The jerseys worn by cyclists in the Tour de France represent the best competitor in different categories.
By distributing jerseys to the current leaders of the competition, it is easy for the audience, as well as the cyclists to keep an eye on the best riders throughout the competition.
Winning a jersey is one of the greatest things a cyclist can achieve in their career.
The riders will be battling for the yellow, green, white and polka-dot jerseys.
The jersey for each category is awarded to the leader of that classification at the end of every stage, and the recipient earns the right to wear it during the following day’s racing.
Yellow – Overall classification leader
The yellow jersey is also called the maillot jaune and is the most coveted item of clothing in professional cycling.
The jersey is awarded the rider who has completed the race in the least amount of time and tops the overall classification of the race.
The first British rider to finish in Paris wearing the yellow jersey was Bradley Wiggins in 2012.
Green – Points classification leader
The green jersey, also called maillot vert, is awarded to the rider with the most points.
Points are awarded to riders according to the position that they finish each stage.
Additional points are also awarded for intermediate sprint during some stages.
The jersey took its colour because the initial sponsor was a lawn mower manufacturer.
Polka-dot – King of the Mountains classification leader
The polka-dot jersey, also called maillot à pots rouges, is given to the rider with the most mountain points.
The amount of points given depends on the severity of the mountain – the bigger it is, the more point are awarded.
If the stage features a summit finish, the points for the climb are doubled.
White – Best young rider classification
The white jersey is the least distinctive of all of the classification jerseys.
The white jersey is awarded to the under-26 rider who completes Tour de France in the least amount of time.
The plain white jersey was first introduced in 1975.