It is by no means enough to be the fastest professional in the field. Bonus classifications can give you a decisive advantage. You can find out how the different Tour de France classifications work in detail here.
How to win the overall standings
The overall leader of the Tour de France is the rider who has covered the distance ridden so far in the shortest time. Points play a role in the awarding of the Yellow jerseys The first riders at the finish and the first riders on difficult passes receive bonus seconds. On the following summits, the first rider receives eight seconds time credit, the second-placed rider receives five seconds and the third two seconds:
- Stage 2: Mûr-de-Bretagne
- Stage 7: Signal d'Uchon
- Stage 8: Col de la Colombière
- Stage 11: Mont Ventoux
- Stage 14: Col de Saint-Louis
- Stage 15: Col de Beixalis
Henri Desgrange had the idea for the yellow colour as early as 1919, inspired by the yellow of his newspaper L'Auto, which sponsored the race. The first driver to wear yellow was the Frenchman Eugene Christophe in the same year.
The best young professional under the age of 26 will receive the white jersey honoured. The most aggressive rider of the previous day receives a red back number. At the end of the tour, the "Super combatif", who was characterised by his offensive driving style during the three weeks.
How to become the best climber in the Tour de France
Being a good climber is not enough, you also have to be good at maths. Following the reorganisation of the points system a few years ago, the major passes in the Alps now score a disproportionately high number of points in the battle for the top prize. dotted mountain jersey in. Those who are first on smaller mountains, on the other hand, collect comparatively few points. Here is an overview of the total points awarded for all categories:
Hors Catégorie20-15-12-10-8-6-4-2 for the first eightz.B. Mont Ventoux1.Kategorie10-8-6-4-2-1 for the first sixz.B. Col de la Colombière2.Kategorie5-3-2-1 for the first fourz.B. Cormet de Roselend3.Kategorie2-1 for the first twoz.B.Mûr-de-Bretagne4.Kategorie1 for the firstz.B. Col de Couz
How to become the best sprinter in the Tour de France
Also in the fight for the Green jersey of the best sprinter, a tactical approach is required, as top placings in the bunch sprints alone are unlikely to be enough to win this special classification. Those who consistently finish in the top five in the bunch sprints and also skilfully place themselves in breakaway groups to win intermediate sprints have the best chances of reaching Paris in green. Basically, the stages have different coefficients and depending on the coefficient, there are different amounts of sprint points for the first fifteen placed riders:
Coefficient 1 and 2Stages 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11, 14, 19, 2150-30-20-18-16- 14-12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2 points Coefficient 3Stages 2, 4, 6, 12, 1630-25-22-19-17-15-13-11-9-7-6-5-4-3-2 points Coefficient 4 and 5Stages 8, 9, 13, 15, 17, 1820-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 pointsCoefficient 6Stage 20 (EZF)20-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 pointsIntermediate sprint on each stage20-17-15-13-11-10- 9-8-7-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 points
Further information can be found in the official race regulations. The link to the free PDF download (in English and French) can be found below. Attention: The regulations have not been translated into English without errors. The French version takes precedence over the English translation!
Calculation example: How the time limit works
A complicated part of the race rules is the calculation of the time limit on the individual stages, although the principle sounds so simple: Anyone who crosses the finish line significantly later than the winner after the grace period is no longer allowed to compete in the next stage. This grace period is calculated by adding a percentage to the stage winner's time.
The percentage depends on a coefficient of the stage; this is between one and six, depending on the type and difficulty of the stage. The average speed of the winner is also important. The faster the rider rides, the higher the bonus for those who are left behind.
Our example: Stage 8 of this year's Tour, which covers 151 kilometres from Oyonnax to Le Grand Bornand. According to the regulations, this stage has a coefficient of 4, which means that the percentage is between 7 and 18 per cent, depending on the average speed of the winner.
If the stage is won after 4:47:19 hours at an average speed of 35.5 km/h, 13 per cent is added to the winner's time according to the regulations. The sprinters and water carriers can therefore arrive at the finish 37:20 minutes after the winner without being removed from the overall classification.
In the individual time trial (5th and 20th stage), each classified with coefficient 6, a rider may take 30 per cent longer than the day's winner(s). The jury also has the option of increasing the time limit in justified cases - for example in particularly difficult race conditions.
Prize money: This is what you can earn at the Tour de France
The overall winner will be handsomely rewarded with half a million euros, the runner-up will receive 200,000 euros and third place 100,000 euros. The winners of the special classifications for sprint and mountain points each receive 25,000 euros; the best young professional can take home 20,000 euros. The wearer of one of these three jerseys receives 300 euros per day.
Whilst the top pros can earn a tidy sum, the smaller teams in particular have their eyes on the numerous intermediate classifications: Intermediate sprints won are worth 1,500 euros, while 800 euros are up for grabs for the first rider at the top of a Hors Catégorie climb. Further details on the prize money can be found in the downloadable PDF of the regulations below.
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