Best not-Young Rider Competition

In cycling, the white jersey, similar to a wedding dress perhaps, signals freshness. Youth. An unsullied person coming into the world. For over 50 years at the Tour de France, the white jersey has been awarded to the best young rider, in this case the best rider under 26 years of age. Which might be a smart decision 50 years ago, was probably a fine decision 25 years ago, but within the past few years we’ve seen that the best overall riders are under 26 years old. The sport has undergone a seismic shift, where establishing yourself for a half dozen years or more is no longer necessary before trying to become a team leader. Through the openness of modern media, riders in their young teens are able to train like they’re professional. They see the intervals and hours required, they fuel carbohydrates at an astronomical rate, and they know ever niche of aerodynamics from the time they first step over a bike.

I wouldn’t be surprise if the white jersey is soon a relic in cycling.

It’s for this reason, I think the sport needs a “best old rider” jersey. This idea is as tongue-in-cheek as it is entirely serious. I wouldn’t be surprised if in ten years or so, you won’t see a single rider older than 25 in the top 10 of a GC battle.

It’s with this thinking that I was part of this recent interview prior to Sea Otter with CyclingWeekly.