Tour de France points classification: How does the green jersey work?

Although the green jersey is usually associated with the fastest sprinters, outright speed is not enough. Riders must collect points throughout the race, survive the mountain stages and reach the final stage to win the classification.

Here is everything you need to know about Tour de France points, intermediate sprints and the battle for the green jersey.

The Tour de France points classification is a separate competition within the race.

Riders earn points according to their finishing positions on stages and at designated intermediate sprints. These points are added together throughout the Tour.

The rider with the highest total leads the classification and wears the green jersey during the following stage. The rider with the most points after the final stage wins the competition.

Unlike the general classification, the points competition is not based on time. A rider can lose significant time in the mountains and still win the green jersey, provided they finish inside the time limit and continue collecting points.

The basic system works as follows:

1. Points are awarded to the first 15 riders at eligible stage finishes.
2. Points are also awarded to the first 15 riders at intermediate sprints.
3. Flat stages generally offer more points than mountain stages.
4. All points are added together across the Tour.
5. The rider with the highest total leads the competition.
6. The rider must finish the Tour to win the final green jersey.

The system rewards stage victories, but also consistency. A rider who regularly finishes second, third or fourth can defeat a rival who wins one stage but scores few points on other days.

The number of points available at a stage finish depends on the points scale assigned to that stage by the Tour organiser.

For the 2026 Tour de France, a stage winner can receive 70, 50, 30 or 20 points. The hardest mountain stages and the individual time trial offer fewer points than the stages designed for sprinters.

The official allocation is determined for every individual stage. A stage’s general description as flat, hilly or mountainous does not always reveal its exact points scale.

The maximum 70 point scale is used for selected stages expected to end in a conventional bunch sprint.

Other road stages can offer a maximum of 50 or 30 points, depending on the difficulty and expected type of finish. Hard mountain stages and the individual time trial generally award a maximum of 20 points.

Because the points allocation can vary, green jersey contenders study the official information for every stage rather than relying only on the route label. 

Below you can see which points scale applies to each stage.

Most road stages contain one intermediate sprint at a designated point along the route.

The first 15 riders across the intermediate sprint line receive points:

Intermediate sprints can play a decisive role in the green jersey competition.

They frequently take place before the hardest part of a stage. This gives sprinters an opportunity to collect points even when they are unlikely to contest the stage finish.

Flat stages offer more points to make the competition accessible to sprinters.

Climbers and general classification riders already have several opportunities to gain time and win mountain stages. Without a weighted points system, those same riders could also dominate the green jersey competition simply by finishing near the front on difficult days.

The higher rewards on selected sprint stages create a separate competition suited to riders with explosive speed.

The system still demands versatility. A green jersey contender must be able to:

1. Compete in bunch sprints
2. Position themselves safely in fast finishes
3. Contest intermediate sprints
4. Survive difficult mountain stages
5. Finish within each stage’s time limit

Winning green therefore requires much more than being the fastest rider in a single sprint.

A stage finish determines the winner of the day. It normally offers more points than an intermediate sprint, particularly on sprint stages.

An intermediate sprint takes place during the stage. The race continues immediately after riders cross the sprint line.

Some intermediate sprints are contested by the day’s breakaway. On other days, sprinters’ teams chase the breakaway or accelerate at the front of the peloton so their leader can collect the remaining points.

A rider can earn points at both the intermediate sprint and the stage finish on the same day.

Successful green jersey campaigns are built around consistency, careful planning and teamwork.

Winning high value sprint stages
The selected sprint stages offer the largest number of points. Winning one of these stages can create a significant advantage over riders who finish further down the order.

A team with green jersey ambitions will work throughout the stage to control the breakaway and deliver its sprinter into a strong position for the finish.

Contesting intermediate sprints
Intermediate sprints provide points on almost every normal road stage.

A rider who regularly wins or places highly at these sprints can steadily increase their total. This can become especially important when two rivals are closely matched in stage finishes.

Scoring on difficult stages
Versatile riders may also collect points on hilly stages where pure sprinters struggle.

A rider who can survive short climbs and still compete in a reduced sprint has more opportunities to score than a specialist who is competitive only on completely flat roads.

Surviving the mountains
Riders must complete every stage within the permitted time limit.

Sprinters often form a large group known as the gruppetto on mountain stages. They work together to reach the finish before the time cut.

A rider who is eliminated from the Tour can no longer win the points classification, regardless of how many points they previously collected.

No. Sprinters have an advantage because the biggest points totals are available on stages suited to bunch finishes, but other types of riders can win.

Powerful all round riders can score in sprints, breakaways, hilly stages and intermediate sprints. Their ability to collect points across different terrain can compensate for having less pure finishing speed.

Wout van Aert’s 2022 victory is a strong example. He collected points in bunch sprints, intermediate sprints and stages that were too difficult for many traditional sprinters.

The ideal green jersey contender combines speed, consistency, endurance and the ability to survive three weeks of racing.

Yes.

The classification is based on total points rather than the number of stage victories. A rider who consistently finishes near the front can build a winning total without crossing the line first.

However, stage wins are highly valuable, particularly when 70 points are available to the winner. Winning at least one stage therefore makes a green jersey campaign considerably easier.

When riders are tied on points, the Tour uses sporting tie breakers.

Stage victories are considered first. If the riders are still tied, victories at intermediate sprints are considered. If they still cannot be separated, their positions in the general classification decide the order.

This means every stage result and intermediate sprint victory can matter, even when two riders have the same overall points total.

Yes. Race officials can deduct points or impose other sanctions when riders break the rules.

Possible offences include:

1. Dangerous or irregular sprinting
2. Deviating from a sprinting line and endangering another rider
3. Blocking or pushing another competitor
4. Drafting behind a team vehicle
5. Receiving unauthorised assistance
6. Littering outside designated waste zones
7. Taking an unauthorised shortcut

The exact sanction depends on the offence. A rider may receive a fine, points deduction, time penalty, relegation in the stage result, a yellow card or disqualification.

Relegation can have a major effect on the classification because a rider may lose the points associated with a high finishing position.

The Tour de France introduced the points classification in 1953 to celebrate the race’s 50th anniversary.

Swiss rider Fritz Schaer became its first winner.

The green jersey took its colour from the competition’s first commercial partner, La Belle Jardinière, a French clothing store chain. Despite its name, the company was not a lawnmower manufacturer.

The basic aim of the competition has remained consistent: to reward regular high finishes and give a different type of rider the opportunity to win a major Tour de France jersey.

The rules and points scales have changed several times. The jersey was even red rather than green during the 1968 Tour.

Peter Sagan holds the record with seven Tour de France points classification victories.

The Slovakian won in:

1. 2012
2. 2013
3. 2014
4. 2015
5. 2016
6. 2018
7. 2019

Sagan combined sprinting speed with the ability to score on hilly stages and from breakaways. His versatility made him particularly well suited to the points classification.

Erik Zabel is second on the all time list with six consecutive victories between 1996 and 2001.

Jonathan Milan won the 2025 points classification during his first Tour de France. He became the third Italian winner after Franco Bitossi and Alessandro Petacchi.

Biniam Girmay’s 2024 victory was also historic. He became the first African rider to win a classification at the Tour de France.

The yellow jersey is the Tour’s biggest prize, but the green jersey is one of cycling’s most recognisable honours.

Winning the points classification requires a rider to perform throughout the entire three week race. They must repeatedly take risks in fast finishes, compete for intermediate sprints and survive the Tour’s hardest mountain stages.

The competition also creates a tactical race within the race. Green jersey rivals may compete for points hundreds of kilometres before the stage finish, giving viewers another storyline to follow throughout the day.

Yes. A rider can lead both competitions at the same time.

Because a rider cannot wear two leader’s jerseys during a stage, the yellow jersey takes priority. The next eligible rider in the points classification then wears green on behalf of the leader.

Curious who’s in the running for the green jersey this year? Check out our preview.