Green jersey facts for kids
The Green jersey is a special shirt worn by cyclists in some big bike races. It's not for the overall race leader, who usually wears a different color, like the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. Instead, the green jersey shows who is leading in a special side competition during the race.
This jersey is famous in road bicycle racing. You'll often see it in huge races like the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a Espana. While the main leader wears one color, the green jersey highlights a different kind of champion.
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What the Green Jersey Means
The Green Jersey in the Tour de France
In the Tour de France, the green jersey is called the "maillot vert". It's given to the leader of the points competition. This competition is usually won by sprinters. Sprinters are super-fast riders who try to win at the end of flat stages. They earn points by being among the first to cross the finish line or by winning special "intermediate sprints" during a stage. The rider with the most points wears the green jersey.
Here are some races where the green jersey is for the points leader:
- Tour de France (known as the maillot vert)
- Dauphiné Libéré
- Tour de l'Avenir
- Tour de Georgia
The Green Jersey for Best Climber
In some other races, the green jersey means something different. For example, in the Vuelta a Espana, the green jersey is worn by the "King of the Mountains". This title goes to the best climber in the race. Riders earn points by being the first to reach the top of difficult hills and mountains.
Here is a race where the green jersey is for the best climber:
- Tour of Poland (known as the najlepszy góral or Klasyfikacja Górska in Polish)
Former Use
The Giro d'Italia also used a green jersey (called the maglia verde) for its "King of the Mountains" competition. This was from 1974 to 2011. But starting in 2012, they changed it to a blue jersey instead.
Images for kids
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Alberto Contador in a green jersey at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2014
