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Tour de France jerseys: Cultural icons

By Les Clarke

published 21 July 2010

A peloton of colour that's constantly changing

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Never one to shy away from the spotlight, Mario Cipollini in his star-spangled Saeco outfit.(Image credit: AFP)

A throwback to national team days, the Cafe de Colombia jersey of mountains man Luis Herrera was a regular sight in the 1980s.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Eddy Merckx was synonymous with the Molteni squad.(Image credit: AFP)

Andy Hampsten was one of the 7-Eleven trailblazers.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Bernard Hinault sports the famous Renault-Elf colours.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Former Festina rider Richard Virenque at the 1998 Tour.(Image credit: AFP)

Christophe Moreau gets in the Festina team car at the 1998 Tour.(Image credit: AFP)

Bernard Thevenet (l) and Bernard Hinault at the 1978 Tour.(Image credit: AFP)

Greg LeMond wore the distinctive Z uniform during his 1990 Tour triumph.(Image credit: AFP)

Pedro Delgado leads Stephen Roche during the 1987 Tour.(Image credit: AFP)

Another yellow jersey for Eddy Merckx in 1971.(Image credit: AFP)

Raymond Poulidor in another incarnation of the Mercier jersey at the 1974 Tour.(Image credit: AFP)

The 1974 Tour podium (l-r): Raymond Poulidor, Eddy Merckx and Vicente Lopez-Carrill.(Image credit: AFP)

A familiar scene: St-Raphaël rider Jacques Anquetil (l) and Mercier's Raymond Poulidor duke it out.(Image credit: AFP)

Mercier rider Raymond Poulidor (l) and Luis Ocana wait for the stage start in the 1973 Tour.(Image credit: AFP)

All smiles for Merckx at the 1971 Tour.(Image credit: AFP)

Phil Anderson sports three cultural icons: the 'sausage' helmet, Oakley Factory Pilots and a Panasonic jersey.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

They can define rivalries, dictate strategy and they undoubtedly add colour to the world's biggest races; the jerseys of the peloton help make cycling a team sport, and the Tour has seen some special jerseys in its storied history.

The likes of Merckx, Anquetil, Hinault and Indurain are generally all linked to a particular jersey that helped shape and define their careers and as such the uniform of a certain rider can help fans form a life-long attachment to a team or cyclist.

And as such they become more than just a garment worn by the rider to denote their team - from national squads to the advent of trade outfits right up to today's vestments that boast a dozen or more sponsor logos in the modern commercial environment - the jersey is a symbol of cycling and a source of pride.

There's cultural significance in the colours of some jerseys seen at the Tour although in many modern cases they are a representation of the sponsor's enblem, likely to change as those who provide financial backing for a team change. It's part of the ebb and flow of the professional realm of cycling.

Below we bring you some of the notable jerseys of the Tour de France peloton over the decades - there are many more we could have included, but here's a small selection of the 'classic clothes' that have adorned some of the sport's finest.

Eddy Merckx was synonymous with the Molteni squad. — ***Eddy Merckx and Molteni will forever be aligned in cycling culture, the iconic burnt orange jersey turning to yellow in the 1971 Tour de France (above).***

Raymond Poulidor in another incarnation of the Mercier jersey at the 1974 Tour. — *French company Gan's long association with cyclng began with its involvement in the Mercier team that boasted 'The Eternal Second', Raymond Poulidor, seen here riding the 1974 Tour de France (above).*

Bernard Hinault sports the famous Renault-Elf colours.

Bernard Hinault donned the Renault-Elf colours during his career (above left) and rode the 1978 Tour as French national champion, seen here talking to countryman, Peugeot's Bernhard Thevenet (above right).