Four jerseys are awarded at the Tour de France: yellow for the overall leader, green for the points leader, polka dot for the best climber and white for the best young rider aged 25 or under. Each one is worn by whoever leads that classification at the start of the day.
This guide explains what each colour rewards, how the rainbow jersey and the red race number fit in, and why the same rules apply to the women's race.
What does the yellow jersey mean?
The yellow jersey goes to the rider with the lowest total time across all stages so far: the overall leader, or general classification leader. It is the one that decides who wins the Tour. Riders can hold it for a single day or for weeks, and it changes hands whenever someone takes time on the leader.
What does the green jersey mean?
The green jersey rewards points, not time. Riders score points for finishing high on flat stages and at intermediate sprints during a stage, so it usually belongs to a sprinter, or to a rider who is consistently near the front. A rider can wear green without ever sitting near the top of the overall standings.
What does the polka dot jersey mean?
The white jersey with red polka dots goes to the best climber, called the King of the Mountains. Points are awarded for being first over categorised climbs, and the harder the climb, the more points it pays. Mountain stages decide it, which is why it is often worn by a rider who is not racing for the overall win.
What does the white jersey mean?
The white jersey goes to the best-placed rider aged 25 or under in the overall classification. It is judged on time, the same as yellow, so the white jersey holder is often also near the top of the general classification.
What are the rainbow jersey and the red number?
The rainbow jersey is not a Tour classification. It is worn by the reigning world champion, and its stripes appear in races of that discipline for a year. The red race number is different again: it goes to the most combative rider of the previous stage, chosen for attacking and aggression rather than result.
Are the jerseys the same in the women's Tour de France?
Yes. The women's race uses the same colours for the same classifications: yellow, green, polka dot and white. If you are watching both, the same reading applies.
What if you want a jersey of your own?
A race jersey is a race-fit cut: close to the body, with rear pockets sized for food and a gilet. How a cycling jersey should fit and whether you prefer race cut or relaxed fit decide most of it. If you ride in a club, custom cycling jerseys let you design your own colours. For a first event, our what to wear to a gran fondo and what to wear to your first road race cover the rest of the kit.
FAQ
Which Tour de France jersey is the most important? Yellow. It marks the overall leader, and whoever wears it on the final day wins the Tour.
Why is the green jersey green? It is the points classification jersey. It rewards consistent finishing and sprint points, not total time.
Can one rider win more than one jersey? Yes. A rider can lead two classifications at once. In that case another rider wears the second jersey for that day.
Browse the DTR cycling jerseys.
DTR — performance cycling and triathlon apparel, designed and developed in Ukraine.
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