YELLOW
Given to the overall race leader, namely the rider who has completed the stages so far in the shortest combined time. The jersey is thought to date back to 1919 and takes its colour from l'Auto, the newspaper owned by race founder and sponsor Henri Desgrange. Eddy 'the Cannibal' Merckx wore it for a record 111 days.
GREEN
The next most prestigious jersey is given to the leader in the points classification which rewards sprinters, the riders who can be seen barrelling to the line in a bunch finish. During each stage, points are attributed during the intermediary sprints and at the finish. The jersey was introduced in 1953. Germany's Erik Zabel won it a record six consecutive times between 1996 and 2001. Slovakian Peter Sagan heads to the 2016 Tour having won it in each of the previous four editions.
POLKA DOT
The King of the Mountains. Like the green jersey, riders succeed in the climbers' classification by claiming points, in this case for being the first to the top of designated hills and mountains, the greatest number of points being awarded for the hardest ascents. Although the award was introduced in 1933, the distinctive jersey was not brought in until 1975. Scotland's Robert Millar was King of the Mountains in 1984, while Chris Froome last year became the first rider to win the polka dot jersey and yellow jersey in the same Tour since Merckx in 1970.
WHITE
Given to the best-placed rider under 25 years old on January 1 of the year the Tour is ridden. The jersey was introduced in 1975. It was abandoned in 1989 but reintroduced in 1999.
Source: PA-WIRE
