Young rider classification in the Tour de France
The young rider classification is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1975. Excluding the years 1989 to 1999, the leader of the young rider classification wears a white jersey (French: maillot blanc). The requirements to be eligible for the young rider classification have changed over the years but have always been such that experienced cyclists were not eligible, sometimes by excluding cyclists over a certain age, cyclists who had entered the Tour de France before, or cyclists who had been professional for more than two years. In the most recent years, only cyclists who will remain below 26 in the year the race is held are eligible.
 Tadej Pogačar was wearing the white jersey at record 75 stages (days) in total | |
| Sport | Road bicycle racing |
|---|---|
| Competition | Tour de France |
| Awarded for | Best young rider |
| Local name | Maillot blanc (French) |
| History | |
| First award | 1975 |
| Editions | 48 (as of 2022) |
| First winner |  Francesco Moser (ITA) |
| Most wins | 4 wins: Tadej Pogačar (SLO) |
| Most recent | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) |
In the Tour de France Femmes, the white jersey is awarded to the highest placed rider in the general classification under the age of 23.[1]
History
From 1968 to 1975, there was a white jersey awarded in the Tour de France to the lead rider in the combination classification (best rider in the overall, points and climbing competitions). In 1975, this classification was removed, and replaced by the young rider classification. Any neo-professional (less than three years professional) competed in this classification, which was calculated using the rankings for the general classification.[2] The leader in the young rider classification wore a white jersey.
The rules for the young rider classification changed in 1983, when the competition was only open for first-time competitors, but in 1987 it became open for all cyclists less than 26 years of age at 1 January of the year following that tour.[3] From 1989-1999, the white jersey was no longer awarded, although the competition was still calculated. Since 2000, the white jersey has again been awarded, open for all cyclists less than 26 years of age at 1 January of the year following that Tour. In 1997, the name of the competition officially changed to 'Souvenir Fabio Casartelli'.[4]
Sponsorship
The optical retail chain Krys has sponsored the white jersey since 2015.[5] The jersey was previously sponsored by Czech car manufacturer Škoda from 2004 to 2014.
Jerseys ranking
The white jersey is the fourth most important jersey in the Tour de France, after yellow, green and polka dot jerseys.[6][7] If a rider lead one of the other classifications and the young rider classification, he will wear the yellow, green or the polka dot jersey. The second rider (or the following eligible rider) in the young rider classification will wear the white jersey with the following exception:
- if the second rider is world champion he will wear the rainbow jersey. If the rider is a contintinental champion or national champion he will wear the corresponding jersey;[8][9]
In this case the third rider (or the following eligible rider) will be in white jersey.
Winners
Since the young rider classification was introduced in 1975, it has been won by 40 different cyclists. On seven occasions a cyclist has won the young rider classification and the general classification — Laurent Fignon in 1983, Jan Ullrich in 1997, Alberto Contador in 2007, Andy Schleck in 2010, Egan Bernal in 2019 and Tadej Pogačar in 2020 and 2021. The only cyclists to win the young rider classification and the mountains classification in the same year are Nairo Quintana in 2013 and Pogačar in 2020 and 2021.
The only cyclists to win the young rider classification multiple times are Marco Pantani (two wins), Jan Ullrich (three wins — also finishing first once or second twice in the general classification), Andy Schleck (three wins — also finishing first once and second once in the general classification), Nairo Quintana (two wins — also finishing second in the general classification both years), and Tadej Pogačar (four wins — also finishing first twice and second twice in the general classification). Quintana is the only rider to win the classification in non-consecutive years. Pogačar holds the absolute record of wearing the white jersey for 75 days in total. Tadej Pogačar also has the record of leading the young rider classification for 72 consecutive stages, between stage 13 of the 2020 Tour de France and the end of the 2023 Tour de France.
By nationality
| Country | No. of winning cyclists | No. of wins |
|---|---|---|
 France |
8 | 8 |
 Netherlands |
5 | 5 |
 Spain |
5 | 5 |
| Italy |
4 | 5 |
 Colombia |
4 | 5 |
 Germany |
2 | 4 |
| Slovenia |
1 | 4 |
 United States |
3 | 3 |
 Luxembourg |
1 | 3 |
 Russia |
2 | 2 |
 United Kingdom |
2 | 2 |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Australia |
1 | 1 |
 Mexico |
1 | 1 |
 Ukraine |
1 | 1 |
Days in white jersey
Note: 1989-1999 editions, when the classification didn't have a distinctive jersey are also taken into account.
| Rider | Total |
|---|---|
| Tadej Pogačar |
75 |
| Jan Ullrich |
55 |
| Phil Anderson |
37 |
| Jean-René Bernaudeau |
29 |
| Andy Schleck |
28 |
| Dietrich Thurau |
28 |
Riders leading in all stages of an edition
Dietrich Thurau 1977 (28 stages)
Phil Anderson 1982 (23 stages)
Jan Ullrich 1997 (22 stages)
Tadej Pogačar 2021 (21 stages)
Tadej Pogačar 2022 (21 stages)
Tadej Pogačar 2023 (21 stages)
References
- "Tour de France Femmes 2022 Course and Jerseys Announced!". Liv Bicycles. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
WHITE JERSEY for the best young rider classification sponsored by LIV Riders under 23 years of age
- "Cycling Revealed".
- "La Vuelta 2016" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-02. Retrieved 2011-07-02.
- "Tour Xtra: White Jersey".
- Long, M. (9 April 2015). "Krys eyes Tour de France's white jersey". SportsPro. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
In addition to continuing as the official optician of the prestigious cycling race – a role it began last year – Krys will also sponsor the tour's white jersey, awarded to the best young rider under the age of 25.
- "Tour de France RULES AND REGULATIONS" (PDF). Letour.fr. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
There is an established order of priority for the different leaders' jerseys: the yellow jersey, followed by the green jersey, then the red polka-dot jersey and finally the white jersey
- "UCI CYCLING REGULATIONS - PART 2 ROAD RACES" (PDF). 2023-06-13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-06-30. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
2.6.018 - [...] If a rider is leading more than one classification, the order of priority of the distinctive jerseys shall be as follows: 1. general classification by time; 2. general classification by points; 3. general climber's classification; 4. others (young rider, combined, etc.); the order of priority among these other jerseys shall be set by the organiser.
- "Tour de France RULES AND REGULATIONS" (PDF). Letour.fr. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
However, if this rider is required to wear his world, continental or national champion's jersey, then he will wear this jersey
- "UCI CYCLING REGULATIONS - PART 2 ROAD RACES" (PDF). 2023-06-13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-06-30. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
2.6.018 - [...] In this situation, the organiser may require another rider next on the relevant classification to wear a jersey which is not being worn by the leader of that classification. However, if this rider must wear his world or national champion's jersey, or the leader's jersey of a UCI cup, circuit, series or classification, he shall wear that jersey.
- Philipot finished 24th in this Tour, four places behind 24-year-old Luis Alberto Camargo, who would have won the young rider competition, if his directeur sportif had registered him for the competition
External links
Media related to Young rider classification in the Tour de France at Wikimedia Commons
