Vuelta a Espana 2023: The regulations for the Tour of Spain
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Red jersey
The red jersey at the Vuelta is the equivalent of the yellow jersey at the Tour de France and the Maglia Rosa at the Giro d'Italia. The rider leading the overall standings at the Vuelta receives the red jersey. In other words, the rider with the lowest overall time after adding up all the stages - including bonuses and time penalties. Until 2009, the overall leader was still wearing a golden jersey. In 2022, Remco Evenepoel won the stage race and with it the red jersey.
In the event of two riders finishing in the same time, the hundredths of a second from the individual time trials will be taken into account first. If there is still no decision, the positions at the end of the individual stages of the Vuelta are added together - the rider with the lower number wins. If there is still no winner, the position at the finish of the last stage counts.
Time bonuses
On each mass start stage, time credits of 10, 6 and 4 seconds are awarded at the finish for the first three riders in the daily classification. On mass start stages, 6, 4 and 2 seconds are also credited for the first three riders at intermediate sprints or certain mountain classifications.
These bonus seconds are awarded at intermediate sprints on stages 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19 and 21 as well as at the following mountain classifications:
- Stage 2: Alto del Castell de Montjuïc (3rd category)
- Stage 3: Coll d'Ordino (1st category)
- Stage 8: Puerto de la Carrasqueta (2nd category)
- Stage 13: Col de Spandelles (1st category)
- Stage 14: Puerto de Larrau (special category)
- Stage 15: Puerto de Zuarrarrate (2nd category - second crossing)
- Stage 18: Puerto de La Cruz de Linares (1st category - first crossing)
- Stage 20: Alto San Lorenzo de El Escorial (3rd category)
Three-kilometre rule
With this rule (see article 2.6.027 of the UCI regulations), riders who crash or have a defect in the last three kilometres of a stage are spared on mass start stages. These riders are given the same time as the group they were in at the time of the mishap. The three-kilometre rule applies to stages 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 15, 19, 20 and 21 of the 2023 Vuelta.
Measurement of time intervals
On stages 4, 5, 7, 12, 19 and 21, groups with a gap of up to three seconds will be counted with the same time (see also UCI protocol for stages with expected bunch sprint). On all other stages of the Vuelta 2023, a new time will be taken from one second apart.
The green jersey
Just like in the Tour de France, the green jersey in the Vuelta goes to the rider leading the points classification. Mads Pedersen won in 2022. Points can be collected at intermediate sprints and at the finish of each stage.
How does the points classification work at the Vuelta?
Points are awarded to the first 15 riders at the daily finish (except for the team time trial on stage 1). Points can also be scored at intermediate sprints. Depending on the type and difficulty of the stage, each stage is assigned to a group from 1 to 6. Accordingly, there are different numbers of points to be scored at the daily finish.
The distribution of points on the stages of the 2023 Vuelta
Group 1: Stages 4, 7, 19 and 21
- 50 points
- 30 points
- 20 points
- 18 points
- 16 points
- 14 points
- 12 points
- 10 points
- 8 points
- 7 points
- 6 points
- 5 points
- 4 points
- 3 points
- 2 points
Group 2 and 3: Stages 2, 5, 9, 12, 15 and 16
- 30 points
- 25 points
- 22 points
- 19 points
- 17 points
- 15 points
- 13 points
- 11 points
- 9 points
- 7 points
- 6 points
- 5 points
- 4 points
- 3 points
- 2 points
Group 4 and 5: Stages 3, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18 and 20
- 20 points
- 17 points
- 15 points
- 13 points
- 11 points
- 10 points
- 9 points
- 8 points
- 7 points
- 6 points
- 5 points
- 4 points
- 3 points
- 2 points
- 1 point
Group 6: Stage 10 (time trial)
- 20 points
- 17 points
- 15 points
- 13 points
- 11 points
- 10 points
- 9 points
- 8 points
- 7 points
- 6 points
- 5 points
- 4 points
- 3 points
- 2 points
- 1 point
Intermediate sprints
There will be an intermediate sprint on every stage of the 2023 Vuelta (except for the individual and team time trial). The first five riders at the intermediate sprint receive points for the green jersey - the points key:
- 20 points
- 17 points
- 15 points
- 13 points
- 10 points
The mountain jersey
The jersey for the best climber in the Vuelta has dots on a white background, just like in the Tour de France. However, the dots in the Tour of Spain are blue and not red as in France. Richard Carapaz took the jersey last year.
The jersey is awarded to the rider who has collected the most points on the individual climbs. The climbs are divided into different categories depending on their level of difficulty and sporting prestige. Points are awarded accordingly for the mountain jersey. The highest category - the equivalent of the Hors Categorie in the Tour de France - is the "Especial" category in the Tour of Spain. A parallel to the "Cima Coppi" at the Giro d'Italia is the "Cima Alberto Fernandez", a special classification at the highest point of the Vuelta. At the 2023 Vuelta, it will be awarded at the Col du Tourmalet at the finish of the 13th stage.
The points key for the mountain classification
Cima Alberto Fernandez (Cold du Tourmalet)
- 20 points
- 15 points
- 10 points
- 6 points
- 4 points
- 2 points
Especial" category (4 ascents)
- 15 points
- 10 points
- 6 points
- 4 points
- 2 points
- 1 point
1st category (13 climbs)
- 10 points
- 6 points
- 4 points
- 2 points
- 1 point
2nd category (10 ascents)
- 5 points
- 3 points
- 1 point
3rd category (21 ascents)
- 3 points
- 2 points
- 1 point
The white jersey
The white jersey at the Vuelta is worn by the best-placed young rider in the individual overall classification by time. All athletes born after 1 January 1998 will be eligible for the young pro classification in 2023.
The team ranking
The leading team in the team classification wears red start numbers. To determine the team classification, the riding times of the three best riders of each team are added together.
Most combative driver
The most combative rider of the previous stage wears the yellow back number. A jury of technical directors chaired by the race director selects three riders on each mass start stage to be considered for the prize of the most combative rider. The spectators can then vote for their favourite (by telephone or online). The rider with the most votes wins.
In the event of a tie, the race director will decide on the most combative rider of the day. In Madrid, on the last day of the race, the jury will choose the most combative rider of the entire Vuelta.
The time limit at the Vuelta
The maximum gap that a rider can allow himself to be behind the day's winner at the finish of a stage is called the time limit or grace time: depending on the coefficient of a stage (see image below), based on the length, difficulty and pace of the day's winner, a percentage mark-up on the winner's riding time determines how much more time the last riders on a stage are allowed to take - otherwise they risk disqualification.
The coefficients of the 2023 Vuelta
The percentage mark-ups for the individual coefficients
Example for calculating the waiting time at the Vuelta
Stage 17 of the 2023 Vuelta serves as an assumption - a difficult day in the mountains with the arrival at the Alto de L'Angliru at an altitude of over 1500 metres. Assuming the stage is ridden at an average speed of 35 km/h by the winner, he would need 3 hours and 50 minutes (i.e. 230 minutes - see the table below for calculated average speeds).
The stage has difficulty level 5, which means that at an average speed of 35 km/h, a rider receives 16 per cent of the winning time as a grace period (see figure percentage mark-ups). In this case, he would therefore receive 16 per cent of 230 minutes (the winning time). That is just under 37 minutes, which would be the time limit on this day that a rider would be allowed to cross the finish line after the winner without being taken out of the race and disqualified.
The calculated average speeds and times of the stages
Stage 1: Start last team 19:05, estimated finish last team: 20:45
Stage 2: Start: 12:45, Finish: 44 km/h 17:18, 42 km/h 17:30, 40 km/h 17:43
Stage 3: Start: 13:15, Finish: 41 km/ 17:18, 39 km/h 17:30, 37 km/h 17:44
Stage 4: Start: 13:20, Finish: 46 km/h 17:19, 44 km/h 17:30, 42 km/h 17:42
Stage 5: Start: 12:50, Finish: 45 km/h 17:19, 43 km/h 17:30, 41 km/h 17:43
Stage 6: Start: 12:20, Finish: 39 km/h 17:15, 37 km/h 17:30, 35 km/h 17:47
Stage 7: Start: 12:50, Finish: 46 km/h 17:18, 44 km/h 17:30, 42 km/h 17:43
Stage 8: Start: 12:55, Finish: 40 km/h 17:17, 38 km/h 17:30, 36 km/h 17:45
Stage 9: Start: 12:39, Finish: 42 km/h 17:02, 40 km/h 17:15, 38 km/h 17:30
Stage 10: Start: Start last rider: 13:57, estimated finish last rider: 17:30
Stage 11: Start: 13:15, Finish: 41 km/h 17:17, 39 km/h 17:30, 37 km/h 17:43
Stage 12: Start: 13:58, Finish: 47 km/h 17:22, 45 km/h 17:30, 43 km/h 17:40
Stage 13: Start: 13:50, Finish: 40 km/h 17:20, 38 km/h 17:30, 36 km/h 17:42
Stage 14: Start: 12:55, Finish: 39 km/h 17:17, 37 km/h 17:30, 35 km/h 17:44
Stage 15: Start: 13:20, Finish: 42 km/h 17:19, 40 km/h 17:30, 38 km/h 17:42
Stage 16: Start: 14:40, Finish: 46 km/h 17:23, 44 km/h 17:30, 42 km/h 17:38
Stage 17: Start: 13:40, Finish: 37 km/h 17:18, 35 km/h 17:30, 33 km/h 17:43
Stage 18: Start: 12:47, Finish: 41 km/h 17:16, 39 km/h 17:30, 37 km/h 17:45
Stage 19: Start: 13:15, Finish: 46 km/h 17:20, 44 km/h 17:30, 42 km/h 17:42
Stage 20: Start: 11:55, Finish: 40 km/h 17:13, 38 km/h 17:30, 36 km/h 17:48
Stage 21: Start: 17:14, Finish: 40 km/h 19:50, 38 km/h 19:58, 36 km/h 20:07
Preview of the stages of the Vuelta
Numerous top cycling stars will be competing in the 2023 Vuelta. TOUR has created an overview of the line-ups of the 23 teams.
