The points classification is a secondary award category in road bicycle racing. Points are given for high finishes and, in some cases, for winning sprints at certain places along the route, most often called intermediate sprints. The points classification is the top prize for many cycling sprinters and is often known as the sprint classification; however, in some stage races these classifications are based on different criteria.
The points classification is arguably the second most important title and cycling jersey to win at a cycling stage race behind the general classification, which is the winner of the event by overall time.
Points classification winners of the Grand Tours
Winners by year
Legend Rider also won General classification Rider also won General and Mountains classification
Year Giro d'Italia Tour de France Vuelta a España1945 Introduced in 1966 Introduced in 1953 (1/1)1953 (1/1) Reintroduced in 19551954 (1/1)1955 (1/2) (1/1)1956 (2/2) (1/1)1957 (1/1) (1/1)1958 (1/2) (1/1)1959 (1/2) (1/3)1960 (2/2) (1/1)1961 (2/2) (1/1)1962 (1/2) (2/2)1963 (2/3) (1/1)1964 (1/5) (1/1)1965 (2/5) (3/3)1966 (1/1) (1/1) (1/1)1967 (1/1) (4/5) (3/5)1968 (1/6) (1/3) (5/5)1969 (2/3) (2/6) (1/1)1970 (3/3) (1/1) (1/1)1971 (1/1) (3/6) (1/1)1972 (1/3) (4/6) (1/2)1973 (6/6) (1/1) (5/6)1974 (2/3) (1/1) (2/2)1975 (3/3) (1/1) (1/1)1976 (1/4) (1/4) (1/1)1977 (2/4) (1/1) (2/4)1978 (3/4) (3/4) (1/1)1979 (1/4) (1/1) (1/1)1980 (2/4) (1/1) (1/8)1981 (3/4) (4/4) (1/1)1982 (4/4) (2/8) (1/1)1983 (4/4) (3/8) (1/1)1984 (1/1) (1/1) (1/1)1985 (1/3) (4/8) (5/8)1986 (1/1) (1/1) (6/8)1987 (2/3) (1/1) (1/1)1988 (3/3) (1/1) (7/8)1989 (1/1) (8/8) (1/1)1990 (1/1) (1/1) (1/2)1991 (1/1) (1/5) (2/2)1992 (1/3) (1/7) (2/5)1993 (1/1) (3/5) (1/2)1994 (4/5) (5/5) (2/7)1995 (2/2) (3/7) (4/7)1996 (1/2) (1/9) (5/7)1997 (2/3) (2/9) (6/7)1998 (1/1) (3/9) (2/2)1999 (7/7) (4/9) (1/1)2000 (1/1) (5/9) (1/1)2001 (1/1) (6/9) (1/1)2002 (3/3) (1/3) (7/9)2003 (1/1) (1/1) (8/9)2004 (1/3) (2/3) (9/9)2005 (1/2) (1/3) (2/3)2006 (2/2) (3/3) (2/3)2007 No winner (1/1) (1/2)2008 (2/2) (1/1) (1/1)2009 (1/1) (3/3) (1/1)2010 (1/1) (3/3) (1/4)2011 (1/1) (2/4) (1/1)2012 (1/1) (1/8) (1/4)2013 (3/4) (2/8) (2/4)2014 (1/1) (3/8) (1/1)2015 (1/2) (4/8) (3/4)2016 (2/2) (5/8) (1/1)2017 (1/1) (1/1) (1/1)2018 (1/1) (6/8) (4/4)2019 (1/1) (7/8) (1/2)2020 (1/2) (1/1) (2/2)2021 (8/8) (4/4) (1/1)2022 (2/2) (1/2) (1/4)2023 (1/3) (1/1) (1/2)2024 (2/3) (1/1) (2/2) 2025 (2/4) (3/3) (3/4)2026 (1/1) (4/4) (2/2)Year Giro d'Italia Tour de France Vuelta a España
A. Alessandro Petacchi was the Points leader but tested positive for elevated levels of salbutamol, resulting in a suspension and forfeiture of all results during the event. No alternate winner was declared.
Most points jerseys
RankRiderTotalGiroTourVuelta 1 9 – 6 (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001) 3 (2002, 2003, 2004)2 8 – 4 (1982, 1983, 1985, 1989) 4 (1980, 1985, 1986, 1988) 8 1 (2021) 7 (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019) – 4 7 1 (1999) 2 (1992, 1995) 4 (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997) 5 6 2 (1968, 1973) 3 (1969, 1971, 1972) 1 (1973)6 5 1 (1994) 3 (1991, 1993, 1994) 1 (1992) 5 – 3 (1964, 1965, 1967) 2 (1967, 1968)8 4 1 (2013) 2 (2011, 2021) 1 (2010) 4 – 3 (1976, 1978, 1981) 1 (1977) 4 4 (1976, 1977, 1978, 1982) – – 4 4 (1979, 1980, 1981, 1983) – – 4 – – 4 (2012, 2013, 2015, 2018) 4 1 (2025) 1 (2026) 2 (2022, 2025)
In 2013, Zabel admitted to taking banned substances from 1996 to 2003, including EPO and the steroid hormone cortisone.
Career triples Winning the points classification in each of the three Grand Tours during a cyclist's career is a significant accomplishment. The Tour/Giro/Vuelta triple has been achieved by six riders:
RiderTotalGiroTourVuelta 6 2 (1968, 1973) 3 (1969, 1971, 1972) 1 (1973) 5 1 (1994) 3 (1991, 1993, 1994) 1 (1992) 7 1 (1999) 2 (1992, 1995) 4 (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997) 3 1 (2004) 1 (2010) 1 (2005) 4 1 (2013) 2 (2011, 2021) 1 (2010)41 (2025)1 (2026)2 (2022, 2025)
Natural doubles Winning the points classification in two Grand Tours in a single year is a rare feat.
Giro d'Italia and Tour de France 1994 Djamolidine Abdoujaparov
Tour de France and Vuelta a España 1962 Rudi Altig 1967 Jan Janssen 1985 Sean Kelly 1995 Laurent Jalabert
Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España 1973 Eddy Merckx 2025 Mads Pedersen
Days leading classification In previous tours, sometimes a stage was broken in two (or three). "Days" column gives the number of times the cyclist was a classification leader at the end of the day. Numbers in brackets include split stages.
after the end of 2026 Tour de France Legend Current records Rider was leading in all Grand Tours
RankRiderDaysLeading spanGiroTourVuelta1 Peter Sagan1492011–20211413052 Sean Kelly148 (151)1979–1989065 (67)83 (84)3 Erik Zabel141 (142)1996–2007088 (89)534 Laurent Jalabert1051990–1999225785 Freddy Maertens93 (102)1976–19819 (12)65 (70)19 (20)6 Eddy Merckx84 (91)1968–1974 (1975)51 (52)30 (35)3 (4)7 Mark Cavendish812009–20212343158 Roger De Vlaeminck76 (81)1969–198467 (71)8 (9)19 Giuseppe Saronni74 (76)1978–198574 (76)0010/ Djamolidine Abdoujaparov731991–19953541611 Mads Pedersen712022–2026211832
Six other riders were leading points classification in all three Grand Tours: Rudi Altig, Marino Basso, Francesco Moser, Thierry Marie, Alessandro Petacchi and André Greipel. Petacchi is the sole cyclist that did this in one season (2003).
The rider with the most Grand Tour days at the top of the classification in a single calendar year is Mads Pedersen - 39 in 2025.
Notes
See also Cycling sprinter Points classification in the Tour de France Points classification in the Giro d'Italia Points classification in the Vuelta a España List of Grand Tour points classification winners
References