Wearing the yellow jersey has practically become synonymous with being in a leading position. But for those less familiar with cycling, the question arises: What exactly does the yellow jersey mean, where does it come from, and why is it yellow?

The most coveted jersey in cycling — alongside the rainbow-striped world champion’s jersey — was first awarded in 1919 during the 17th edition of the Tour de France. Tour founder and director Henri Desgrange wanted to make the overall race leader more visible within the growing peloton. A brightly colored jersey, awarded daily, was the solution. Yellow was likely chosen because the sports newspaper L’Auto, which created the Tour to boost its circulation, was printed on pale yellow paper. L’Auto later became today’s French sports daily L’Équipe.

The jersey, known in French as the Maillot Jaune, is awarded to the overall race leader at the end of each stage and worn the following day. The general classification leader is the rider (or in the Tour de France Femmes, the female rider) with the lowest cumulative time across all stages, including time bonuses for stage wins or intermediate sprints. The rules for awarding bonuses change every few years — sometimes there are none. The yellow jersey is awarded ceremonially after every stage, even if the same rider retains it. No one wears the Maillot Jaune on the first day of the Tour.

Yes. The classification jerseys — there are three others, plus a special race number — must be worn. Each of the four special jerseys is sponsored, and the sponsors pay the Tour organizers for this visibility. The yellow jersey, for example, is sponsored by a French credit bank. Only once did a rider refuse to wear it: Belgian legend Eddy Merckx declined after race leader Luis Ocaña crashed badly in heavy rain and had to abandon the race. Merckx, then second overall, felt it would be wrong to benefit from his rival’s misfortune and demonstratively did not wear the jersey the next day. As a cycling icon, he could afford to break the rules.

The jerseys are not only a special honor for each rider but have become an essential part of the Tour’s identity — and of other multi-day races as well. The yellow jersey is one of the most iconic symbols in all of sports. It also serves a practical purpose: it helps identify the best rider in a category among the 184 competitors. Team jerseys in similar yellow, green, or polka-dot designs are not allowed at the Tour de France. Interestingly, the jersey awarded during the ceremony is not the one worn in the next stage. That version is traditionally long-sleeved and would be too warm. It’s also quickly printed with the leader’s sponsor logo using a heat transfer right after the finish, making it symbolic rather than race-ready.

Later in the evening, the wearer of the yellow, green, white, or polka-dot jersey receives a clothing kit in the respective color — including gear for all weather conditions — for as long as they hold the lead. This race gear is printed with the rider’s team and sponsor logos, along with the classification sponsor’s branding. Yellow helmets, shoes, or bike accessories come from the team and must match in color.

This also means the leader must race in a jersey from a different manufacturer than their usual one. Currently, the classification jerseys are made by French brand Le Coq Sportif and are only available in four sizes, so the fit isn’t always ideal.

This can be a disadvantage in time trials, where aerodynamics are crucial due to the lack of drafting. In such cases, a notable exception is made: the exact body measurements of the favorites are provided to a seamstress, who tailors a skinsuit the night before the time trial. After a fitting, even the most minor wrinkles and pressure points are adjusted. Still, riders would prefer to race in their own gear. Their custom aerodynamic suits are optimized to reduce drag and can save several seconds. There have even been discussions about intentionally losing time before a time trial to avoid wearing the provided yellow skinsuit; however, this tactic has never been employed.

• The first rider “in yellow,” as it’s unofficially called, was Frenchman Eugène Christophe.
• Eddy Merckx wore the Maillot Jaune for a record 96 stages. However, with 70 days in yellow by the end of 2024, Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar could theoretically surpass him in the first week of the 2026 Tour — and he’s still under 30.
• Fabio Battesini was the youngest wearer at the age of 20. In 1904, a 19-year-old even won the Tour, but there were no classification jerseys or special race numbers at the time.
• The oldest rider to wear yellow was Dutchman Joop Zoetemelk in 1980, at age 38.
• A total of 15 German riders have worn the yellow jersey, including Rudi Altig, Jan Ullrich, Jens Voigt, and Tony Martin, with Ullrich and Altig each wearing it for 18 days.
• Six Swiss riders have worn the yellow jersey, including time trial world champion Fabian Cancellara, who held it for 29 days. Austria has had just one: Max Bulla in 1931, for a single stage.
• The closest margin between first and second in Tour history was in 1989, when Greg LeMond (USA) beat Laurent Fignon (FRA) by just eight seconds.
• The women’s race was even closer: in 2024, Ergon athlete Kasia Niewiadoma lost over a minute to Demi Vollering (NED) on the final climb but held on to win the overall classification by just four seconds.
• Time gaps are measured in hours, minutes, and seconds. If two riders have the same time, tenths of a second from time trials are used to determine the winner. If still tied, stage placements determine the leader.

The green jersey is worn by the current leader in the points classification. This ranking is based on bonus points awarded for stage finishes and intermediate sprints along the route. The Maillot Vert is meant to reward the most consistent sprinter — the rider who performs best in group sprints throughout the race.

That’s why flat stages, which are more likely to end in mass sprints, offer more points than mountain stages or summit finishes. Otherwise, the same riders might dominate multiple classifications (yellow, polka-dot, and green), reducing the excitement. To add more drama, intermediate sprints are placed at seemingly random points along the route, where sprinters can compete for extra points. However, if a breakaway group collects all the available points, the intermediate sprint becomes irrelevant for the chasing riders.

The green jersey is awarded after each stage to the rider with the most points — the Maillot Vert. The winner is the one who has the most points after the final stage. If a sprinter crashes or abandons the race during a mountain stage, their points are not redistributed. The second-placed rider in the standings then takes over the jersey.

• The green jersey was introduced in 1953 for the Tour’s 50th anniversary.
• The first wearer was Swiss rider Fritz Schaer.
• The sprint classification was created to add excitement for both fans and riders.
• Heavier sprinters are motivated by the green jersey to finish the Tour, rather than abandon in the high mountains.
• The winner is the rider wearing green after Stage 21.
• Intermediate sprints and the incentive to contest them have measurably increased the Tour’s average speed.
• The green color comes from the first sponsor of the points classification — a lawnmower manufacturer. The current sponsor is carmaker Škoda.
• The most successful green jersey winner is Peter Sagan (SLO), with seven titles.
• The most stage wins in sprints belong to Britain’s Mark Cavendish, with 35 mass sprint victories — the most in Tour history.
• Germany’s most successful sprinter was Erik Zabel, with six green jerseys and 12 stage wins around the turn of the millennium.
• Only once has the overall winner also won the points classification: Belgian legend Eddy Merckx in 1969.
• On flat sprint stages, the top finishers receive 50, 30, and 20 points, and so on down to 15th place.
• On medium mountain stages: 30, 25, 22…; on high mountain stages: 20, 17, 15…
• Intermediate sprints and time trials also award 20, 17, 15, 13, and so on points.
• In the event of a tie, the number of stage wins serves as the tiebreaker, followed by intermediate sprint wins, and then GC placement.

Almost as coveted as the green jersey is the polka-dot jersey, with its red dots on a white background. As the name suggests, the Maillot à Pois Rouges is awarded to the rider with the best performances on climbs. Climbs are categorized from Category 4 (easiest) to Category 1, plus the most challenging climbs, known as Hors Catégorie (beyond categorization). The classification is based on factors such as length, average gradient, maximum gradient, altitude, and the climb’s significance within the stage. Points are awarded for reaching the summit of categorized climbs, and they are doubled at the highest point of the Tour. The points breakdown is as follows:

Hors Catégorie: 20, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 points
Category 1: 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 point(s)
Category 2: 5, 3, 2, 1 point(s)
Category 4: 1 point

Because these climbs are spread across the stages, there are two main strategies to win the polka-dot jersey. The first is to consistently collect points by joining breakaways and winning multiple minor climbs — for example, Stage 6 of the 2025 Tour offers 26 points, more than a single Hors Catégorie climb. The second, more successful modern strategy is to focus on two or three high mountain stages and target the key points, especially the highest climb of the Tour, which in 2025 is the Col du Tourmalet on Stage 14.

Since the general classification is often decided in the mountains, it’s not uncommon for the overall leader to also temporarily lead the mountain classification. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say the polka-dot jersey goes to the most consistent climber, not necessarily the best, as it requires winning both big and small climbs.

• Although the mountain classification was introduced in 1933, the polka-dot jersey wasn’t awarded until 1975.
• The origin of the design is unclear. One theory credits the first sponsor, Chocolat Poulain, whose packaging featured red dots. Another attributes it to Tour director Félix Lévitan, who wanted to honor a 1930s track cyclist known for his spotted jersey.
• The first “King of the Mountains” was Spaniard Vicente Trueba in 1933, but the first to wear the jersey was Belgian Lucien Van Impe in 1975.
• French climber Richard Virenque holds the record with seven polka-dot jerseys, though his career was marred by doping.
• No German rider has ever won the jersey. In 2022, Simon Geschke lost it on the final mountain stage. Other German wearers include Jens Voigt, Fabian Wegmann, Sebastian Lang, Tony Martin, Rolf Aldag, and Paul Voß.
• Despite changing sponsors, the red-dot design has remained. The current sponsor is French supermarket chain Leclerc.

The white jersey was introduced in 1975 alongside the polka-dot jersey. It is awarded to the best-placed rider in the general classification who is 25 years old or younger in the year of the race. From 1988 to 2000, the young rider classification continued, but no jersey was awarded. The Maillot Blanc is meant to highlight emerging stars and add an extra layer of excitement to the race.

This worked well for many years — riders like Francesco Moser (ITA), Alberto Contador (ESP), and Andy Schleck (LUX) launched major careers after winning it. In the 1980s to 2000s, riders were generally considered mature enough to win a Grand Tour only in their late twenties. But recent trends have changed that: Egan Bernal (COL) and Tadej Pogačar (SLO) won the Tour in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2024 while still eligible for the white jersey. Jonas Vingegaard, winner in 2022 and 2023, was also in his mid-twenties. Since 2019, the yellow and white jerseys have often been worn by the same rider. In 2020, Pogačar also won the polka-dot jersey.

• The color white has no origin — it symbolizes youth, purity, and a blank slate.
• Initially, the jersey had no sponsor. After its return in the 2000s, it featured small logos from carmaker Škoda.
• The current sponsor is French optical chain Krys, with a white-and-blue logo.
• In 2025, German rider Florian Lipowitz (born 2000) is a strong contender, having won the U26 classification at the Critérium du Dauphiné.
• The white jersey is slightly less prestigious than the other three. Teams like TotalEnergies, UAE, and Bahrain Victorious are allowed to race in white-based kits — unlike yellow, green, or polka-dot designs, which are restricted.
• Prize money for the white jersey is also lower than for the green or polka-dot jerseys.
• If a rider leads multiple classifications, the white jersey is passed to the second-placed rider in the classification. The prize money still goes to the actual leader, who receives the jersey during the podium ceremony.
• Tadej Pogačar holds the record with four white jerseys (as of 2023).
• The most successful German in this classification is Jan Ullrich, who won it three times.

Not all classifications at the Tour de France are honored with a special jersey. For example, the team classification would be too complex to represent with a jersey, and team sponsors likely wouldn’t appreciate changes to their team’s visual identity. Instead, the fastest team — determined by adding the times of the three best-placed riders from each team after every stage — receives race numbers with black text on a yellow background for the following day, along with a cash prize.

The most combative rider, selected daily by a jury, is also honored during the jersey ceremony. This rider receives a race number with black text on a gold background (previously white on red). In the past, there was also a separate classification for intermediate sprints, denoted by a red jersey, and an experimental combined classification across all categories; however, these proved too complicated and were subsequently discontinued.

At the Italian equivalent of the Tour, the Giro d’Italia, a black jersey (Maglia Nera) was awarded from 1946 to 1951 to the rider who finished last in the general classification, including a cash prize. This led to riders sabotaging their bikes, hiding in barns and cafes, and averaging speeds of under 12 km/h. The Maglia Nera was abolished during the race itself.