The Green Jersey: History and Domination in the Tour de France

Origins and Evolution of the Green Jersey

In 1953, the Green Jersey was introduced in the Tour de France, awarded to the winner of the points classification. That year, the first cyclist to wear it was Swiss rider Fritz Schaer. Initially, penalty points were awarded, with the cyclist with the fewest points receiving the Green Jersey. However, in 1959, the system changed, and since then, the cyclist with the most points has been awarded.

Why Green?

The green color is said to have been chosen by the sponsor at the time, a lawnmower company called La Belle Jardinière. Interestingly, in 1968, the jersey became red, also by the sponsor's choice.

Sponsors Over the Years

Since 2015, the Czech brand Skoda, part of the Volkswagen Group, has sponsored the Green Jersey. Before moving into vehicle manufacturing, Skoda had been producing bicycles since 1895.

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Peter Sagan: The King of the Green Jersey

Slovakian Peter Sagan is the cyclist with the most wins of the Green Jersey, with a total of seven victories. In 2019, he surpassed German Erik Zabel, who won six consecutive times between 1996 and 2001.

Controversies and Triumphs

Peter Sagan dominated the Green Jersey since his debut with the Cannondale team in 2012. However, at the 2017 Tour de France, riding for the Bora-Hansgrohe team, his streak was cut short when he was expelled from the competition for an unsportsmanlike maneuver involving Mark Cavendish. The International Cycling Union later acknowledged that the expulsion was an improper decision and apologized to Sagan and his team. That year, the points jersey winner was Australian Michael Matthews.

"I'm not the best in any discipline. I'm not a time trialist, I'm not a climber, I'm not a sprinter. Maybe I'm good at downhills."

The Most Recent Winner

Belgian Jasper Philipsen of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team is the most recent winner of the Green Jersey, achieving a total of 377 points and four stage wins.