The Tour de France has 4 jerseys on offer for the various competitions that take place within the race. The most prestigious jersey is the yellow jersey of the GC leader, which unfortunately has been tainted on a few occasions since the turn of the century (see table below). The green jersey is the points classification sought after by sprinters and classics men. The polka dot jersey recognizes the rider who obtains the most mountain points, while the white jersey is a GC for riders under 26.
| Year | GC | Points classification | KOM classification | Best Young Rider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tadej Pogacar | Biniam Girmay | Richard Carapaz | Remco Evenepoel |
| 2023 | Jonas Vingegaard | Jasper Philipsen | Giulio Ciccone | Tadej Pogacar |
| 2022 | Jonas Vingegaard | Wout van Aert | Jonas Vingegaard | Tadej Pogacar |
| 2021 | Tadej Pogacar | Mark Cavendish | Tadej Pogacar | Tadej Pogacar |
| 2020 | Tadej Pogacar | Sam Bennett | Tadej Pogacar | Tadej Pogacar |
| 2019 | Egan Bernal | Peter Sagan | Romain Bardet | Egan Bernal |
| 2018 | Geraint Thomas | Peter Sagan | Julian Alaphilippe | Pierre Latour |
| 2017 | Chris Froome | Michael Matthews | Warren Barguil | Simon Yates |
| 2016 | Chris Froome | Peter Sagan | Rafal Majka | Adam Yates |
| 2015 | Chris Froome | Peter Sagan | Chris Froome | Nairo Quintana |
| 2014 | Vincenzo Nibali | Peter Sagan | Rafal Majka | Thibaut Pinot |
| 2013 | Chris Froome | Peter Sagan | Nairo Quintana | Nairo Quintana |
| 2012 | Bradley Wiggins | Peter Sagan | Thomas Voeckler | Tejay van Garderen |
| 2011 | Cadel Evans | Mark Cavendish | Samuel Sanchez | Pierre Rolland |
| 2010 | Andy Schleck * | Alessandro Petacchi | Anthony Charteau | Andy Schleck |
| 2009 | Alberto Contador | Thor Hushovd | Egoi Martinez | Andy Schleck |
| 2008 | Carlos Sastre | Óscar Freire | Bernhard Kohl | Andy Schleck |
| 2007 | Alberto Contador | Tom Boonen | Mauricio Soler | Alberto Contador |
| 2006 | Óscar Pereiro | Robbie McEwen | Michael Rasmussen | Damiano Cunego |
| 2005 | no winner ** | Thor Hushovd | Michael Rasmussen | Jaroslav Popovitsj |
| 2004 | no winner ** | Robbie McEwen | Richard Virenque | Vladimir Karpets |
| 2003 | no winner ** | Baden Cooke | Richard Virenque | Denis Mentsjov |
| 2002 | no winner ** | Robbie McEwen | Laurent Jalabert | Ivan Basso |
| 2001 | no winner ** | Erik Zabel | Laurent Jalabert | Óscar Sevilla |
| 2000 | no winner ** | Erik Zabel | Santiago Botero | Franciso Mancebo |
* Initially Alberto Contador was the winner. He had to give back his title after charges of doping.
** Lance Armstrong’s victories (1999 t/m 2005) have been taken from him due to the use of doping. No new winner was declared.
Tour de France Records
Four riders remain in the record books for having won the Tour de France five times: Eddy Merckx, Bernhard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Jacques Anquetil .
Anquetil pulled off the unthinkable in 1961 when he held the yellow jersey from the first day of the race right up until the end.
Peter Sagan holds the record for green jersey wins with seven.
Richard Virenque is the King of the Mountains in the Tour de France. He won the polka dot jersey 4 times in a row from 1994-1997, and added a further three jerseys in 1999, 2003 and 2004.
Tadej Pogacar took home the white jersey four times, while Andy Schleck and Jan Ullrich both won the young riders classification three times.
In 1969, Eddy Merckx won the yellow jersey, the green jersey and the polka dot jersey, the only man ever to do so in a single Tour de France. He also was the record holder in terms of stage wins for a a long time, but Mark Cavendish took it from him on Wednesday 3 July 2024. The ManX Missile won 35 Tour de France stages.
Three riders won eight stages in a single Tour de France: Freddy Maertens (1976), Eddy Merckx (1970, 1974), and Charles Pélissier (1930).
The youngest winner ever was Henri Cornet, winning the 1904 Tour at 19 years of age. The oldest winner is Firmin Lambot, who was 36 years when he won in 1922.
Cadel Evans is the oldest winner post WWII – in 2011 he was 34 when he finally won his yellow jersey after years of trying.
Tadej Pogacar is the youngest post-WW2 Tour de France winner. He turned 22 the day after he won the 2020 edition.