Combination Classification in The Tour de France - History

History

In 1968 the combination classification was introduced in the Tour de France, although at that time it was awarded with a white jersey. The jersey was awarded to the cyclists that did best in all other classifications, the yellow jersey, green jersey and polka dot jersey. It was seen as the jersey for the all-round cyclist. Only cyclists ranking in each of the three other classifications were ranked in the Combination classification. Ranking was established by adding the cyslists' ranks in the three other classifications: 1 point for rank 1, 2 points for rank 2 and so on. Cyclists being at level on ranks for one of the other classifications were added the average of the corresponding points (e.g. 2 cyclists being level at rank 3 where counting (3+4)/2 = 3.5 points). Finally, the lower the sum the better the Combination classification ranking.

From 1975 on, the white jersey was given to the best young cyclist, and the combination classification temporarily disappeared. In 1980, the combination classification was reintroduced, sponsored by French TV-station TF1, therefore officially named Grand Prix TF1. This lasted until 1982, when the combination classification disappeared again. In 1985, the combination classification was again reintroduced, and this time the combination jersey was used. Since 1989, the combination jersey has not been awarded, because the new director Jean-Marie Leblanc wanted to modernise the Tour.

Read more about this topic:  Combination Classification In The Tour De France

Famous quotes containing the word history:

    The foregoing generations beheld God and nature face to face; we, through their eyes. Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe? Why should not we have a poetry and philosophy of insight and not of tradition, and a religion by revelation to us, and not the history of theirs?
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    What has history to do with me? Mine is the first and only world! I want to report how I find the world. What others have told me about the world is a very small and incidental part of my experience. I have to judge the world, to measure things.
    Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951)

    Anyone who is practically acquainted with scientific work is aware that those who refuse to go beyond fact rarely get as far as fact; and anyone who has studied the history of science knows that almost every great step therein has been made by the “anticipation of Nature.”
    Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)