924 Giuseppe Enrici (1/1) Ottavio Bottecchia (1/2)
1925 Alfredo Binda (1/5) Ottavio Bottecchia (2/2)
1926 Giovanni Brunero (3/3) Lucien Buysse (1/1)
1927 Alfredo Binda (2/5) Nicolas Frantz (1/2)
1928 Alfredo Binda (3/5) Nicolas Frantz (2/2)
1929 Alfredo Binda (4/5) Maurice De Waele (1/1)
1930 Luigi Marchisio (1/1) André Leducq (1/2)
1931 Francesco Camusso (1/1) Antonin Magne (1/2)
1932 Antonio Pesenti (1/1) André Leducq (2/2)
1933 Alfredo Binda (5/5) Georges Speicher (1/1)
1934 Learco Guerra (1/1) Antonin Magne (2/2)
1935 Vasco Bergamaschi (1/1) Romain Maes (1/1) Gustaaf Deloor (1/2)
1936 Gino Bartali (1/5) Sylvère Maes (1/2) Gustaaf Deloor (2/2)
1937 Gino Bartali (2/5) Roger Lapébie (1/1) Not contested during the Spanish Civil War
1938 Giovanni Valetti (1/2) Gino Bartali (3/5)
1939 Giovanni Valetti (2/2) Sylvère Maes (2/2)
1940 Fausto Coppi (1/7) Not contested during World War II
1941 Not contested during World War II Julián Berrendero (1/2)
1942 Julián Berrendero (2/2)
1943 Not contested during World War II
1944
1945 Delio Rodríguez (1/1)
1946 Gino Bartali (4/5) Dalmacio Langarica (1/1)
1947 Fausto Coppi (2/7) Jean Robic (1/1) Edward Van Dijck (1/1)
1948 Fiorenzo Magni (1/3) Gino Bartali (5/5) Bernardo Ruiz (1/1)
1949 Fausto Coppi (3/7) Fausto Coppi (4/7) Not contested for lack of interest
1950 Hugo Koblet (1/2) Ferdinand Kübler (1/1) Emilio Rodríguez (1/1)
1951 Fiorenzo Magni (2/3) Hugo Koblet (2/2) Not contested for lack of interest
1952 Fausto Coppi (5/7) Fausto Coppi (6/7)
1953 Fausto Coppi (7/7) Louison Bobet (1/3)
1954 Carlo Clerici (1/1) Louison Bobet (2/3)
1955 Fiorenzo Magni (3/3) Louison Bobet (3/3) Jean Dotto (1/1)
1956 Charly Gaul (1/3) Roger Walkowiak (1/1) Angelo Conterno (1/1)
1957 Gastone Nencini (1/2) Jacques Anquetil (1/8) Jesús Loroño (1/1)
1958 Ercole Baldini (1/1) Charly Gaul (2/3) Jean Stablinski (1/1)
1959 Charly Gaul (3/3) Federico Bahamontes (1/1) Antonio Suárez (1/1)
1960 Jacques Anquetil (2/8) Gastone Nencini (2/2) Frans De Mulder (1/1)
1961 Arnaldo Pambianco (1/1) Jacques Anquetil (3/8) Angelino Soler (1/1)
1962 Franco Balmamion (1/2) Jacques Anquetil (4/8) Rudi Altig (1/1)
1963 Franco Balmamion (2/2) Jacques Anquetil (6/8) Jacques Anquetil (5/8)
1964 Jacques Anquetil (7/8) Jacques Anquetil (8/8) Raymond Poulidor (1/1)
1965 Vittorio Adorni (1/1) Felice Gimondi (1/5) Rolf Wolfshohl (1/1)
1966 Gianni Motta (1/1) Lucien Aimar (1/1) Francisco Gabica (1/1)
1967 Felice Gimondi (2/5) Roger Pingeon (1/2) Jan Janssen (1/2)
1968 Eddy Merckx (1/11) Jan Janssen (2/2) Felice Gimondi (3/5)
1969 Felice Gimondi (4/5) Eddy Merckx (2/11) Roger Pingeon (2/2)
1970 Eddy Merckx (3/11) Eddy Merckx (4/11) Luis Ocaña (1/2)
1971 Gösta Pettersson (1/1) Eddy Merckx (5/11) Ferdinand Bracke (1/1)
1972 Eddy Merckx (6/11) Eddy Merckx (7/11) José Manuel Fuente (1/2)
1973 Eddy Merckx (9/11) Luis Ocaña (2/2) Eddy Merckx (8/11)
1974 Eddy Merckx (10/11) Eddy Merckx (11/11) José Manuel Fuente (2/2)
1975 Fausto Bertoglio (1/1) Bernard Thévenet (1/2) Agustín Tamames (1/1)
1976 Felice Gimondi (5/5) Lucien Van Impe (1/1) José Pesarrodona (1/1)
1977 Michel Pollentier (1/1) Bernard Thévenet (2/2) Freddy Maertens (1/1)
1978 Johan De Muynck (1/1) Bernard Hinault (2/10) Bernard Hinault (1/10)
1979 Giuseppe Saronni (1/2) Bernard Hinault (3/10) Joop Zoetemelk (1/2)
1980 Bernard Hinault (4/10) Joop Zoetemelk (2/2) Faustino Rupérez (1/1)
1981 Giovanni Battaglin (2/2) Bernard Hinault (5/10) Giovanni Battaglin (1/2)
1982 Bernard Hinault (6/10) Bernard Hinault (7/10) Marino Lejarreta (1/1)
1983 Giuseppe Saronni (2/2) Laurent Fignon (1/3) Bernard Hinault (8/10)
1984 Francesco Moser (1/1) Laurent Fignon (2/3) Éric Caritoux (1/1)
1985 Bernard Hinault (9/10) Bernard Hinault (10/10) Pedro Delgado (1/3)
1986 Roberto Visentini (1/1) Greg LeMond (1/3) Álvaro Pino (1/1)
1987 Stephen Roche (1/2) Stephen Roche (2/2) Luis Herrera (1/1)
1988 Andrew Hampsten (1/1) Pedro Delgado (2/3) Sean Kelly (1/1)
1989 Laurent Fignon (3/3) Greg LeMond (2/3) Pedro Delgado (3/3)
1990 Gianni Bugno (1/1) Greg LeMond (3/3) Marco Giovannetti (1/1)
1991 Franco Chioccioli (1/1) Miguel Induráin (1/7) Melcior Mauri (1/1)
1992 Miguel Induráin (2/7) Miguel Induráin (3/7) Tony Rominger (1/4)
1993 Miguel Induráin (4/7) Miguel Induráin (5/7) Tony Rominger (2/4)
1994 Eugeni Berzin (1/1) Miguel Induráin (6/7) Tony Rominger (3/4)
1995 Tony Rominger (4/4) Miguel Induráin (7/7) Laurent Jalabert (1/1)
1996 Pavel Tonkov (1/1) Bjarne Riis (1/1) Alex Zülle (1/2)
1997 Ivan Gotti (1/2) Jan Ullrich (1/2) Alex Zülle (2/2)
1998 Marco Pantani (1/2) Marco Pantani (2/2) Abraham Olano (1/1)
1999 Ivan Gotti (2/2) No winner Jan Ullrich (2/2)
2000 Stefano Garzelli (1/1) No winner Roberto Heras (1/4)
2001 Gilberto Simoni (1/2) No winner Ángel Casero (1/1)
2002 Paolo Savoldelli (1/2)No winner Aitor González (1/1)
2003 Gilberto Simoni (2/2)No winner Roberto Heras (2/4)
2004 Damiano Cunego (1/1) No winner Roberto Heras (3/4)
2005 Paolo Savoldelli (2/2) No winner Roberto Heras (4/4)
2006 Ivan Basso (1/2) Óscar Pereiro (1/1)[16] Alexander Vinokourov (1/1)
2007 Danilo Di Luca (1/1) Alberto Contador (1/7) Denis Menchov (1/2)
2008 Alberto Contador (2/7) Carlos Sastre (1/1) Alberto Contador (3/7)
2009 Denis Menchov (2/2) Alberto Contador (4/7) Alejandro Valverde (1/1)
2010 Ivan Basso (2/2) Andy Schleck (1/1) Vincenzo Nibali (1/4)
2011 Michele Scarponi (1/1) Cadel Evans (1/1) Chris Froome (1/7)
2012 Ryder Hesjedal (1/1) Bradley Wiggins (1/1) Alberto Contador (5/7)
2013 Vincenzo Nibali (2/4) Chris Froome (2/7) Chris Horner (1/1)
2014 Nairo Quintana (1/2) Vincenzo Nibali (3/4) Alberto Contador (6/7)
2015 Alberto Contador (7/7) Chris Froome (3/7) Fabio Aru (1/1)
2016 Vincenzo Nibali (4/4) Chris Froome (4/7) Nairo Quintana (2/2)
2017 Tom Dumoulin (1/1) Chris Froome (5/7) Chris Froome (6/7)
2018 Chris Froome (7/7) Geraint Thomas (1/1) Simon Yates (1/1)
2019 Richard Carapaz (1/1) Egan Bernal (1/2) Primož Roglič (1/4)
2020 Tao Geoghegan Hart (1/1) Tadej Pogačar (1/4) Primož Roglič (2/4)
2021 Egan Bernal (2/2) Tadej Pogačar (2/4) Primož Roglič (3/4)
2022 Jai Hindley (1/1) Jonas Vingegaard (1/2) Remco Evenepoel (1/1)
2023 Primož Roglič (4/4) Jonas Vingegaard (2/2) Sepp Kuss (1/1)
2024 Tadej Pogačar (3/4) Tadej Pogačar (4/4) 2024 Vuelta a España
Year Giro d'Italia Tour de France Vuelta a España

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.[17]

Wins per rider

RankRiderTotalGiroTourVuelta
1 115 (1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974)5 (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974)1 (1973)
2 103 (1980, 1982, 1985)5 (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985)2 (1978, 1983)
3 82 (1960, 1964)5 (1957, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)1 (1963)
4 75 (1940, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953)2 (1949, 1952)
72 (1992, 1993)5 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995)
72 (2008, 2015)2 (2007, 2009)3 (2008, 2012, 2014)
71 (2018)4 (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017)2 (2011, 2017)
8 55 (1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1933)
53 (1936, 1937, 1946)2 (1938, 1948)
53 (1967, 1969, 1976)1 (1965)1 (1968)
1141 (1995)3 (1992, 1993, 1994)
44 (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005)
42 (2013, 2016)1 (2014)1 (2010)
41 (2023)3 (2019, 2020, 2021)
41 (2024)3 (2020, 2021, 2024)

Wins by country

Grand Tour general classification wins by country
scope=colCountryscope=colGiroscope=colTourscope=colVueltascope=colTotal
scope=row align=left6910685
scope=row align=left636951
scope=row align=left4123248
scope=row align=left718833
scope=row align=left26311
scope=row align=left32510
scope=row align=left2338
scope=row align=left2507
scope=row align=left1326
scope=row align=left1225
scope=row align=left2125
scope=row align=left0134
scope=row align=left3014
scope=row align=left0303
scope=row align=left1113
scope=row align=left1102
scope=row align=left1001
scope=row align=left1001
scope=row align=left1001
scope=row align=left0011

Winners of all three Grand Tours

Seven cyclists have won all three of the Grand Tours during their career:[18]

RiderTotalGiroTourVuelta
Jacques Anquetil82 (1960, 1964)5 (1957, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)1 (1963)
Felice Gimondi53 (1967, 1969, 1976)1 (1965)1 (1968)
Eddy Merckx115 (1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974)5 (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974)1 (1973)
Bernard Hinault103 (1980, 1982, 1985)5 (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985)2 (1978, 1983)
72 (2008, 2015)2 (2007, 2009)3 (2008, 2012, 2014)
Vincenzo Nibali42 (2013, 2016)1 (2014)1 (2010)
Chris Froome71 (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

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 Fausto Coppi
1952 Fausto Coppi
1964 Jacques Anquetil
1970 Eddy Merckx
1972 Eddy Merckx
1974 Eddy Merckx
1982 Bernard Hinault
1985 Bernard Hinault
1987 Stephen Roche
1992 Miguel Induráin
1993 Miguel Induráin
1998 Marco Pantani
2024 Tadej Pogacar
Tour de France and Vuelta a España
1963 Jacques Anquetil
1978 Bernard Hinault
2017 Chris Froome
Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España
1973 Eddy Merckx
1981 Giovanni Battaglin
2008 Alberto Contador
Of the above ten, Pantani, Roche and Battaglin's doubles were their only Grand Tour victories in their careers.

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

Points classification winners

See main article: article, Points classification and 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.

RankRiderTotalGiroTourVuelta
1 Erik Zabel906 (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)3 (2002, 2003, 2004)
2 Sean Kelly804 (1982, 1983, 1985, 1989)4 (1980, 1985, 1986, 1988)
Peter Sagan81 (2021) 7 (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)0
4 Laurent Jalabert71 (1999)2 (1992, 1995)4 (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997)
5 Eddy Merckx62 (1968, 1973)3 (1969, 1971, 1972)1 (1973)

Mountains classification winners

See main article: article, King of the Mountains and List of Grand Tour mountains classification winners.

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

Rankwidth=175pxRiderTotalwidth=175pxGirowidth=175pxTourwidth=175pxVuelta
1 Gino Bartali97 (1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1946, 1947)2 (1938, 1948)0
Federico Bahamontes91 (1956)6 (1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964)2 (1957, 1958)
3 Lucien Van Impe82 (1982, 1983)6 (1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1983)0
4 Richard Virenque707 (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004)0
5 Julio Jiménez603 (1965, 1966, 1967)3 (1963, 1964, 1965)

Young rider classification winners

See main article: article and 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.

RankRiderTotalGiroTourVuelta
1 Tadej Pogačar504 (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)1 (2019)
2 Andy Schleck41 (2007)3 (2008, 2009, 2010)0
3 Jan Ullrich303 (1996, 1997, 1998)0
Nairo Quintana31 (2014)2 (2013, 2015)0
Miguel Ángel López32 (2018, 2019)01 (2017)

Grand Tour stage wins

See also: List of riders with stage wins at all three cycling Grand Tours.

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.[19] 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 2024 Tour de France.[20]

RankRiderTotalGiroTourVuelta
1 64 24 34 6 1967–1975
2 57 42 12 3 1989–2003
3 Mark Cavendish 55 17 35 3 2008–2024
4 48 22 6 20 2000–2011
5 43 41 2 0 1925–1933
6 41 6 28 7 1978–1986
7 39 31 8 0 1930–1937
39 0 0 39 1941–1947
9 37 12 7 18 1958–1969
10 35 7 15 13 1976–1981
11 31 22 9 0 1940–1955
12 30 30 0 0 1919–1923
13 29 17 12 0 1935–1954
14 27 15 6 6 1969–1975
27 23 2 2 1973–1986
16 26 16 6 4 1981–1993
26 15 11 0 1930–1938
26 20 3 3 1955–1961
Tadej Pogačar 26 6 17 3 2019–2024
26 24 0 2 1978–1985
21 25 21 4 0 1964–1975
25 3 4 18 1992–2001
25 0 25 0 1927–1938
25 15 4 6 1949–1957
25 24 22 1 1 1970–1984
24 12 12 0 1999–2007
27 23 1 22 0 1953–1964
28 22 5 16 1 1957–1964
22 7 11 4 2008–2017
22 4 9 9 1986–1994

Grand Tour finishers

Only 35 riders have finished all three Grand Tours in one season. Adam Hansen has done this six times consecutively, Marino Lejarreta four times and Bernardo Ruiz achieved it in three different years, while Eduardo Chozas and Carlos Sastre have completed the accomplishment twice.[21] [22]

The rider with most participations on Grand Tours is Matteo Tosatto with 34 (12 Tours, 13 Giros and 9 Vueltas). The rider who has finished most Grand Tours is also Matteo Tosatto, with 28 (12 Tours, 11 Giros and 5 Vueltas). Adam Hansen has finished the most consecutive Grand Tours: 20 tours from 2011 Vuelta a España till 2018 Giro d'Italia. Bernardo Ruiz was the first rider to ride every tour of a season on three occasions which he completed in 1957. Marino Lejarreta completed every grand tour of the season for the 4th time in 1991 and of these 12 tours he finished in the top 10 of eight of them. His record of 4 was not passed until Adam Hansen completed the Vuelta in 2016.

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 the first time three Grand Tours were finished in one season, when Raphaël Géminiani finished 4th, 6th and 3rd in the Giro, Tour and Vuelta, respectively.

RiderYearFinal position
GiroTourVuelta
2023 14 12 1
2019 51 60 56
Adam Hansen (6) 2017 93 113 95
2016 3 6 12
Adam Hansen (5) 2016 68 100 110
2015 36 54 47
Adam Hansen (4) 2015 77 114 55
Adam Hansen (3) 2014 73 64 53
Adam Hansen (2) 2013 72 7260
2012 94 81123
2011 56 113 77
Carlos Sastre (2) 2010 8 20 8
2009 136 121 132
2008 3 27 10
2008 80 43 49
2007 20 70 28
2006 43 4 4
2005 88 118 114
2001 58 69 83
1999 38 50 58
1992 40 75 62
1992 57 74 66
Eduardo Chozas (2) 1991 10 11 11
1991 8 30 18
Marino Lejarreta (4)1991 5 53 3
1991 23 61 14
1991 64 39 44
1991 11 88 66
1991 47 89 87
1990 11 6 33
Marino Lejarreta (3) 1990 7 5 55
Marino Lejarreta (2) 1989 10 5 20
1988 32 82 60
1987 4 10 34
1985 86 90 66
1971 29 50 27
1971 39 72 54
1958 17 8 6
1958 23 63 37
1957 74 53 46
1957 1 6 9
Bernardo Ruiz (3) 1957 55 24 3
1956 12 26 19
Bernardo Ruiz (2) 1956 38 70 31
1956 26819
1955 4 6 3
1955 28 22 14
1955 68 54 55

Notes and References

  1. Web site: UCI Cycling regulations—Part 2: Road Races. 64 . January 1, 2017 . 2017-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170712134201/http://www.uci.ch/mm/Document/News/Rulesandregulation/18/23/94/2-ROA-20170701-E_English.PDF . 2017-07-12 . dead .
  2. Web site: UCI Cycling regulations . 41 . 2012-07-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110623174023/http://www.uci.ch/Modules/BUILTIN/getObject.asp?MenuId=MTkzNg&ObjTypeCode=FILE&type=FILE&id=34028&LangId=1 . 2011-06-23 .
  3. Web site: Tour de France, world's biggest annual sporting event, is an amazing race and breathtaking logistical feat. Daniel. McMahon. Business Insider.
  4. Web site: Kuss crowned Vuelta champion as Jumbo-Visma make history . . 17 September 2023 . . 18 May 2024 . 18 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230918032421/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230917-kuss-crowned-vuelta-champion-as-jumbo-visma-make-history . live .
  5. Web site: Doubler deux Grands Tours revient à la mode . 19 March 2005 . Riche, Antoine . CyclisMag . fr . 11 November 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101120051406/http://cyclismag.com/article.php?sid=917 . 20 November 2010 .
  6. News: 16 July 2018 . Why is there no women's Tour de France? . BBC Sport . 2022-02-15.
  7. News: Macur . Juliet . Jaques . Monique . 27 July 2022 . For Women's Cyclists, It's a Steep Climb to Tour Equality . The New York Times . 1 August 2022 . 0362-4331.
  8. Web site: Rogers . Owen . 2020-11-19 . Giro Rosa: fading glory . 2022-08-04 . cyclingnews.com .
  9. News: Goldman . Tom . 22 July 2022 . After more than 30 years, a multiday women's Tour de France is back . NPR.org . 2022-08-04 . After the Tour de France femmes avec Zwift announced its record $250,000 purse, another women's grand tour event, the Giro d'Italia Donne, matched the Tour's prize money amount..
  10. Web site: Frattini . Kirsten . Price . Matilda . 2022-08-02 . 9 conclusions from historic 2022 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift . 2022-08-04 . cyclingnews.com .
  11. Web site: 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 . 2022-08-04 . .
  12. Web site: 1 April 2022 . UCI CYCLING REGULATIONS PART 2 ROAD RACES . 4 August 2022 . . 59 . Elite women world circuit The duration of events ... is limited to 6 days unless an exemption is made by the UCI Management Committee.
  13. Web site: Frattini . Kirsten . 16 October 2021 . A closer look reveals the inequity at Tour de France Femmes . 28 February 2022 . cyclingnews.com .
  14. Web site: Rogers . Owen . 2022-07-31 . Seven woman teams a possibility at the 2023 Tour de France Femmes . 2022-08-01 . cyclingweekly.com .
  15. Web site: Ostlere . Lawrence . 22 July 2022 . Why the inaugural Tour de France Femmes 'changes everything' . 23 July 2022 . The Independent . I think if you asked everyone in the peloton what's more important, the prize money or the TV coverage, I think most would say TV coverage..
  16. Later declared the legitimate winner
  17. Web site: The History of Tour de France. letour.fr.
  18. Web site: Historical Results – The Grand Tours . 2012-07-20.
  19. Web site: Petacchi equals Poblet and Baffi. September 9, 2003. cyclingnews.com.
  20. Web site: Most stage wins . Pro Cycling Stats.
  21. http://www.spaziociclismo.it/?action=read&idnotizia=22725 L'impresa di Adam Hansen: completati Giro, Tour e Vuelta in un anno
  22. Web site: Tour Xtra: Tour Records. cvccbike.com.