Tour Xtra

Combativity Classification

History

The Combativity Classification was introduced to award the most combative rider(s). There is no jersey to mark the leader in this classification. However, several years ago, a new way to mark the leader in this classification was introduced: he wears a white-on-red number on the back of his shirt, while all other riders wear black-on-white ones. This method is still being used.

Most Combative Riders 1953-2009

(possibly incomplete until 1978)

 

1953 – Wout Wagtmans (Ned)

1954 – Lucien Lazarides (Fra) &

            François Mahé (Fra) ex aequo

1955 – Charly Gaul (Lux)

1956 – André Darrigade (Fra)

 

1958 – André Darrigade (Fra)

1959 – Gérard Saint (Fra)

1960 – Jean Graczyk (Fra)

 

1963 – Rik Van Looy (Bel)

 

1965 – Felice Gimondi (Ita)

1966 – Rudi Altig (FRG)

1967 – Désiré Letort (Fra)

1968 – Roger Pingeon (Fra)

1969 – Eddy Merckx (Bel)

1970 – Eddy Merckx (Bel)

1971 – Luis Ocaña (Esp)

1972 – Cyrille Guimard (Fra)

1973 – Luis Ocaña (Esp)

1974 – Eddy Merckx (Bel)

 

1976 – Raymond Delisle (Fra)

1977 – Gerrie Knetemann (Ned)

 

1979 – Joop Zoetemelk (Ned)

1980 – Christian Levavasseur (Fra)

1981 – Bernard Hinault (Fra)

1982 – Régis Clère (Fra)

1983 – Serge Demierre (Sui)

1984 – Bernard Hinault (Fra)

1985 – Maarten Ducrot (Ned)

If you happen to know the winners of the Combativity Classification in the years missing in the above list, I would be very glad to receive information and/or winners’ lists.

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Calculation 2009

 

Every day, a jury appoints one rider as the most combative one. On the final day, this jury announces the most combative rider of the entire Tour. This rider must have finished the Tour to be eligible for this title.

 

Before 2003, the jury awarded points for the most combative rider(s) and the daily points were accumulated into the General Combativity Classification.

Xtra Index | Yellow | Green | Polka Dot | White | Team | Others

Time Trials | Rider Records | Tour Records | Other Trivia

Xtra Index

 

Yellow Jersey

Green Jersey

Polka Dot Jersey

White Jersey

General Team

Others

 

Time Trials

Rider Records

Tour Records

Other Trivia

The Red Jersey once marked the leader in the Intermediate Sprints Classification, which was first calculated in 1971, when Belgian Pieter Nassen won this competitions. The life of the Red Jersey itself was short: 1984-1989.

 

The first rider to receive a Red Jersey was Belgian Ludo Peeters. Because he was the keeper of the Yellow Jersey as well after the first stage of the 1984 Tour, number two Jacques Hanegraaf from the Netherlands wore the Red Jersey the next day. Hanegraaf later brought the jersey to Paris. See also Green Jersey.

Winners 1971-1989

 

1971 – Pieter Nassen (Bel)

1972 – Willy Teirlinck (Bel)

1973 – Marc Demeyer (Bel)

1974 – Barry Hoban (GBr)

1975 – Marc Demeyer (Bel)

1976 – Robert Mintkiewicz (Fra)

1977 – Pierre Villemaine (Fra)

1978 – Jacques Bossis (Fra)

1979 – Willy Teirlinck (Bel)

Intermediate Sprints Classification

1980 – Rudy Pevenage (Bel)

1981 – Freddy Maertens (Bel)

1982 – Sean Kelly (Irl)

1983 – Sean Kelly (Irl)

 

1984 – Jacques Hanegraaf (Ned)

1985 – Jef Lieckens (Bel)

1986 – Gerrit Solleveld (Ned)

1987 – Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (Fra)

1988 – Frans Maassen (Ned)

1989 – Sean Kelly (Irl)

1986 – Bernard Hinault (Fra)

1987 – Pedro Delgado (Esp)

1988 – Jérôme Simon (Fra)

1989 – Laurent Fignon (Fra)

1990 – Eduardo Chozas (Esp)

1991 – Claudio Chiappucci (Ita)

1992 – Claudio Chiappucci (Ita)

1993 – Massimo Ghirotto (Ita)

1994 – Eros Poli (Ita)

1995 – Hernán Buenahora (Col)

1996 – Richard Virenque (Fra)

1997 – Richard Virenque (Fra)

1998 – Jacky Durand (Fra)

1999 – Jacky Durand (Fra)

2000 – Erik Dekker (Ned)

2001 – Laurent Jalabert (Fra)

2002 – Laurent Jalabert (Fra)

2003 – Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz)

2004 – Richard Virenque (Fra)

2005 – Oscar Pereiro (Esp)

2006 – David De la Fuente (Esp)

2007 – Amets Txurruka (Esp)

2008 – Sylvain Chavanel (Fra)

2009 – Franco Pellizotti (Ita)

2010 –

 

1 Sean Kelly (Irl)

2 Willy Teirlinck (Bel)

— Marc Demeyer (Bel)

3

2
2

1982-1983-1989

1972-1979

1973-1975

Most Sprints Classification wins per rider

(includes period 1971-1983, when no Red Jersey was awarded)

Thanks to Pieter van den Akker for some of this info