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.jpg) Jasper Philipsen wearing the green jersey at the2023 Tour de France | |
| Sport | Road bicycle racing |
|---|---|
| Competition | Tour de France |
| Awarded for | Best sprinter |
| Local name | Maillot vert (French) |
| History | |
| First award | 1953 |
| Editions | 73 (as of2025) |
| First winner |  Fritz Schär (SUI) |
| Most wins |  Peter Sagan (SVK)
|
| Most recent |  Jonathan Milan (ITA) |
Thepoints classification (French:classement par points) is a secondary competition in theTour de France, which started in1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in apoints classification. It is considered a sprinters' competition. The leader is indicated by agreen jersey (French:maillot vert), which has become ametonym for the points classification competition.
The system has inspired many other cycling races; the other twoGrand Tours have also installed points classifications: theVuelta a España since1955, also using a green jersey, and theGiro d'Italia since1966. Peter Sagan is the most successful cyclist in the history of the points classification competition with seven green jerseys.
After scandals in the1904 Tour de France, the rules of the1905 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 fewest points was the leader of the race. After the1912 Tour de France, the system was changed back to the time system that is still in use.
In the1953 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, agreen jersey. The color green was chosen to reflect the brand color of its sponsor, much as the yellow jersey was chosen to mirror the colour of the sponsoring newspaper from which it arose.
In the first years, the cyclist only received penalty points for not finishing with a high place, so the cyclist with the fewest 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.
1968 is the only year the jersey was not green: for that edition of the race, the jersey was red to match a new sponsor.[1][2]
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. The intermediate sprints were formerly for theintermediate sprints classification, with the points for the points classification a 'side-effect'; however, the intermediate sprints classification was later scrapped, but the intermediate sprints remained part of the points classification.
The points classification is widely thought of as the "sprinter's competition", since the most points are scored in flat stages, in which the riders generally remain together in one largepeloton, leaving the best sprinters at the end to fight for the stage win.[3] However, to win the competition a rider will need a reasonable level of all-round skills as well as strong sprinting, since he will need to finish within the time limit on mountain stages to remain in contention, and ideally will be able to contest intermediate sprints during mountain stages as well. For example,Mario Cipollini was one of the best pure sprinters of his era but was never in contention for the points classification because he was unwilling to make it through the mountain stages and finish the race (however, he did finish theGiro d'Italia and won its points classification several times).
On four occasions, the winner of the points classification was also the winner of thegeneral classification: three times byEddy Merckx, and once byBernard Hinault.In1969,Eddy Merckx won the general classification, the points classification and themountains classification (the polka dot jersey was born in 1975), a unique performance in the Tour de France, but as he was leading the race, he cannot conceivably wear all jerseys, so while he wore the yellow jersey, the green-jersey is worn by the person who is second in the points classification standings.
Peter Sagan set the record for the most stages in the lead of aTour de France classification, wearing the green-jersey for 100 days through stage 18 of the 2018 Tour de France.
Two winners of the points classification,Sean Kelly andSam Bennett both hail from the town ofCarrick-on-Suir, Ireland, a town with a population of only 5,771 residents.
The jersey gained its green colour from its first sponsor, La Belle Jardinière, a French clothing store.[contradictory][4] The jersey was sponsored by French betting companyPari Mutuel Urbain [fr] (PMU) for nearly 25 years, with Czech car manufacturerŠkoda becoming the current sponsor in 2015.[5]
The green jersey is the second most important jersey in the Tour de France, after the yellow jersey.[6][7] If a rider is the leader in the general and points classifications he will wear the yellow jersey. The second rider in the points classification will wear the green jersey with some exceptions:
In both cases, the third rider (or the following eligible rider) will wear the green jersey.
As of 2019[update], the points classification is calculated by adding up the points collected in the stage and subtracting penalty points. Points are awarded for the first cyclists to cross the finish line or the intermediate sprint line,[3] and for the cyclists with the fastest times in the prologue or individual time trials, under the following scheme:[11]
| Type | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | "flat" stage finish | 50 | 30 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
 | "hilly finish/medium mountain" stage finish | 30 | 25 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
 | "high mountain" stage finish | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
 | individual time trial | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| intermediate sprint | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
Riders can lose points for various infractions of the rules, which means some riders finish the Tour with a negative points tally.[12]
Before the start of the Tour de France, the organization declares which stages are considered "flat", "medium mountain" or "high mountain". Flat stages typically have few or no categorized climbs (several 4th category and an occasional 3rd category), medium mountain stages have numerous climbs, typically 2nd and 3rd category, and high mountain stages have numerous large climbs, often 1st category orhors catégorie.
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 agreen 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, thegeneral classification determines the leader. At the end of the Tour de France, the cyclist leading the points classification is the winner of thegreen jersey.
The rules have varied over the years. When the system started in 1953, the ranks of each cyclist in a stage were added, and the cyclist with the lowest number of points won. Later, points were given to the first few cyclists in each stage. Even later, the point system started to differentiate for stage type, typically assigning more points to flat stages. Intermediate sprints were also given points.
In 2009, the system had evolved to the following, with either two or three intermediate sprints per stage:[13]
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "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 |
| "medium mountain" stage finish | 25 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| "high mountain" stage finish | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||
| prologue/individual time trial | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| intermediate sprint | 6 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Starting from the 2011 Tour de France, a system very similar to the current one was used:[14]
| Type | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "flat" stage finish | 45 | 35 | 30 | 26 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| "hilly finish/medium mountain" stage finish | 30 | 25 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| "high mountain" stage finish | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| individual time trial | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| intermediate sprint | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
Peter Sagan is the most successful cyclist in the history of the points classification competition with seven green jerseys.Erik Zabel has the most podium finishes, with 12 (6 wins, 2 seconds and 4 thirds).Mark Cavendish has the largest gap between wins; 10 years separating his first and second green jerseys.
after the end of2024 Tour de France
| Rider | Days | Stages |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Sagan (SVK) | 130 | 130 |
 Erik Zabel (GER) | 88 | 89 |
 Freddy Maertens (BEL) | 65 | 70 |
 Sean Kelly (IRL) | 65 | 67 |
 Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (UZB) | 54 | 54 |
 Robbie McEwen (AUS) | 51 | 51 |
 André Darrigade (FRA) | 48 | 51 |
 Mark Cavendish (GBR) | 43 | 43 |
| Jean Graczyk (FRA) | 40 | 40 |
 Thor Hushovd (NOR) | 37 | 37 |
| Eric Vanderaerden (BEL) | 35 | 36 |
 Jan Janssen (NED) | 34 | 39 |
| Eddy Merckx (BEL) | 30 | 35 |
| Tom Boonen (BEL) | 29 | 29 |
| Bernard Hinault (FRA) | 28 | 28 |
| Walter Godefroot (BEL) | 27 | 33 |
| Rik Van Linden (BEL) | 27 | 29 |
| Cyrille Guimard (FRA) | 25 | 28 |
| Rudi Altig (GER) | 25 | 25 |
| Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | 25 | 25 |
André Darrigade1959 (22 stages)Freddy Maertens1976 (27 stages)Some riders wore the jersey in some stages as second in points classification (because the leader wore yellow jersey) and led all other stages:
Sagan would have done the same in2014 and in2018 but in the first case he wore thewhite jersey as leader of that classification and in the second case he wore therainbow jersey.
It owes its colour to its first partner, La Belle Jardinière, a chain of clothing stores established in the 19th century
There is an established order of priority for the different leaders' jerseys: the yellow jersey, followed by the green jersey, then the red polka-dot jersey and finally the white jersey
2.6.018 - [...] If a rider is leading more than one classification, the order of priority of the distinctive jerseys shall be as follows: 1. general classification by time; 2. general classification by points; 3. general climber's classification; 4. others (young rider, combined, etc.); the order of priority among these other jerseys shall be set by the organiser.
When a rider is leading several classifications, he naturally only wears one jersey: the one designated by the order of priority. The other jerseys are then worn by the riders lying 2nd, 3rd or 4th in the corresponding classification
However, if this rider is required to wear his world, continental or national champion's jersey, then he will wear this jersey
2.6.018 - [...] In this situation, the organiser may require another rider next on the relevant classification to wear a jersey which is not being worn by the leader of that classification. However, if this rider must wear his world or national champion's jersey, or the leader's jersey of a UCI cup, circuit, series or classification, he shall wear that jersey.
Media related toPoints classification in the Tour de France at Wikimedia Commons
