- Combativity award
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Combativity award 
Award details Sport Road Cycling Competition Tour de France Given for Fighting spirit Local name(s) Le Prix de la combativité (French) History First award 1952 Editions 59 known (as of 2011) First winner 
Wout Wagtmans (NED)Most wins 
Eddy Merckx (BEL) (4 times)Most recent 
Jérémy Roy (FRA)The combativity award, (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 whole Tour.
Contents
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 from his back number: it is marked with 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 Brandt, and the prize money is € 20,000.[1][7]
Winners
As far as known, 60 super combativity awards have been given since 1953.[10]
References
- ^ a b c "Liste des prix/Prize money - Article 7. Classement de la combativité/Most aggressive rider classification". ASO. 17 July 2008. p. 79. http://www.letour.fr/2008/TDF/COURSE/docs/reglement_fr_us.pdf. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
- ^ "Tour de France: An alternative view of the ultimate road race". The Independent. 6 July 2007. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/tour-de-france-an-alternative-view-of-the-ultimate-road-race-456215.html. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
- ^ "Premies voor Van der Pluym en Stolker" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant: p. 11. 14 July 1956. http://www.archiefleeuwardercourant.nl/site/article.do?code=LC&date=19560714&id=LC-19560714-11001. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
- ^ "Klassementen" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant: p. 5. 30 July 1956. http://www.archiefleeuwardercourant.nl/site/article.do?code=LC&date=19560730&id=LC-19560730-5007&words=+(+klassement)%20klassement. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
- ^ Eddy van der Mark. "Tour Xtra:Combativity Classification". CvccBike. http://www.cvccbike.com/tour/eddy/xtra_bestanden/combativity.htm. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
- ^ "Zoetemelk strijdlustigste" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant: p. 13. 23 July 1979. http://www.archiefleeuwardercourant.nl/site/article.do?code=LC&date=19790723&id=LC-19790723-13004&words=+(+strijdlustigste)%20strijdlustigst. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
- ^ a b "Tour de France 2008 - Rules". ASO. http://www.letour.fr/2008/TDF/LIVE/us/reglements.html. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
- ^ "Règlement de l'Épreuve - Article 10: Maillots des leaders" (in French). ASO. 17 July 2008. p. 61. http://www.letour.fr/2008/TDF/COURSE/docs/reglement_fr_us.pdf. Retrieved 24 April 2009. "Par ailleurs, le coureur combatif sera identifié par deux dossards spécifiques avec chiffres blancs sur fond rouge."
- ^ "Règlement de l'Épreuve - Article 24f: Prix de la Combativité" (in French). ASO. 17 July 2008. p. 69. http://www.letour.fr/2008/TDF/COURSE/docs/reglement_fr_us.pdf. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
- ^ "Le Tour en chiffres" (in French). Amaury Sport Organisation. p. 126. http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/docs/histo2009_06.pdf. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
- ^ "Nederlandse ploeg won in totaal f 70.000 aan prijzen en premies" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant: p. 5. 27 July 1953. http://www.archiefleeuwardercourant.nl/site/article.do?code=LC&date=19530727&id=LC-19530727-3011&words=+(+klassement)%20klassement. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
- ^ "Bobet onbetwist winnaar van Tour de France" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant: p. 3. 2 August 1954. http://www.archiefleeuwardercourant.nl/site/article.do?code=LC&date=19540802&id=LC-19540802-4005&words=+(+klassement)%20klassement. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
- ^ "Klassementen" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant: p. 3. 1 August 1955. http://www.archiefleeuwardercourant.nl/site/article.do?code=LC&date=19550801&id=LC-19550801-3002&words=+(+klassement)%20klassement. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
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