Here's Why Some Tour De France Riders Wear Special Jerseys
The Tour de France is the biggest professional bicycling event in the world. The month-long race is currently taking place in France until July 18 (via the official website). It kicked off on June 26 and for the next couple of weeks, hundreds of bikers are going to compete in multiple races around the country. These races include flat road and mountainous races, short and long distanced ones, and of course, timed speed races. The racers also do individual races along with some made up of teams, per Britannica.
Every year, the event is televised around the world and thousands of spectators line up to watch the talented bikers. Yet, in the dozens of bikers riding past, how can you tell them apart, especially with their multicolored jerseys?
Well, each jersey has a different meaning. And as you would imagine, they all signify a race level that a racer has completed in the tournament.
The jersey colors and meanings
Since there are several competitions being held during the Tour de France, the bikers are given a different color or design to denote a classification. There are some races that the bikers don't compete in, and they do not need to compete in all the biking events to get a certain jersey.
According to Cycling Weekly, the yellow jersey is worn by a competitor with the best time. It is the most sought-after jersey, and wearing one means you're a world champion of bikers. The polka-dot jersey is donned by the biker who performs the best in a mountain race. If a rider gets to the top of a climb first, he gets to wear the dotted shirt. The green jersey is worn by a sprinter — the biker who accrues the most points. And finally, the white jersey is worn by a rider who is under the age of 26 and performed the best.