Yellow jersey facts for kids
The Yellow Jersey (called Maillot jaune in French) is a special shirt worn by the leader in many big bicycle races that last several days. The most famous race where you see it is the Tour de France. This jersey helps everyone easily spot the rider who is ahead in the race after each day.
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The Famous Yellow Jersey
The Tour de France was the first race to use a colored jersey to show who was leading. Because of this, many newer races also chose yellow for their leader's jersey. An example is the Tour of Germany. Other races use different colors, sometimes because of their sponsor.
Other Famous Jerseys
The Giro d'Italia, which is the Tour of Italy, uses a pink jersey. It is called maglia rosa in Italian. The first sponsor of this race was a sports newspaper called La Gazzetta dello Sport. This newspaper was printed on pink paper, just like many other sports newspapers in Europe.
The leader in the Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain) wears a red jersey. It is known as "La Roja." From 1998 to 2010, the leader's jersey in the Vuelta was gold.
Different Jerseys for the Winner
Sometimes, a rider who wins the yellow jersey will actually get three of them!
- One special jersey is given to them in front of the press and fans. This one has a zipper at the back to make it easier to put on for photos.
- Another is an ordinary jersey for them to wear during the race the next day.
- The third is a new, unused jersey for them to keep as a souvenir.
Riders might also sign many copies of the jersey. These signed jerseys are often given to important people involved with the race or their team.
Images for kids
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Plaque in the city of Grenoble, celebrating 100 years since the first yellow jersey was given on July 19, 1919
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Felice Gimondi, who won the 1965 Tour, wearing the yellow jersey with the initials of Henri Desgrange, the first organizer of the Tour de France
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See also
In Spanish: Maillot amarillo para niños
