Combativity award
Encyclopedia
The combativity award, 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 whole Tour.
was named the most attacking cyclist.
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. 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
; he was later disqualified and Hennie Kuiper
received the award.
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. The combativity award is currently sponsored by Brandt
, and the prize money is € 20,000.
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
. It favours constant attackers and since 1981 the winner of the award has not won the whole Tour.
History
Since 1952, after every stage the most combative cyclist was given an award, and an overall competition was recorded. At the end of the 1956 Tour de France, André DarrigadeAndré Darrigade
André Darrigade was a French professional road bicycle racer between 1951 and 1966. Darrigade, a road sprinter won the 1959 World Championship and 22 stages of the Tour de France. Five of those were on the first day. The record has never been equalled.-Origins:André Darrigade was born at Narosse,...
was named the most attacking cyclist.
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. The cyclist did not have to finish the race, for example Cyrille Guimard
Cyrille Guimard
Cyrille Guimard is a French former professional road racing cyclist who became a directeur sportif and then a television commentator...
in 1972 did not finish, but still was given the combativity award.
In 1979, the combativity award was initially given to Joop Zoetemelk
Joop Zoetemelk
Hendrik Gerardus Jozef "Joop" Zoetemelk is a retired professional racing cyclist from the Netherlands who has emigrated to France. He started the Tour de France 16 times and finished every time, a record. He won the race in 1980 and also came eighth, fifth, fourth and second...
; he was later disqualified and Hennie Kuiper
Hennie Kuiper
Hennie Kuiper is a Dutch former professional road racing cyclist. His career includes a gold medal in the Olympic road race at Munich in 1972, becoming world professional road race champion in 1975, as well as winning four of the five “Monument” classics...
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). There is no jersey for the most combative rider of the previous stage, but he can be recognized from his back number: it is marked with a white number on a red background instead of the usual black on white. The prize for this rider is € 2000.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. The combativity award is currently sponsored by Brandt
Brandt
- People :* Andy Brandt , Canadian politician* Arthur William Brandt , American engineer* Augusto Brandt , South American classical musician and composer* Bill Brandt , British photographer and photojournalist...
, and the prize money is € 20,000.