What was Centenaire classification?
This was a special award for the 100th anniversary Tour that commemorated the six stage finishes of the original 1903 event. It was simply calculated by adding up the riders’ finish positions in Lyon (Stage 6), Marseille (stage 10), Toulouse (stage 11), Bordeaux (Stage 17) Nantes (stage 19) and Paris (stage 20). Because wasn’t based on points or time, unlike every other Tour classification, but on finish position in these stages, the Centenaire leader was the rider with the lowest score. Riders vying for the Centenaire classification were no doubt grateful that they didn’t have to ride the original stage distances to reach these finish towns.
