Catalysts component of the (co)polymerization of alpha-olefins CH.sub.2 .dbd.CHR, wherein R is hydrogen or an alkyl radical having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, comprising a product of the composition:VCL.sub.y.z(b)wherein (b) represents an organic compound selected from alkyl, aryl and acyl halides, y is a number higher than 2 and lower than 4, and preferably comprised between 2.5 and 3.5 and z is a number higher than zero and lower than or equal to 2, and preferably between 0.002 and 1. Components can be obtained as products of the reaction, carried out at temperatures higher than 10.degree. C., between VCl.sub.4 and the compound (b). Particularly preferred among compounds (b) are benzoyl chloride, p-methoxybenzoyl chloride and p-chloro benzoyl chloride. From the components of the invention, either supported or not, catalysts having high activity particularly useful for the production of ethylene polymers showing broad molecular weight distribution can be prepared.