A wind of change swept across the 1975 Tour de France. When the organizers introduced several innovations, they had no idea how lasting they would be. But time has proven them right. Three of those changes are now celebrating their 50th anniversary: the polka-dot jersey for the best climber, the white jersey for the best young rider, and the iconic finish of the final stage on the Champs-Élysées. These bold moves were part of an exceptional edition, which saw Bernard Thévenet become the first rider to defeat Eddy Merckx in the Tour. The official Tour website looks back at five decades of this history, in a four-part series.
When climbers got their spots (I/IV)
A jersey inspired by a jockey's silks to identify the leader of the mountains classification? Why not! It may have seemed whimsical at first, but the red-and-white polka dots quickly won over the riders, starting with Lucien Van Impe, who ended his career with six wins (1971, 72, 75, 77, 81, 83), and was the first to truly embody the role of the best climber. Captivated by this distinctive jersey, another mountain lover, Richard Virenque, set out to surpass the Belgian’s record. He succeeded, claiming seven titles (1994, 95, 96, 97, 99, 2003, 04), and inspired a French tradition carried on by Thomas Voeckler, Julian Alaphilippe, and Romain Bardet. Since 1975, French riders have dominated the mountains classification (20 wins), though Colombian climbers have claimed their share (5), as have the Italians (5), in more scattered fashion.
