Collective team scores
The UCI claim that this points scale is based on ‘team spirit’ amongst other things but in reality it is a tally of points scored in team classifications at stage races during the past year (so for 2012, the 2011 team classification results will be used).
For example a team scores 40 points for winning the team classification in the Tour de France, 30 for the Giro d’Italia, 20 for a class one WorldTour stage race, 15 for a class two WorldTour stage race and eight points for a HC class Continental stage race.
The UCI divides WorldTour races into two ‘classes.’ In class one are Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, Criterium du Dauphine and Tour de Suisse. In class two are Tour Down Under, Pais Vasco, Romandie, Catalunya, Eneco Tour, Tour of Poland and the Tour of Beijing.
Teams also score points for defending race leader’s jerseys. The final overall jersey winner's team scores 15 points, with a points jersey and a mountains jersey worth 10 points each. Each day a team hold a race leader’s jersey it scores three points, with two points scored for points and mountains jersey.