Combativity award in the Tour de France

Combativity award

Award details
Sport	Road cycling
Competition	Tour de France
Given for	Fighting spirit
Local name	Le Prix de la combativité (French)
History
First award	1952
Editions	62 known (as of 2014)
First winner	Wout Wagtmans (NED)
Most wins	Eddy Merckx (BEL) (4 times)
Most recent	Romain Bardet (FRA)

The combativity award in the Tour de France (also known in English as the most aggressive rider prize)^[1] is a prize given in the Tour de France. It favours constant attackers and since 1981 the winner of the award has not won the general classification in the same Tour.

History

Since 1952,^[2] after every stage the most combative cyclist was given an award, and an overall competition was recorded.^[3] At the end of the 1956 Tour de France, André Darrigade was named the most attacking cyclist.^[4] At this point, the award was given the same importance as the award for the cyclist with the most bad luck, Picot in 1956.

In 1961, the award was not given to an individual cyclist, but to an entire team, the regional team West-South-West.

The system of the award has changed during the years. Historically, riders accumulated points, and the cyclist with the most points at the end of the Tour was declared winner.^[5] The cyclist did not have to finish the race, for example Cyrille Guimard in 1972 did not finish, but still was given the combativity award.

In 1979, the combativity award was initially given to Joop Zoetemelk;^[6] he was later disqualified and Hennie Kuiper received the award.

Current system

In the current system that has been active since 2003, a jury of eight specialists in cycling, selects the most combative cyclist of each stage (excluding time trials).^[7] There is no jersey for the most combative rider of the previous stage, but he can be recognized by the race number worn on his back: it consists of a white number on a red background instead of the usual black on white.^[8] The prize for this rider is € 2000.^[1]

At the end of the Tour de France (usually during the last stage), a "super-combativity award" is given to the most combative cyclist of the race.^[9] The combativity award is currently sponsored by Antargaz, and the prize money is € 20,000.^[1][7]

Winners

As far as known, 61 super combativity awards have been given since 1953.^[10]

		Rider	Team
1953[11]		Wagtmans, WoutWout Wagtmans (NED)	Netherlands
1954[12]		Lazarides, LucienLucien Lazarides (FRA) (victory shared with Mahe, FrancoisFrançois Mahé)
1954[13]		Mahe, FrancoisFrançois Mahé (FRA) (victory shared with Lazarides, LucienLucien Lazarides)
1955[14]		Gaul, CharlyCharly Gaul (LUX)	Luxembourg
1956		Darrigade, AndreAndré Darrigade (FRA)	France
1957		Barone, NicolasNicolas Barone (FRA)	Ile de France
1958		Bahamontes, FedericoFederico Bahamontes (ESP)	Spain
1959		Saint, GerardGérard Saint (FRA)	Saint-Raphaël-Géminiani
1960		Graczyk, JeanJean Graczyk (FRA)	France
1961		Team award (FRA)	Ouest - Sud - Ouest
1962		Pauwels, EddyEddy Pauwels (BEL)	Wiels - Groene Leeuw
1963		Van Looy, RikRik Van Looy (BEL)	G.B.C. - Libertas
1964		Anglade, HenriHenri Anglade (FRA)	Pelforth - Sauvage
1965		Gimondi, FeliceFelice Gimondi (ITA)	Salvarani
1966		Altig, RudiRudi Altig (FRG)	Peugeot - BP - Michelin
1967		Letort, DesireDésiré Letort (FRA)	France
1968		Pingeon, RogerRoger Pingeon (FRA)	France
1969		Merckx, EddyEddy Merckx (BEL)	Faema
1970		Merckx, EddyEddy Merckx (BEL)	Faema
1971		Ocana, LuisLuis Ocaña (ESP)	Bic
1972		Guimard, CyrilleCyrille Guimard (FRA)	Gan - Mercier
1973		Ocana, LuisLuis Ocaña (ESP)	Bic
1974		Merckx, EddyEddy Merckx (BEL)	Team Molteni
1975		Merckx, EddyEddy Merckx (BEL)	Team Molteni
1976		Delisle, RaymondRaymond Delisle (FRA)	Peugeot-BP-Michelin
1977		Knetemann, GerrieGerrie Knetemann (NED)	TI Raleigh
1978		Wellens, PaulPaul Wellens (BEL)	TI Raleigh
1979		Kuiper, HennieHennie Kuiper (NED)	Peugeot
1980		Levavasseur, ChristianChristian Levavasseur (FRA)	Miko - Mercier - Vivagel
1981		Hinault, BernardBernard Hinault (FRA)	Renault
1982		Clere, RegisRégis Clère (FRA)	Coop-Mercier
1983		Demierre, SergeSerge Demierre (SUI)	CILO
1984		Hinault, BernardBernard Hinault (FRA)	La Vie Claire
1985		Ducrot, MaartenMaarten Ducrot (NED)	Kwantum
1986		Hinault, BernardBernard Hinault (FRA)	La Vie Claire
1987		Clere, RegisRégis Clère (FRA)	Teka
1988		Simon, JeromeJérôme Simon (FRA)	Z-Peugeot
1989		Fignon, LaurentLaurent Fignon (FRA)	Super U-Raleigh
1990		Chozas, EduardoEduardo Chozas (ESP)	ONCE
1991		Chiappucci, ClaudioClaudio Chiappucci (ITA)	Carrera Jeans–Tassoni
1992		Chiappucci, ClaudioClaudio Chiappucci (ITA)	Carrera Jeans–Vagabond
1993		Ghirotto, MassimoMassimo Ghirotto (ITA)	ZG Mobili
1994		Poli, ErosEros Poli (ITA)	Mercatone Uno–Medeghini
1995		Buenahora, HernanHernán Buenahora (COL)	Kelme
1996		Virenque, RichardRichard Virenque (FRA)	Festina
1997		Virenque, RichardRichard Virenque (FRA)	Festina
1998		Durand, JackyJacky Durand (FRA)	Casino–Ag2r
1999		Durand, JackyJacky Durand (FRA)	Lotto–Mobistar
2000		Dekker, ErikErik Dekker (NED)	Rabobank
2001		Jalabert, LaurentLaurent Jalabert (FRA)	CSC–Tiscali
2002		Jalabert, LaurentLaurent Jalabert (FRA)	CSC–Tiscali
2003		Vinokourov, AlexanderAlexander Vinokourov (KAZ)	Team Telekom
2004		Virenque, RichardRichard Virenque (FRA)	Quick-Step–Davitamon
2005		Pereiro, OscarÓscar Pereiro (ESP)	Phonak Hearing Systems
2006		Fuente, David de laDavid de la Fuente (ESP)	Saunier Duval–Prodir
2007		Txurruka, AmetsAmets Txurruka (ESP)	Euskaltel–Euskadi
2008		Chavanel, SylvainSylvain Chavanel (FRA)	Cofidis
2009		Pellizotti, FrancoFranco Pellizotti (ITA)	Liquigas
2010		Chavanel, SylvainSylvain Chavanel (FRA)	Quick-Step
2011		Roy, JérémyJérémy Roy (FRA)	FDJ
2012[15]		Anker Sørensen, ChrisChris Anker Sørensen (DEN)	Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
2013		Riblon, ChristopheChristophe Riblon (FRA)	Ag2r–La Mondiale
2014		De Marchi, AlessandroAlessandro De Marchi (ITA)	Cannondale
2015		Bardet, RomainRomain Bardet (FRA)	AG2R La Mondiale

References

1. "Liste des prix/Prize money - Article 7. Classement de la combativité/Most aggressive rider classification" (PDF). ASO. 17 July 2008. p. 79. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
2. "Tour de France: An alternative view of the ultimate road race". The Independent. 6 July 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
3. "Premies voor Van der Pluym en Stolker". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 14 July 1956. p. 11. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
4. "Klassementen". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 30 July 1956. p. 5. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
5. Eddy van der Mark. "Tour Xtra:Combativity Classification". CvccBike. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
6. "Zoetemelk strijdlustigste". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 23 July 1979. p. 13. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
7. "Tour de France 2008 - Rules". ASO. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
8. "Règlement de l'Épreuve - Article 10: Maillots des leaders" (PDF) (in French). ASO. 17 July 2008. p. 61. Retrieved 24 April 2009. Par ailleurs, le coureur combatif sera identifié par deux dossards spécifiques avec chiffres blancs sur fond rouge. line feed character in |quote= at position 49 (help)
9. "Règlement de l'Épreuve - Article 24f: Prix de la Combativité" (PDF) (in French). ASO. 17 July 2008. p. 69. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
10. "Le Tour en chiffres" (PDF) (in French). Amaury Sport Organisation. p. 126. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
11. "Nederlandse ploeg won in totaal f 70.000 aan prijzen en premies". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 27 July 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
12. "Bobet onbetwist winnaar van Tour de France". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 2 August 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
13. "Bobet onbetwist winnaar van Tour de France". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 2 August 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
14. "Klassementen". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 1 August 1955. p. 3. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
15. "Cyclisme - Tour - Sorensen, le Super-Combatif". Lequipe.fr. 2012-07-21. Retrieved 2013-07-23.