The Points Classification (classement par points) in the Tour de France was first introduced in 1953.
It’s also called the green jersey or sprinters’ competition and is the second most important classification after the General Classification.
The rider who leads in the Points Classification wears the green jersey from Day 2 through to Day 21. Each day, there are points on offer on intermediate sprint points and stages with a sprint finish.
Points are offered for the first fifteen riders across the sprint points, ranging from 50 (first) to 1 (fifteenth). Before the start of the Tour de France, the organizers will classify each stage as either Flat, Hilly, Mountainous, or Time Trial. Flat stages have higher sprint points compared to Mountainous stages.
Since 2019, changes have been made to how the points are awarded and favor a sprinter that can climb relatively well on hilly stages as compared to an all-out sprinter.
Most Tour de France Points Classification wins
There are a total of 14 riders who have won the Point Classification more than once.
Peter Sagan has won seven green jerseys in the last 10 years, followed by Erik Zabel with six wins and Sean Kelly with four wins.
Mark Cavendish is the latest winner, having won his second Point Classification in 2021, 10 years after he won his first in 2011.
Wins | Winner | Nationality | Year |
---|---|---|---|
7 | Peter Sagan | Slovakia | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 |
6 | Erik Zabel | Germany | 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 |
4 | Sean Kelly | Ireland | 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989 |
3 | Jan Janssen | Netherlands | 1964, 1965, 1967 |
3 | Eddy Merckx | Belgium | 1969, 1971, 1972 |
3 | Freddy Maertens | Belgium | 1976, 1978, 1981 |
3 | Djamolidine Abdoujaparov | Uzbekistan | 1991, 1993, 1994 |
3 | Robbie McEwen | Australia | 2002, 2004, 2006 |
2 | Stan Ockers | Belgium | 1955, 1956 |
2 | Jean Graczyk | France | 1958, 1960 |
2 | André Darrigade | France | 1959, 1961 |
2 | Laurent Jalabert | France | 1992, 1995 |
2 | Thor Hushovd | Norway | 2005, 2009 |
2 | Mark Cavendish | Great Britain | 2011, 2021 |
Most Tour de France Points Classification wins by nationality
Belgian riders are the most successful in the Point Classification with 19 wins with 13 different riders. The last win was by Tom Boonen in 2007.
The Belgian riders also finished second on 17 occasions. The French riders finished third on 13 occasions.
Peter Sagan (Slovakia), Mark Cavendish (Great Britain), Thor Hushvod (Norway), Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (Uzbekistan), and Óscar Freire (Spain) are the sole winners from their respective countries.
Wins | Country | Years | Riders | Last winner |
---|---|---|---|---|
19 | Belgium | 1955, 1956, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1988, 2007 | 13 | Tom Boonen |
9 | France | 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1977, 1979, 1992, 1995 | 7 | Laurent Jalabert |
8 | Germany | 1962, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 | 3 | Erik Zabel |
7 | Slovakia | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 | 1 | Peter Sagan |
5 | Australia | 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2017 | 3 | Michael Matthews |
5 | Ireland | 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989, 2020 | 2 | Sam Bennett |
4 | Netherlands | 1964, 1965, 1967, 1987 | 2 | Jean-Paul van Poppel |
3 | Uzbekistan | 1991, 1993, 1994 | 1 | Djamolidine Abdoujaparov |
2 | Switzerland | 1953, 1954 | 2 | Ferdinand Kübler |
2 | Norway | 2005, 2009 | 1 | Thor Hushvod |
2 | Italy | 1968, 2010 | 2 | Alessandro Petacchi |
2 | United Kingdom | 2011, 2021 | 1 | Mark Cavendish |
1 | Spain | 2008 | 1 | Óscar Freire |
List of all Tour de France Points Classification winners, 1953 to present
Year | Winner | Nationality | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1953 | Fritz Schär | Switzerland | 271 |
1954 | Ferdinand Kübler | Switzerland | 215.5 |
1955 | Stan Ockers | Belgium | 322 |
1956 | Stan Ockers | Belgium | 280 |
1957 | Jean Forestier | France | 301 |
1958 | Jean Graczyk | France | 347 |
1959 | André Darrigade | France | 613 |
1960 | Jean Graczyk | France | 74 |
1961 | André Darrigade | France | 174 |
1962 | Rudi Altig | Germany | 173 |
1963 | Rik Van Looy | Belgium | 275 |
1964 | Jan Janssen | Netherlands | 208 |
1965 | Jan Janssen | Netherlands | 144 |
1966 | Willy Planckaert | Belgium | 211 |
1967 | Jan Janssen | Netherlands | 154 |
1968 | Franco Bitossi | Italy | 241 |
1969 | Eddy Merckx | Belgium | 244 |
1970 | Walter Godefroot | Belgium | 212 |
1971 | Eddy Merckx | Belgium | 202 |
1972 | Eddy Merckx | Belgium | 196 |
1973 | Herman Van Springel | Belgium | 187 |
1974 | Patrick Sercu | Belgium | 283 |
1975 | Rik Van Linden | Belgium | 342 |
1976 | Freddy Maertens | Belgium | 293 |
1977 | Jacques Esclassan | France | 236 |
1978 | Freddy Maertens | Belgium | 242 |
1979 | Bernard Hinault | France | 253 |
1980 | Rudy Pevenage | Belgium | 194 |
1981 | Freddy Maertens | Belgium | 428 |
1982 | Sean Kelly | Ireland | 429 |
1983 | Sean Kelly | Ireland | 360 |
1984 | Frank Hoste | Belgium | 322 |
1985 | Sean Kelly | Ireland | 434 |
1986 | Eric Vanderaerden | Belgium | 277 |
1987 | Jean-Paul van Poppel | Netherlands | 263 |
1988 | Eddy Planckaert | Belgium | 278 |
1989 | Sean Kelly | Ireland | 277 |
1990 | Olaf Ludwig | Germany | 256 |
1991 | Djamolidine Abdoujaparov | Uzbekistan | 316 |
1992 | Laurent Jalabert | France | 293 |
1993 | Djamolidine Abdoujaparov | Uzbekistan | 298 |
1994 | Djamolidine Abdoujaparov | Uzbekistan | 322 |
1995 | Laurent Jalabert | France | 333 |
1996 | Erik Zabel | Germany | 335 |
1997 | Erik Zabel | Germany | 350 |
1998 | Erik Zabel | Germany | 327 |
1999 | Erik Zabel | Germany | 323 |
2000 | Erik Zabel | Germany | 321 |
2001 | Erik Zabel | Germany | 252 |
2002 | Robbie McEwen | Australia | 280 |
2003 | Baden Cooke | Australia | 216 |
2004 | Robbie McEwen | Australia | 272 |
2005 | Thor Hushovd | Norway | 194 |
2006 | Robbie McEwen | Australia | 288 |
2007 | Tom Boonen | Belgium | 256 |
2008 | Óscar Freire | Spain | 270 |
2009 | Thor Hushovd | Norway | 280 |
2010 | Alessandro Petacchi | Italy | 243 |
2011 | Mark Cavendish | Great Britain | 334 |
2012 | Peter Sagan | Slovakia | 421 |
2013 | Peter Sagan | Slovakia | 409 |
2014 | Peter Sagan | Slovakia | 431 |
2015 | Peter Sagan | Slovakia | 432 |
2016 | Peter Sagan | Slovakia | 470 |
2017 | Michael Matthews | Australia | 370 |
2018 | Peter Sagan | Slovakia | 477 |
2019 | Peter Sagan | Slovakia | 316 |
2020 | Sam Bennett | Ireland | 380 |
2021 | Mark Cavendish | Great Britain | 337 |