Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia

Summary

The Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia is a secondary classification that is a part of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tour races. In this classification, points are awarded to the leading riders over designated climbs. The climbs are put into different classifications based on difficulty and their position on that day's stage. Bonus points are given to mountain top finishes and to the first riders over the Cima Coppi, traditionally adjudged as the highest point of the entire Giro.

Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia
Giulio Ciccone in the blue jersey of classification leader during the 2019 Giro d'Italia
SportRoad Cycling
CompetitionGiro d'Italia
Awarded forBest climber in mountain stages
Local nameGran Premio della Montagna (Italian)
History
First award1933
Editions86 (as of 2023)
First winner Alfredo Binda (ITA)
Most wins Gino Bartali (ITA)
(7 wins)
Most recent Thibaut Pinot (FRA)

The classification was first calculated in 1933; from 1974 to 2011, the leader of the mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia wore the maglia verde (from Italian: "green jersey"): in 2012, as part of a sponsorship deal, the jersey color was changed to blue (maglia azzurra).

History edit

 
Until 2011 (pictured, second from the left), the jersey for the mountains classification was green.

The mountains classification was added to the Giro d'Italia in 1933.[1] In the inaugural year of the classification, the organizers chose select climbs and awarded points to the first three riders who crossed the climbs.[1] Alfredo Binda was first over each climb and won the first mountains classification.[1] In 1974, the organizers added a green jersey to designate the leader of the classification.[2] The green jersey was used until 2012, when the classification's sponsor, Banca Mediolanum, renewed its sponsorship for another four years and desired the jersey to be blue rather than green.[3]

Winners edit

 
Chepe González winning a stage while leading the mountains classification during the 1997 Giro d'Italia
 
Koldo Gil receives the leader's green jersey at the 2005 Giro d'Italia
Key
* Winner won general classification in the same year
Winner won general and points classification in the same year
  • The "Year" column refers to the year the competition was held, and wikilinks to the article about that edition of the race.
  • The "Points" column refers to the number of points that the rider had in the mountains classification.
  • The "Margin" column refers to the margin of time or points by which the winner defeated the runner-up.
  • The "Stage wins" column refers to the number of stages wins the winner had during the race.
Giro d'Italia mountains classification winners[4][5]
Year Country Cyclist Sponsor/team Points Margin Stage wins
1933   Italy Alfredo Binda* Legnano ? ? 6
1934   Italy Remo Bertoni Legnano 31 10 0
1935   Italy Gino Bartali Fréjus 44 16 1
1936   Italy Gino Bartali* Legnano 38.5 13.5 3
1937   Italy Gino Bartali* Legnano 37 12 4
1938   Italy Giovanni Valetti* Fréjus 29 3 3
1939   Italy Gino Bartali Legnano 22 3 4
1940   Italy Gino Bartali Legnano 25 4 2
1941 ~Not contested
1942 ~Not contested
1943 ~Not contested
1944 ~Not contested
1945 ~Not contested
1946   Italy Gino Bartali* Legnano 27 7 0
1947   Italy Gino Bartali Legnano 24 3 1
1948   Italy Fausto Coppi Bianchi 25 9 0
1949   Italy Fausto Coppi* Bianchi 46 5 3
1950    Switzerland Hugo Koblet* Guerra–Svizzera 43 14 2
1951   France Louison Bobet Bottecchia 29 2 1
1952   France Raphaël Géminiani Bianchi 31 3 0
1953   Italy Pasquale Fornara Cilo 33 13 1
1954   Italy Fausto Coppi Bianchi 6 1 1
1955   Italy Gastone Nencini Leo–Chlorodont 7 1 2
1956   Luxembourg Charly Gaul*[N 1] Faema 20 15 3
  Spain Federico Bahamontes[N 1] Girardengo 30 17 0
1957   France Raphaël Géminiani Saint Raphaël 56 18 0
1958   Belgium Jean Brankart Saint Raphaël 56 17 4
1959   Luxembourg Charly Gaul* Emi 560 240 3
1960   Belgium Rik Van Looy Faema 250 40 3
1961   Italy Vito Taccone Atala 270 140 1
1962   Spain Angelino Soler Ghigi 260 160 3
1963   Italy Vito Taccone Lygie 520 400 5
1964   Italy Franco Bitossi Spring Oil 200 60 4
1965   Italy Franco Bitossi Filotex 250 90 1
1966   Italy Franco Bitossi Filotex 490 170 2
1967   Spain Aurelio González KAS–Kaskol 460 370 1
1968   Belgium Eddy Merckx Faema 340 160 1
1969   Italy Claudio Michelotto Max Meyer 330 80 1
1970   Belgium Martin Van Den Bossche Molteni 460 40 0
1971   Spain José Manuel Fuente KAS 360 90 1
1972   Spain José Manuel Fuente KAS 490 040 0
1973   Spain José Manuel Fuente KAS 550 40 1
1974   Spain José Manuel Fuente KAS 510 180 5
1975   Spain Andrés Oliva[6] KAS 300 60 0
1976   Spain Andrés Oliva KAS 535 145 0
1977   Spain Faustino Fernández Ovies KAS 675 185 0
1978    Switzerland Ueli Sutter Zonca 830 310 0
1979   Italy Claudio Bortolotto Sanson 495 165 1
1980   Italy Claudio Bortolotto San Giacomo 670 270 0
1981   Italy Claudio Bortolotto Santini 510 10 0
1982   Belgium Lucien Van Impe Metauromobili 860 480 0
1983   Belgium Lucien Van Impe Metauromobili 70 27 1
1984   France Laurent Fignon Renault–Elf 53 13 1
1985   Spain José Luis Navarro Zor 54 7 0
1986   Spain Pedro Muñoz Fagor 54 19 1
1987   United Kingdom Robert Millar Panasonic–Isostar 97 44 1
1988   United States Andrew Hampsten* 7–Eleven–Hoonved 59 4 2
1989   Colombia Luis Herrera Café de Colombia 70 32 2
1990   Italy Claudio Chiappucci Carrera Jeans–Vagabond 74 18 0
1991   Spain Iñaki Gastón CLAS–Cajastur 75 6 0
1992   Italy Claudio Chiappucci Carrera Jeans–Vagabond 76 31 0
1993   Italy Claudio Chiappucci Carrera Jeans–Tassoni 42 2 1
1994    Switzerland Pascal Richard GB–MG Maglificio 78 20 1
1995   Italy Mariano Piccoli Brescialat 75 30 1
1996   Italy Mariano Piccoli Brescialat 69 32 0
1997   Colombia Chepe González Kelme–Costa Blanca 99 64 1
1998   Italy Marco Pantani* Mercatone Uno–Bianchi 89 27 2
1999   Colombia Chepe González Kelme–Costa Blanca 61 16 1
2000   Italy Francesco Casagrande Vini Caldirola–Sidermec 71 24 1
2001   Colombia Fredy González Selle Italia–Pacific 73 31 1
2002   Mexico Julio Alberto Pérez Colombia–Selle Italia 69 36 2
2003   Colombia Fredy González Colombia–Selle Italia 100 22 0
2004   Germany Fabian Wegmann Gerolsteiner 56 2 0
2005   Venezuela José Rujano Colombia–Selle Italia 143 86 1
2006   Spain Juan Manuel Gárate Quick-Step–Innergetic 64 8 1
2007   Italy Leonardo Piepoli Saunier Duval–Prodir 79 33 1
2008   Italy Emanuele Sella CSF Group–Navigare 136 73 3
2009   Italy Stefano Garzelli Acqua & Sapone–Caffè Mokambo 61 16 1
2010   Australia Matthew Lloyd Omega Pharma–Lotto 56 15 1
2011   Italy Stefano Garzelli Acqua & Sapone 67 24 0
2012   Italy Matteo Rabottini Farnese Vini–Selle Italia 84 40 1
2013   Italy Stefano Pirazzi Bardiani Valvole–CSF Inox 82 37 0
2014   Colombia Julián Arredondo Trek Factory Racing 173 41 1
2015   Italy Giovanni Visconti Movistar Team 125 3 0
2016   Spain Mikel Nieve Team Sky 152 18 1
2017   Spain Mikel Landa Team Sky 224 106 1
2018   United Kingdom Chris Froome* Team Sky 125 17 2
2019   Italy Giulio Ciccone Trek–Segafredo 267 152 1
2020   Portugal Ruben Guerreiro EF Pro Cycling 234 77 1
2021   France Geoffrey Bouchard AG2R Citroën Team 184 44 0
2022   Netherlands Koen Bouwman Team Jumbo–Visma 294 131 2
2023   France Thibaut Pinot Groupama–FDJ 237 37 0

Multiple winners edit

As of 2023, 15 cyclists have won the mountains classification more than once.[7]

Multiple winners of the Giro d'Italia mountains classification
Cyclist Total Years
  Gino Bartali (ITA) 7 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1946, 1947
  José Manuel Fuente (ESP) 4 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974
  Fausto Coppi (ITA) 3 1948, 1949, 1954
  Franco Bitossi (ITA) 3 1964, 1965, 1966
  Claudio Bortolotto (ITA) 3 1979, 1980, 1981
  Claudio Chiappucci (ITA) 3 1990, 1992, 1993
  Raphaël Géminiani (FRA) 2 1952, 1957
  Charly Gaul (LUX) 2 1956, 1959
  Vito Taccone (ITA) 2 1961, 1963
  Andrés Oliva (ESP) 2 1975, 1976
  Lucien Van Impe (BEL) 2 1982, 1983
  Mariano Piccoli (ITA) 2 1995, 1996
  Chepe González (COL) 2 1997, 1999
  Fredy González (COL) 2 2001, 2003
  Stefano Garzelli (ITA) 2 2009, 2011

By nationality edit

Riders from fifteen different countries have won the Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia.[7]

Giro d'Italia mountains classification winners by nationality
Country No. of winning cyclists No. of wins
  Italy 22 39
  Spain 12 16
  Belgium 5 6
  France 5 6
  Colombia 4 6
   Switzerland 3 3
  United Kingdom 2 2
  Luxembourg 1 2
  United States 1 1
  Mexico 1 1
  Germany 1 1
  Venezuela 1 1
  Australia 1 1
  Portugal 1 1
  Netherlands 1 1

Distribution of points edit

The points that are gained by consecutive riders reaching a mountain top are distributed according to 5 categories:

Tipologia 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
  Cima Coppi 50 30 20 14 10 6 4 2 1
  First Category 40 18 12 9 6 4 2 1 -
  Second Category 18 8 6 4 2 1 - - -
  Third Category 9 4 2 1 - - - - -
  Fourth Category 3 2 1 - - - - - -

The organization of the race determines which mountains are included for the mountains classification and in which category they are. The points for the Cima Coppi are awarded once every Giro, for the summit at the highest altitude in that Giro.

References edit

Footnotes
  1. ^ a b The 1956 Giro d'Italia had two mountain competitions: the Trofeo Dolomiti and the Trofeo Appennini. Charly Gaul won the former and Federico Bahamontes, the latter.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c Bill and Carol McGann. "1933 Giro d'Italia". Bike Race Info. Dog Ear Publishing. Archived from the original on 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
  2. ^ Bill and Carol McGann. "1974 Giro d'Italia". Bike Race Info. Dog Ear Publishing. Archived from the original on 2017-07-25. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
  3. ^ "Blue Mountains Jersey For 2012 Giro D'Italia". Cycling News. 17 December 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  4. ^ "Past winners". Cyclingnews.com. 9 May 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  5. ^ "Giro d'Italia – Fight for Pink: Il Garibaldi" (PDF). Giro d'Italia. RCS MediaGroup. p. 38. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 19, 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  6. ^ Oliva, king of the mountain. "Galdós ganó la última etapa, pero no pudo ganar el Giro de Italia". hemeroteca.abc.es (in Spanish). 8 June 1975. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Giro d'Italia 2009" (PDF). Infostrada sports. 2009. p. 187. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 December 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2011.