1953.It was to reward the most consistent
finisher on each stage by awarding points to the first twentyfive riders over the finish line each day.
In Tour history only to men have won both the Yellow and Green Jerseys in the same year. The first man to do this was Eddy Merckx in 1969, a great achievement made even more specially as he repeated it in 1971 and '72 ofcourse the sprinters were not very happy as the "Cannibal"took what they saw to belong to them but the simple truth was that nobody could stop him.The only other man to complete this double was fellow five time Champion Bernard Hinault who won both in 1979.
As far as the points competition itself is concerned only two riders have stamped thier
mark of authority on it.Sean Kelly being the first of these,during the 1980's he dominated the Green Jersey, with at the time,a record four wins spanning eight Tours from 1982 to 1989 he still holds the record for the greatest points total a staggering 434 in 1985.
However Eric Zabel is easily the best points Champion of all with SIX consecutive wins from 1996 to this year with possible seventh title next year a feat which I imagine may never be betten.
Most amount of stages won in single Tour:
8 by Charles Pelissier in 1930,Eddy Merckx
in 1970 and '74 ,Freddy Maertens in 1976.
1999-Eric Zabel
1998-Eric Zabel
1997-Eric Zabel
1996-Eric Zabel
1995-Laurent Jalabert
1994-Djamolidine Abdoujaparov
1993-Djamolidine Abdoujaparov
1992-Laurent Jalabert
1991-Djamolidine Abdoujaparov
1990-Olaf Ludwig
1989-Sean Kelly
1988-Eddy Planckaert
1987-Jean Paul Van Poppel
1986-Eric Vanderaerden
1985-Sean Kelly
1984-Frank Hoste
1983-Sean Kelly
1982-Sean Kelly
1981-Freddy Maertens
1980-Rudy Pevenage
1979-Bernard Hinault
1978-Freddy Maertens
1977-Jacques Esclassan
1976-Freddy Maertens
1975-Rik Van Linden
1974-Patrick Sercu
1973-Herman Vanspringel
1972-Eddy Merckx
1971-Eddy Merckx
1970-Walter Godefroot
1969-Eddy Merckx
1968-Franco Bitossi
1967-Jan Janssen
1966-Willy Planckaert
1965-Jan Janssen
1964-Jan Janssen
1963-Rik Van Looy
1962-Rudi Altig
1961-Andre Darrigade
1960-Jean Graczyk
1959-Andre Darrigade
1958-Jean Graczyk
1957-Jean Forestier
1956-Stan Ockers
1955-Stan Ockers
1954-Ferdi Kubler
1953-Fritz Schaer