Here is why the lead riders wear yellow, polka dot, green and white jersey in the Tour de France 2023, know the jerseys colors meaning explained
Although the Tour de France is one of the toughest sports events in the world, it also awards its competitors with coloured jerseys that symbolise specific victories throughout the course.
Tour de France 2023 different jerseys colors and jersey meaning explained
The yellow jersey, which is presented to the person in first place in the overall race at the conclusion of each stage, is the most well-known of these symbolic shirts. Additionally, there are jerseys with polka dots, green, and white stripes that honour certain achievements.
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The fantastic 4️⃣ stage wins that saw him equal the record set by Eddy Merckx 🙌#TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/xgestWsmk3
— Eurosport (@eurosport) June 27, 2023
Tour de France 2023 jerseys explained
Yellow jersey
The cyclist who completes the Tour de France in the shortest amount of time overall earns the privilege of donning the renowned yellow jersey, or maillot jaune.
Because it’s based on pace rather than points, a rider who places lower in the standings for a stage could still wear yellow at the start of the following sector due to their overall time advantage.
As the Tour de France progresses, tactics frequently influence who wins the yellow jersey. Over the years, teammates have frequently collaborated to guarantee that a member of their squad maintains or gains the lead in the general classification.
Reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard won his first yellow jersey at the 2022 tournament.
Polka dot jersey
The polka-dot jersey is awarded to the climber classification champion, also referred to as the King of the Mountains. Each hill at the Tour de France is given points based on how difficult it was.
Henri Lemoine, a track racing specialist who competed between the 1930s and 1950s, served as the inspiration for the 1975 polka dot design on the jersey.
In 2022, Vingegaard of Jumbo-Visma was named King of the Mountains as well.
Green Jersey
The green jersey, or maillot vert, is awarded to the riders who cross the finish line in the top 25 positions in the points classification, with the most points going to those riders. The points reflect the stage’s ranking for the day, which is based on things like how flat the segment is.
Wout van Aert, a teammate of Vingegaard’s, won the points classification in 2022, capping off an incredible Tour for Jumbo-Visma, whose riders also collectively won six stages.
White jersey
The white jersey (maillot blanc) is awarded to cyclists 25 years of age and under who finish the race in the lowest overall time. When the jersey first debuted in 1968, it was given to the person in first place of the combined classification, which corresponded to the points and mountains standings. Since 1975, it has only been worn by younger riders.
Even though Tadej Pogacar was unable to successfully defend his GC title in 2022, he did manage to win a third straight white jersey.