description Tour de France Yellow Jersey Overview
The Tour de France Yellow Jersey, or maillot jaune, identifies the rider who leads the general classification in the Tour de France. It is worn during each stage by the current overall leader, based on cumulative riding time, and goes to the final general-classification winner at the end of the race. Introduced in 1919, it is one of the central symbols of road cycling's prominent stage race.
help Tour de France Yellow Jersey FAQ
Why is the Tour de France leader's jersey yellow?
The yellow color came from L'Auto, the French newspaper that organized the race and printed on yellow paper. The jersey was introduced in 1919.
Who was the first cyclist to wear the Yellow Jersey?
French rider Eugène Christophe became the first Yellow Jersey wearer in 1919. He did not win that year's Tour, because the overall victory went to Belgian cyclist Firmin Lambot.
Does the Yellow Jersey winner lead every stage?
The jersey goes to the rider with the lowest cumulative time in the general classification after each stage. The final wearer at the end of the Tour is the overall winner, even if another rider led earlier stages.
How is the Yellow Jersey different from the Tour de France green jersey?
The Yellow Jersey measures overall elapsed time, while the green jersey rewards the points classification based on stage finishes and intermediate sprints. Peter Sagan won the green jersey seven times.
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