Rewards consistency at finishes and intermediate sprints. Its leader wears the green jersey.
At every stage finish and every intermediate sprint, the leading riders score points on a sliding scale. Flat stages, which suit the sprinters, are worth the most.
It is the classification of the sprinters and the consistent riders: the point is not to go fast once, but to finish near the front often. The Tour de France green jersey is its symbol (cyclamen on the Giro).