They are four on the Tour de France to be displayed each year. The distinctive jerseys (yellow, green, bench with red and white polka dots) are worn by the leaders of each category that corresponds to them. Behind each jersey and its color hides a little story which we will reveal to you behind the scenes.
The yellow jersey
The yellow jersey has been worn by the leader of the general classification since 1919, on the initiative of Henri Desgranges, then boss of the Tour de France. At that time, the main sports news daily was called L’Auto (ancestor of L’Equipe), the organizer of the Grande Boucle. Its pages are yellow and this is the reason why the leader’s tunic now bears this color.
The green jersey
The green jersey rewards the leader of the points classification, or more often the best sprinter in the Tour de France. Points are indeed credited during each intermediate sprint and at the finish of the stages (most often flat). Created in 1953, this tunic took on the color of one of its first sponsors, La Belle Jardinière. Later, PMU and Skoda, whose logos contain green, took over.
The white jersey with red polka dots
The Grand Prix de la Montagne was created in 1933. However, it was not until 1975 that it was given a distinctive jersey, only a red sticker distinguishing the best climber from the other riders before that. Sponsor of this ranking, Chocolat Poulain has requested the allocation of a special jersey for better exposure.
As for the white color with red polka dots, it was chosen by the co-director of the Tour de France at the time, Félix Levitan, in homage to a former track racer, Henri Lemoine. Indeed, the latter had taken as inspiration for his track outfit the jockeys’ jackets. Moreover, his nickname was none other than “P’tit pois”.
The white shirt
If it rewards today, and since 1975, the best young person under 25, the white jersey did not have this vocation when it appeared in 1968. At the time, it was worn by the leader of the classification of the combined mixing the classifications by time, by points and by the mountain.
