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| Award details | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Road Cycling |
| Competition | Tour de France |
| Given for | Best sprinter |
| Local name(s) | Maillot vert (French) |
| History | |
| First award | 1953 |
| Editions | 56 |
| First winner |  Fritz Schär (SUI) |
| Most wins |  Erik Zabel (GER)
|
| Most recent |  Thor Hushovd (NOR) |
The points classification in the Tour de France is a secondary classification in the Tour de France, that started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is considered a sprinter's competition. The leader is indicated by a green jersey.
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History
After scandals in the 1904 Tour de France, the rules of the 1905 Tour de France were changed: the winner was no longer determined by the time system, but with the points system. The cyclists received points, equal to their ranking in the stage, and the cyclist with the least points was the leader of the race. After the 1912 Tour de France, the system was changed back to the time system that is still in use.
In the 1953 Tour de France, to celebrate the 50th birthday of the Tour de France, the points system was reintroduced, but this time as an additional classification. Because the leader in the general classification wears a yellow jersey, the leader in the points classification also received a special jersey, a green jersey (French: maillot vert). The color green was chosen because the sponsor was a lawn mower producer.
In the first years, the cyclist only received penalty points for not finishing with a high place, so the cyclist with the least points was awarded the green jersey. From 1959 on, the system was changed so the cyclists were awarded points for high place finishes (with first place getting the most points, and lower placings getting successively fewer points), so the cyclist with the most points was awarded the green jersey.
In 1968 the jersey was red, to please the sponsor[1].
Whereas the yellow jersey is awarded for the lowest cumulative time in the race, the green jersey reflects points gained for high placings on each stage and intermediate "hot spots," especially during the flat stages of the Tour. It is widely thought of as the "sprinter's competition," since the riders generally remain together in one large peloton during flat stages, leaving those with the fastest acceleration at the end to fight for the stage win. The intermediate sprints were formerly for an additional red jersey, with the points for the green a 'side-effect'; however, this was later scrapped, and they are now part of the green jersey competition.
Current situation
Like all classification jerseys in the Tour, the maillot vert is made by American sportswear giant Nike. It has been sponsored by PMU, the French national parimutuel betting scheme, since 1991.
Riders can lose points for various infractions to the rules, which means some riders finish the Tour with a negative points tally.[2]
Currently, the points classification is calculated by adding up the points collected in the stage and subtracting penalty points. Points are rewarded for the first cyclists to cross the finish-line or the intermediate sprint line, and for the cyclists with the fastest times in the prologue or individual time trials, according to the following scheme[3]
| Type | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th | 16th | 17th | 18th | 19th | 20th | 21st | 22nd | 23rd | 24th | 25th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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"flat" stage finish | 35 | 30 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
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"medium mountain" stage finish | 25 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||
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"high mountain" stage finish | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||
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prologue/individual time trial | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| intermediate sprint | 6 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Before the start of the Tour de France, the organization declares which stages are considered "flat", "medium mountain" or "high mountain". When the order in which cyclists crossed the line cannot be determined or when cyclists score exactly the same time in the prologue/individual time trial, the cyclists divide the points (rounded up to the nearest 1/2 point). A cyclist that does not finish a stage, is removed from the points classification. After every stage, the leader in the points classification is given a green jersey. In the event of a tie in the ranking, the cyclist with the most stage victories is the leader. If that is also a tie, the number of intermediate sprint victories indicates the leader. If that is also a tie, the general classification (yellow jerseyclassification) determines the leader. At the end of the Tour de France, the cyclist leading the points classification is the winner of the green jersey.
Winners
Repeat winners of the points classification
| Rank | Name | Country | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erik Zabel | Germany |
6 | 1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001 |
| 2 | Seán Kelly |  Ireland |
4 | 1982,1983,1985,1989 |
| 3 | Jan Janssen |  Netherlands |
3 | 1964,1965,1967 |
| Eddy Merckx |  Belgium |
3 | 1969,1971,1972 | |
| Freddy Maertens | Belgium |
3 | 1976,1978,1981 | |
| Djamolidine Abdoujaparov |  Uzbekistan |
3 | 1991,1993,1994 | |
| Robbie McEwen |  Australia |
3 | 2002,2004,2006 | |
| 8 | Stan Ockers | Belgium |
2 | 1955,1956 |
| Jean Graczyk |  France |
2 | 1958,1960 | |
| André Darrigade | France |
2 | 1959,1961 | |
| Laurent Jalabert | France |
2 | 1992,1995 | |
| Thor Hushovd | Norway |
2 | 2005,2009 |
Winners of the points classification by year
References
- ^ Tour Xtra: Green Jersey
- ^ "Le Tour 101". cyclingnews.com. http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/?id=features/FAQ. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
- ^ "Regulations of the race". ASO/letour.fr. http://www.letour.fr/2006/TDF/LIVE/docs/reglement_2006_us.pdf. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
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