White jersey
Numerous cycling stage races award a white jersey to signify the current leader and overall winner of a certain competition. The most prominent of these is perhaps the Tour de France, where the jersey is known as the maillot blanc and is awarded to the best-placed rider under 26 years of age. The use of the white jersey to recognize the best young rider in a race is its most common use, though some tours award a white jersey for a different classification.
Other stage races, besides the Tour de France, that also award a white jersey for the best young rider include:
- Deutschland Tour
- Giro d'Italia (known as the maglia bianca, and the cut-off is 25 years instead of 26)
- Paris–Nice
- Tour of California (where the cut-off is 23 years instead of 26)
- Tour of Ireland
Other white jerseys
Some stage races award a white jersey for a different classification than youth. The foremost of these is probably the Vuelta a España, where it recognizes the leader in the Combination classification. In this classification, ranks in the General, Points, and Mountains classifications are added, and whoever has the lowest cumulative total is awarded the white jersey. It is a relatively new award, having existed only since the 2003 edition of the race.[1] In 1941, the Vuelta a España white jersey was for the leader and overall winner of the General classification.[2]
The Tour of the Basque Country awards a white jersey to the leader and overall winner of the Points classification.[3] The Volta a Catalunya awards a white jersey with green stripes to the leader and overall winner of the General classification.[4] The Tour de Suisse awards a white jersey to a somewhat unique competition, the Sprints classification,[5] which awards placings not on stage finishes but strictly in intermediate sprints.
The Tour Down Under awards a white jersey, with green piping and side panels, to the leader and ultimately the winner of the King of the Mountains classification.[6]
References
- ^ http://www.cyclingpost.com/protour/races/vueltah.shtml
- ^ http://www.cyclingrevealed.com/timeline/Race%20Snippets/VaE/VaE1941.htm
- ^ http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/photos/2009/apr09/paisvasco09/index.php?id=/photos/2009/apr09/paisvasco09/paisvasco094/luisleonpodium
- ^ http://www.bike-zone.com/photos/2006/may06/catalunya06/?id=catalunya067/Par765387
- ^ http://www.bike-zone.com/photos/2008/jun08/suisse08/index.php?id=/photos/2008/jun08/suisse08/suisse088/TDS08St8098
- ^ "Jersey Description". Tour Down Under. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
