The event apparel: What makes it special?
First of all, there's the pro teams' apparel. Some teams start with their "normal" pro jerseys, others have event-specific apparel, for example Team Jumbo Visma, whose normal apparel is considered "too yellow" for the Tour de France.
Wait - too yellow?
That's right. There are so-called classification jerseys in the major cycling races: classification jerseys are the most coveted trophies in the cycling world and are awarded in almost all stage races. Every professional cyclist dreams of wearing one of these jerseys. The UCI even made the awarding of a leader's jersey mandatory in all international cycling stage races.
Classification jerseys can be awarded in different categories. The most famous classification jersey is almost certainly the Tour de France Yellow Jersey. This is worn by the rider who holds the leading position in the overall standings.
That's why Team Jumbo Visma has to ride in the Tour de France with a lesser yellow jersey, so there's no risk of confusion. But of course this is only one example of many. Often, event-specific performance is the main deciding factor: each race presents different challenges, and the apparel must adapt to them.
Other famous classification jerseys are the Maglia Rosa of the Giro d `Italia and the Maillot Rojo of the Vuelta a España. The Tour of Germany also awards a red classification jersey.
More than just overall points: Mountain jersey, young riders and more
In addition to the overall classification, other special achievements can also be rewarded with a classification jersey - for example, the rider with the most points in a Tour can be awarded a prize. In the Tour, as in the Vuelta, these classification jerseys are green. In the Giro, on the other hand, riders are presented with the maglia rossa.
Likewise, the best mountain stage rider can be awarded. The one for the Tour de France stands out with its red-dotted design and is secretly vielermann's favorite. The Italian and Spanish counterparts are the Maglia Azzurra and the Maillot Lunares. In some of the races, the best young riders are also often awarded a white classification jersey.
The Maglia Nera of the Giro d `Italia is also well known: originally given to the weakest rider so that he could gain attention and also a cash prize, it was abolished after only a few years. However, the wearers have legend status, whether it was Aldo Bini, who finished the 1948 Tour with a broken wrist, or Luigi Malabrocca, who hid behind bars, barns or hedges to intentionally be the last to receive the jersey and prize money.
This gave the jersey cult status and in modern performance is still appreciated by fans today
The Classics / Monuments of Cycling
The capital of France is a greatness in cycling not only because of the Tour de France, but because of no less than THREE established one-day races: Paris-Nice, known as the "Race to the Sun", Paris-Tours, known for the Loire Valley vines and infamous cobblestone roads, and Paris-Roubaix. Paris-Roubaix is also known as Hell of the North, originally because of the historic devastation after World War I, but nowadays also because of the severe conditions of the race.
In nearby Belgium, for one, there is the oldest one-day race still held: Liège-Bastogne-Liège is therefore also called "la Doyenne", the oldest, and is known and infamous for the tough climbs through the Walloon Ardennes.
Also in the Walloon part of Belgium is the one-day race La Flèche Wallonne or Walloon Arrow, which is always held four days before Liège-Bastogne-Liège and is therefore also described as Ardennes Week together.
The Tour of Lombardy is traditionally the last major cycling race of a cycling season and the only one of the "classics" that is not held in the spring.
Other stage races that are not among the big three but also fascinate cycling fans are the Tour Down Under in Australia and the Tour de Suisse.
There is also a special case: at the UCI Road World Championships, national teams in national colors compete instead of the usual professional teams. The rainbow jersey that the winners are allowed to wear is particularly well-known here.
The largest selection of cycling event wear at Bobshop
If you also want to feel like the pros or you are just a fan of the great designs, then get your favorite jersey on Bobshop. We have the largest selection of official classification jerseys and pro team apparel.