Team classification in the Tour de France
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| Award details | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Road bicycle racing |
| Competition | Tour de France |
| Given for | Best team |
| Local name | Classement d'équipes (French) |
| History | |
| First award | 1930 |
| Editions | 79 (as of 2016) |
| First winner | France |
| Most recent | Movistar Team |
The team classification is a prize given in the Tour de France to the best team in the race. It has been awarded since 1930, and the calculation has changed throughout the years. There is no colored jersey for this, but the numbers on the jerseys of the members of the team with the best performance in the general classification at the end of the previous stage are against a yellow background instead of white.
In the early years of the Tour de France, cyclists entered as individuals. Although they had sponsors, they were not allowed to work as a team, because tour organiser Henri Desgrange wanted the Tour de France to be a display of individual strength. In those years, cyclists could also participate unsponsored. They were categorized under different names;1909-1914: Isolés; 1919: Categorie B; 1920-19221922: 2° Classe; 1923-1926: Touristes-Routiers; 1937: Individuels.
In 1930, Henri Desgrange gave up the idea that cyclist should race individually, and changed the format to real teams. He was still against sponsors assistance, so the cyclists were grouped in countries. This was the situation in the Tours of 1930–1961 and 1967–1968. Between 1962 and 1966 and after 1969, sponsored teams entered the race.
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