When you think of the Tour de France jersey, your mind automatically goes to the color yellow. We know we have seen it on Lance Armstrong a record seven times. But what does that yellow Tour de France jersey actually represent? For that matter, what do all the colored jerseys represent? Interestingly, Tour de France jerseys represent a different achievement for the racer who wears it. The significance of the various colors is actually interesting to know and lucky for you, I’m willing to share my hard-found knowledge.
Since it’s the most recognizable, let’s start with the yellow Tour de France jersey. This color yellow was chosen for a reason. It’s bright. It also represents the leading racer of the Tour at each individual stage. The accumulative time is added up for each rider and when it is determined which rider has the lead, that rider wears the yellow jersey for the next stage of the race. Since the jersey is yellow, it is easy for spectators as well as other racers to keep track of the current leader. The race is long and diverse so this jersey changes hands often throughout the course of the race.
The next color of choice is the green jersey. This Tour de France jersey is worn by the rider who has accumulated the most points up to that stage in the race. These points are calculated by using what seems to be a very complex mathematical equation that honestly is a bit beyond my comprehension. There is actually a chance that two or more riders may end up tied in points. The equation to determine who actually finishes first in this case is even trickier and I won’t even attempt to explain it. Suffice to say, those in charge have ways of ensuring that there is a leader.
The next Tour de France jersey on the list is the red polka-dotted jersey. Besides being visually hard to miss, it too serves its own purpose. The rider in the lead of the mountain climbing stages wears this jersey. Again, the leader is determined using another of those tricky equations that we’ll leave alone. It’s possible to end in a tie in this category, but since a tie cannot be allowed, yet another equation is used.
The final Tour de France jersey of interest is the white jersey. Although it is not as bright as the others, it still serves a purpose. This jersey is worn by the rider who is in the overall lead in the young rider division. To qualify as a young rider you must have been born before January 1, 1980. The rider who has the overall young rider lead at the end of the entire tour is awarded this white jersey.
Not to be outdone by the Tour de France jersey, you may have also noticed the Tour de France cap. This ball cap is yellow and it’s worn by the team that is in the lead at that particular stage of the race. All teams start out with nine riders but don’t necessarily end up with nine riders. If the lead team has three or less riders left, that team is eliminated from the first place spot and the cap goes to the next leading team provided it has enough riders.
Now that you know everything you would ever want to know about the various Tour de France jersey colors, you’ll be able to watch the race with a newfound understanding that the Tour de France jersey is not all about looking good.
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