2018 Vuelta a España
Classification leadership
Classification leadership
-------------------------

The Vuelta a España had four individual classifications, for which [jerseys](/wiki/Cycling_jersey "Cycling jersey") were awarded daily to the leading rider, as well as a team competition. The primary classification was the [general classification](/wiki/General_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "General classification in the Vuelta a España"), which was calculated by adding each rider's finishing times on each stage. Time bonuses were awarded at the end of every stage apart from the two individual time trials. The rider with the lowest cumulative time was the leader of the general classification, and wears the red jersey. The leader of the general classification at the end of the race was considered the overall winner of the Vuelta a España.

The second classification was the [points classification](/wiki/Points_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "Points classification in the Vuelta a España"). Riders received points for finishing among the highest placed in a stage finish, or in [intermediate sprints](/wiki/Intermediate_sprint "Intermediate sprint") during the stage. The points available for each stage finish were determined by the stage's type. The leader was identified by a green jersey.

| \+ Mountains classification points |
| --- |
| Category | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| Cima [Alberto Fernández](/wiki/Alberto_Fern%C3%A1ndez_%28cyclist%29 "Alberto Fernández (cyclist)") | 20 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Special\-category | 15 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| First\-category | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Second\-category | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Third\-category | 3 | 2 | 1 |

The next classification was the [mountains classification](/wiki/Mountains_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "Mountains classification in the Vuelta a España"). Points were awarded to the riders that reached the summit of the most difficult climbs first. The climbs were categorized, in order of increasing difficulty, third\-, second\-, and first\- and special\-category. The leader wore a white jersey with blue [polka dots](/wiki/Polka_dot "Polka dot").

The final of the individual classifications was the [combination classification](/wiki/Combination_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "Combination classification in the Vuelta a España"). A rider's ranking in the combination classification was determined by tallying up his positions in the general, points, and mountains classifications. The leader wore a white jersey. If no rider was classified in all three classifications, riders classified in two would have been considered, and if that was tied the general classification will decide the winner.

There was also the [team classification](/wiki/Team_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "Team classification in the Vuelta a España"). After each stage, the times of the three highest finishers of each team are added together. The victory was awarded to the team with the lowest cumulative time at the end of the event.

In addition, there were two individual awards: the [combativity award](/wiki/Combativity_award "Combativity award") and the [young rider award](/wiki/Young_rider_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "Young rider classification in the Vuelta a España"). The combativity award was given after each stage to the rider "who displayed the most generous
effort and best sporting spirit." The daily winner wore a green number bib the following stage. At the end of the Vuelta, a jury decides the top three riders for the "Most Combative Rider of La Vuelta", with a public vote deciding the victor. The young rider award is calculated the same way as the general classification, but the classification was restricted to riders who were born on or after 1 January 1993\. The leader wore a red number bib.

A total of €1,120,000 will be awarded in cash prizes in the race. The overall winner of the general classification will receive €150,335, with the second and third placed riders getting €57,000 and €30,000 respectively. All finishers in the top 20 were awarded with money. The holders of the four individual classifications benefited on each stage they led. The final winners of the points and combined were given €11,000, while the mountains classification got €23,100 and the most combative rider got €3,000\. The team classification winners were given €12,500\. €11,000 was given to the winners of each stage of the race, with smaller amounts given to places 2–20\. There was also a special award with a prize of €1,000, the Cima [Alberto Fernández](/wiki/Alberto_Fern%C3%A1ndez_%28cyclist%29 "Alberto Fernández (cyclist)"), given to first rider to reach the summit of the highest mountain of the race.

| \+Classification leadership by stage |
| --- |
| Stage | Winner | [General classification](/wiki/List_of_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a_general_classification_winners "List of Vuelta a España general classification winners") | [Points classification](/wiki/Points_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "Points classification in the Vuelta a España") | [Mountains classification](/wiki/Mountains_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "Mountains classification in the Vuelta a España") | [Combination classification](/wiki/Combination_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "Combination classification in the Vuelta a España") | [Team classification](/wiki/Team_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "Team classification in the Vuelta a España") | [Combativity award](/wiki/Combativity_award "Combativity award") | [Young rider award](/wiki/Young_rider_classification_in_the_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a "Young rider classification in the Vuelta a España") |
| [1](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_1 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 1") | [Rohan Dennis](/wiki/Rohan_Dennis "Rohan Dennis") | [Rohan Dennis](/wiki/Rohan_Dennis "Rohan Dennis")

 [Rohan Dennis](/wiki/Rohan_Dennis "Rohan Dennis")

 *not awarded* |
 [Rohan Dennis](/wiki/Rohan_Dennis "Rohan Dennis")

 

 *not awarded* |
 [Benjamin Thomas](/wiki/Benjamin_Thomas_%28cyclist%29 "Benjamin Thomas (cyclist)")

| [2](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_2 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 2") | [Alejandro Valverde](/wiki/Alejandro_Valverde "Alejandro Valverde") | [Michał Kwiatkowski](/wiki/Micha%C5%82_Kwiatkowski "Michał Kwiatkowski")

 [Michał Kwiatkowski](/wiki/Micha%C5%82_Kwiatkowski "Michał Kwiatkowski")

 [Luis Ángel Maté](/wiki/Luis_%C3%81ngel_Mat%C3%A9 "Luis Ángel Maté")

 [Michał Kwiatkowski](/wiki/Micha%C5%82_Kwiatkowski "Michał Kwiatkowski")

 

 [Luis Ángel Maté](/wiki/Luis_%C3%81ngel_Mat%C3%A9 "Luis Ángel Maté")

 [Laurens De Plus](/wiki/Laurens_De_Plus "Laurens De Plus")

| [3](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_3 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 3") | [Elia Viviani](/wiki/Elia_Viviani "Elia Viviani") | [Jordi Simón](/wiki/Jordi_Sim%C3%B3n_%28cyclist%29 "Jordi Simón (cyclist)")

| [4](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_4 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 4") | [Ben King](/wiki/Ben_King_%28cyclist%29 "Ben King (cyclist)") | 

 [Luis Ángel Maté](/wiki/Luis_%C3%81ngel_Mat%C3%A9 "Luis Ángel Maté")

 [Enric Mas](/wiki/Enric_Mas "Enric Mas")

| [5](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_5 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 5") | [Simon Clarke](/wiki/Simon_Clarke_%28cyclist%29 "Simon Clarke (cyclist)") | [Rudy Molard](/wiki/Rudy_Molard "Rudy Molard")

 [Alejandro Valverde](/wiki/Alejandro_Valverde "Alejandro Valverde")

 [Bauke Mollema](/wiki/Bauke_Mollema "Bauke Mollema")

| [6](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_6 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 6") | [Nacer Bouhanni](/wiki/Nacer_Bouhanni "Nacer Bouhanni") | [Michał Kwiatkowski](/wiki/Micha%C5%82_Kwiatkowski "Michał Kwiatkowski")

 [Jorge Cubero](/wiki/Jorge_Cubero "Jorge Cubero")

| [7](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_7 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 7") | [Tony Gallopin](/wiki/Tony_Gallopin "Tony Gallopin") | [Alejandro Valverde](/wiki/Alejandro_Valverde "Alejandro Valverde")

 [Alejandro Valverde](/wiki/Alejandro_Valverde "Alejandro Valverde")

 [Alex Aranburu](/wiki/Alex_Aranburu "Alex Aranburu")

| [8](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_8 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 8") | [Alejandro Valverde](/wiki/Alejandro_Valverde "Alejandro Valverde") | [Jorge Cubero](/wiki/Jorge_Cubero "Jorge Cubero")

| [9](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_9 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 9") | [Ben King](/wiki/Ben_King_%28cyclist%29 "Ben King (cyclist)") | [Simon Yates](/wiki/Simon_Yates_%28cyclist%29 "Simon Yates (cyclist)")

 

 [Lluís Mas](/wiki/Llu%C3%ADs_Mas "Lluís Mas")

 [Miguel Ángel López](/wiki/Miguel_%C3%81ngel_L%C3%B3pez_%28cyclist%29 "Miguel Ángel López (cyclist)")

| [10](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_10 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 10") | [Elia Viviani](/wiki/Elia_Viviani "Elia Viviani") | [Peter Sagan](/wiki/Peter_Sagan "Peter Sagan")

 [Jesús Ezquerra](/wiki/Jes%C3%BAs_Ezquerra "Jesús Ezquerra")

| [11](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_1_to_Stage_11%23Stage_11 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 11") | [Alessandro De Marchi](/wiki/Alessandro_De_Marchi_%28cyclist%29 "Alessandro De Marchi (cyclist)") | [Alejandro Valverde](/wiki/Alejandro_Valverde "Alejandro Valverde")

 [Bauke Mollema](/wiki/Bauke_Mollema "Bauke Mollema")

| [12](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_12_to_Stage_21%23Stage_12 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 12") | [Alexandre Geniez](/wiki/Alexandre_Geniez "Alexandre Geniez") | [Jesús Herrada](/wiki/Jes%C3%BAs_Herrada "Jesús Herrada")

 

 [Thomas De Gendt](/wiki/Thomas_De_Gendt "Thomas De Gendt")

| [13](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_12_to_Stage_21%23Stage_13 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 13") | [Óscar Rodríguez](/wiki/%C3%93scar_Rodr%C3%ADguez_%28cyclist%29 "Óscar Rodríguez (cyclist)") | [Gorka Izagirre](/wiki/Gorka_Izagirre "Gorka Izagirre")

| [14](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_12_to_Stage_21%23Stage_14 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 14") | [Simon Yates](/wiki/Simon_Yates_%28cyclist%29 "Simon Yates (cyclist)") | [Simon Yates](/wiki/Simon_Yates_%28cyclist%29 "Simon Yates (cyclist)")

 [Michał Kwiatkowski](/wiki/Micha%C5%82_Kwiatkowski "Michał Kwiatkowski")

| [15](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_12_to_Stage_21%23Stage_15 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 15") | [Thibaut Pinot](/wiki/Thibaut_Pinot "Thibaut Pinot") | [Bauke Mollema](/wiki/Bauke_Mollema "Bauke Mollema")

| [16](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_12_to_Stage_21%23Stage_16 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 16") | [Rohan Dennis](/wiki/Rohan_Dennis "Rohan Dennis") | 

 *not awarded* |
 [Enric Mas](/wiki/Enric_Mas "Enric Mas")

| [17](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_12_to_Stage_21%23Stage_17 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 17") | [Michael Woods](/wiki/Michael_Woods_%28cyclist%29 "Michael Woods (cyclist)") | [Thomas De Gendt](/wiki/Thomas_De_Gendt "Thomas De Gendt")

 [Omar Fraile](/wiki/Omar_Fraile "Omar Fraile")

| [18](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_12_to_Stage_21%23Stage_18 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 18") | [Jelle Wallays](/wiki/Jelle_Wallays "Jelle Wallays") | [Jetse Bol](/wiki/Jetse_Bol "Jetse Bol")

| [19](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_12_to_Stage_21%23Stage_19 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 19") | [Thibaut Pinot](/wiki/Thibaut_Pinot "Thibaut Pinot") | [Simon Yates](/wiki/Simon_Yates_%28cyclist%29 "Simon Yates (cyclist)")

 [Jonathan Castroviejo](/wiki/Jonathan_Castroviejo "Jonathan Castroviejo")

| [20](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_12_to_Stage_21%23Stage_20 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 20") | [Enric Mas](/wiki/Enric_Mas "Enric Mas") | [Jesús Herrada](/wiki/Jes%C3%BAs_Herrada "Jesús Herrada")

| [21](/wiki/2018_Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a%2C_Stage_12_to_Stage_21%23Stage_21 "2018 Vuelta a España, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 21") | [Elia Viviani](/wiki/Elia_Viviani "Elia Viviani") | *not awarded* |
| Final

 [Simon Yates](/wiki/Simon_Yates_%28cyclist%29 "Simon Yates (cyclist)") |
[Alejandro Valverde](/wiki/Alejandro_Valverde "Alejandro Valverde")

[Thomas De Gendt](/wiki/Thomas_De_Gendt "Thomas De Gendt")

 [Simon Yates](/wiki/Simon_Yates_%28cyclist%29 "Simon Yates (cyclist)") |

[Bauke Mollema](/wiki/Bauke_Mollema "Bauke Mollema")

[Enric Mas](/wiki/Enric_Mas "Enric Mas")


Who were the top finishers in stage 19 and why did they get so close?