What is the points system for the Tour de France?

Question

I'd hate to be a stupidhead, but shouldn't the winner be the person that wins the last stage? And the winner of the first stage should start first in the next and so on? Please don't flame me. Thanks -TGWTC

? · Accepted Answer

Points only apply to things like who wins the most important sprints or climbs.  The maillot jaune (yellow jersey) goes to the person that spent the least amount of time on the bike for all the stages.  There are usually only a couple of stages where people go out at different times (time trials).  With those (almost always 2 or 3 of the stages), you have set interval starts and race against the clock anyway and not each other.  The other stages are mass start.  In today's stage, for example, everyone started 3 minutes apart.

So, in a way, the winner time-wise _does_ start first on the clock, just at the same time at the beginning of the day.

There are 2 times.  The times for the day, and the total time in the general classification (GC), which is all your times for the stages added up to that point.  So, if I stand 8 seconds ahead of you in the GC, you need to get to the finish line 8 seconds before me on the next day to tie me in the GC.

The main reason to do it this way instead of sending people out at different times every day is it allows tactics.  If I was 8 seconds ahead of everybody and started 8 seconds before everyone on the next day, I'd be by myself and would be gobbled up by the peleton in the first mile, whereas if I'm just on record as being 8 seconds ahead and start with everyone else, I'll maintain that advantage.  It's all about tactics, and makes stage racing more interesting.

The point system for sprinting and climbing, on the other hand, is complicated and has a bunch of rules I've never bothered to learn and, in fact, may change every once in a while.  But, as far as I know, they don't award time bonuses (I'd have to check on that).  Many stage races do, though.

Jersey colors...

- Yellow : fastest time summed up from all the stages
- White : fastest time summed up from all the stages for a rider under a certain age (best young rider)
- Green : most points in sprint competition over the tour, awarded at select sprint areas
- Polka dot : most points in climbing competition over the tour, awarded at certain climbs

You can wear more than one jersey at a time (i.e. you can be both best young rider and the best climber at the same time).

What is the points system for the Tour de France?

1 Answer