Team classification in the Tour de France

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Team classification
Jersey yellow number.svg
SportRoad bicycle racing
CompetitionTour de France
Awarded forBest team
Local nameClassement d'équipes  (French)
History
First award1930
Editions85 (as of 2021)
First winnerFrance
Most recentTeam Bahrain Victorious

The team classification is a prize given in the Tour de France to the best team in the race. It has been awarded since 1930, and the calculation has changed throughout the years. There is no colored jersey for this, but the numbers on the jerseys of the members of the team with the best performance in the general classification at the end of the previous stage are against a yellow background instead of white.

History[]

The "Challenge Martini" trophy for 1956, won by the Belgian national team

In the early years of the Tour de France, cyclists entered as individuals. Although they had sponsors, they were not allowed to work as a team, because tour organiser Henri Desgrange wanted the Tour de France to be a display of individual strength. In those years, cyclists could also participate unsponsored. They were categorized under different names;[1] 1909-1914: Isolés; 1919: Categorie B; 1920-1922: 2° Classe; 1923-1926: Touristes-Routiers; 1937: Individuels.

In 1930, Henri Desgrange gave up the idea that cyclist should race individually, and changed the format to real teams. He was still against sponsors assistance, so the cyclists were grouped in countries. This was the situation in the Tours of 19301961 and 19671968. Between 1962 and 1966 and after 1969, sponsored teams entered the race.

At the introduction of teams in 1930, a prize for the winning team was introduced, then called the Challenge international.[2] In 1930, the classification was calculated by adding the times of the three best cyclists in the general classification.[3]

In 1961, the calculation was changed. The team classification was changed into a points system, where a team received one point for the best team-time in the stage, and the team with the most points was the winner. This system was also used in 1962, but in 1963 the calculation was reverted to the time calculation. In the 1970s, this system was reintroduced as the team points competition, although in a different way: after every stage, all cyclists received points (1 for the winner, 2 for the second, etc.) and these were added, and the team with the fewest points was the winner of the team points classification.[4]

Between 1952 and 1990, the team classification leaders could be recognized by yellow caps, until helmets became mandatory.[5][6] Since 2006 the best team has worn black on yellow back numbers.[3][6] Beginning in 2012 the best team was awarded the right, but not the obligation, to wear yellow helmets.[7][8]

Status[]

The team classification is considered less important than the individual general classification, and it is rare that a team starts the Tour with the main goal of winning the team classification. If during the race a team is in a good position to win the team classification, the team may change tactics in order to win.[3]

When Lance Armstrong lost hopes of winning in 2010, he instructed his teammates to keep an eye on their main rivals for the team classification, and his Team RadioShack won the team classification.[3]

A good performance in the team classification may help a team to qualify for the next Tour de France. In 2010, a system was set up to determine which teams qualify as UCI ProTeams, and the team classification in the Tour de France was part of this system.[3]

Calculation[]

As of 2011, the team classification is calculated by adding the times of the three best riders of each team per stage; time bonuses and penalties are ignored. In a team time trial, the team gets the time of the fifth rider of that team to cross the finish, or the last rider if there are fewer than five left for the team. If a team has fewer than three cyclists remaining, it is removed from this classification.

Winners[]

Team classification[]

Team classification winners[9][10]
Year Team
1930 France France
1931 Belgium Belgium
1932 Italy Italy
1933 France France
1934 France France
1935 Belgium Belgium
1936 Belgium Belgium
1937 France France
1938 Belgium Belgium
1939 Belgium Belgium B[a]
1947 Italy Italy
1948 Belgium Belgium A[a]
1949 Italy Italy A[a]
1950 Belgium Belgium A[a]
1951 France France
1952 Italy Italy
1953 Netherlands Netherlands
1954 Switzerland Switzerland
1955 France France
1956 Belgium Belgium
Year Team
1957 France France
1958 Belgium Belgium
1959 Belgium Belgium
1960 France France
1961 France France
1962 France Saint-Raphaël–Helyett–Hutchinson
1963 France Saint-Raphaël–Gitane–R. Geminiani
1964 France Pelforth–Sauvage–Lejeune
1965 Spain Kas–Kaskol
1966 Spain Kas–Kaskol
1967 France France
1968 Spain Spain
1969 Belgium Faema
1970 Italy Salvarani
1971 France Bic
1972 France Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson
1973 France Bic
1974 Spain Kas–Kaskol
1975 France Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson
1976 Spain Kas–Campagnolo
Year Team
1977 Netherlands TI–Raleigh
1978 France Miko��Mercier–Vivagel
1979 France Renault–Gitane
1980 France Miko–Mercier–Vivagel
1981 France Peugeot–Esso–Michelin
1982 France COOP–Mercier–Mavic
1983 Netherlands TI–Raleigh–Campagnolo
1984 France Renault–Elf
1985 France La Vie Claire
1986 France La Vie Claire
1987 France Système U
1988 Netherlands PDM–Ultima–Concorde
1989 Netherlands PDM–Concorde
1990 France Z–Tomasso
1991 Spain Banesto
1992 Italy Carrera Jeans–Vagabond
1993 Italy Carrera Jeans–Tassoni
1994 France Festina–Lotus
1995 Spain ONCE
1996 France Festina–Lotus
Year Team
1997 Germany Team Telekom
1998 France Cofidis
1999 Spain Banesto
2000 Spain Kelme–Costa Blanca
2001 Spain Kelme–Costa Blanca
2002 Spain ONCE–Eroski
2003 Denmark Team CSC
2004 Germany T-Mobile Team
2005 Germany T-Mobile Team
2006 Germany T-Mobile Team
2007 United States Discovery Channel
2008 Denmark CSC–Saxo Bank
2009 Kazakhstan Astana
2010 United States Team RadioShack
2011 United States Garmin–Cervélo
2012 United States RadioShack–Nissan
2013 Denmark Saxo–Tinkoff
2014 France Ag2r–La Mondiale
2015 Spain Movistar Team
2016 Spain Movistar Team
Year Team
2017 United Kingdom Team Sky
2018 Spain Movistar Team
2019 Spain Movistar Team
2020 Spain Movistar Team
2021 Bahrain Team Bahrain Victorious

Team points classification[]

Between 1973 and 1989, there was an additional team points classification.[4]

Team points classification winners
Year Team
1973 France Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson
1974 France Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson
1975 France Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson
1976 France Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson
1977 France Peugeot–Esso–Michelin
1978 Netherlands TI–Raleigh–McGregor
1979 France Renault–Gitane
1980 Netherlands TI–Raleigh–Creda
Year Team
1981 France Peugeot–Esso–Michelin
1982 Netherlands TI–Raleigh–Campagnolo
1983 Netherlands TI–Raleigh–Campagnolo
1984 Netherlands Panasonic–Raleigh
1985 France La Vie Claire
1986 Netherlands Panasonic–Merckx–Agu
1987 France Système U
1988 Netherlands PDM–Ultima–Concorde

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d In some years, countries entered multiple teams. In 1939, Belgium entered two teams and won the team competition with team B. In 1948 and 1950, Belgium won with team A. In 1949, Italy entered two teams and won the team competition with team A.

References[]

  1. ^ "Tour Xtra: General Team Classification".
  2. ^ Official Tour de France history 1930 Archived 2010-07-16 at the Wayback Machine (in French)
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Five good reasons to follow the team classification". Letour.fr. Amaury Sport Organisation. 28 June 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "Tour Xtra: Other Classifications".
  5. ^ van den Akker 2018, p. 148.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Nauright & Parrish 2012, p. 455.
  7. ^ "Team Standings: Sky's Yellow Helmet - News stage 1". Archived from the original on 2012-07-05. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  8. ^ Decaluwé, Brecht (1 July 2012). "RadioShack-Nissan aims to defend yellow with stage win". cyclingnews.com.
  9. ^ "Past winners". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  10. ^ "Tour de France winners, podium, times". BikeRaceInfo. McGann Publishing. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.

Bibliography[]

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