The team classification is one of the different rankings for which competitors can compete in a multiple stage

cycling Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from tw ...

race. It differs from the other usual rankings (general classification, points, king of the mountain and best young rider competition) in the sense that it awards the effort of a whole team, rather than the performance of the individual riders. Examples include: *

Team classification in the Giro d'Italia The Team classification in the Giro d'Italia, also known as the Trofeo Fast Team, is a prize that is contested in the Giro d'Italia. It has been awarded since the race's inception. In more recent editions the classification is calculated by adding ...

; awarded since the race's inception. In more recent editions the classification is calculated by adding up the top three riders' times from each team, and then the team with the lowest total time is the leader of the classification. In case of a tie, the teams are separated by the sum of the places obtained by their three best riders at the finish. *

Team classification in the Tour de France 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 Tour de France, 1930, and the calculation has changed throughout the years. There is no colored Cycling jersey, jersey for ...

; awarded since 1930, and the calculation has changed throughout the years. As of 2011, it is calculated by adding the times of the three best riders of each team per stage; time bonuses and penalties are ignored. In a team time trial, the team gets the time of the fifth rider of that team to cross the finish, or the last rider if there are fewer than 5 left for the team. If a team has fewer than three cyclists remaining, it is removed from this classification. * Team classification in the Vuelta a España; awarded since its inception in 1935.

Status

The team classification is considered less important than the individual

general classification The general classification (or the GC) in road bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for riders in multi- stage races. Each stage will have a stage winner, but the overall winner in the GC is the rider who has the fastest cumula ...

, and it is rare that a team starts one of the major cycling events with the main goal of winning the team classification. Although this is also subject to cultural preference as well, as Spanish teams are for instance well known for taking great interest in winning the team classification. If during the race a team is in a good position to win the team classification, the team may change tactics in order to win. When

Lance Armstrong Lance Edward Armstrong ('' né'' Gunderson; born September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road racing cyclist. Regarded as a sports icon for winning the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005 after recovering ...

lost hopes of winning the

2010 Tour de France The 2010 Tour de France was the 97th edition of the Tour de France cycle race, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on with an 8.9 km prologue time trial in Rotterdam, the first start in the Netherlands since 1996. The race visited thr ...

, he instructed his team mates to keep an eye on their main rivals for the team classification, and his

Team RadioShack Team RadioShack was a professional road bicycle racing team, with RadioShack as the title sponsor, the creation of which was announced on July 23, 2009. Lance Armstrong co-owned and led the team, which raced in the Grand Tours and the UCI ProTour ...

won the team classification for that event. In some races, a good performance in the team classification may help a team to qualify for the next event. In 2010, a system was set up to determine which teams qualify as UCI ProTeams in the Tour de France, and the team classification in the Tour de France was part of this system.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Team Classification Road bicycle racing terminology Grand Tour (cycling) Cycling records and statistics