There are various classes in the competition, not all riders have the same prize in mind. For example Sprint specialists are rubbish at Mountain climbing so will lose masses of time in the overall competition. But a good climber can't out accelerate a sprinter in the race for the line on the flatter stages.
Jerseys
- Yellow: Overall Leader (Based on total time since the start)
- Green: Leader on Sprint Points (Points are awarded based on the order they cross the line at the end of the stage and also at an intermediate sprint point)
- Polka Dot: King of the Mountains (Points are awarded based on the order riders cross the summit of categorised climbs - the higher the category the more points on offer)
- White: Highest placed young rider (as the Yellow Jersey but for riders under 25)
Only one rider has won the right to wear the Yellow, Green and Polka at the same time. That was Eddie Mercx, he would have won the white jersey as well but it hadn't been introduced at the time!
There are also prizes for best placed team in the overall standings, most aggressive* rider on each stage and winning individual stages.
*This isn't the best translation, but the prize will be awarded to the rider who attacks most or carries out some other feat that the referees deem worthy (for example the rider who was rammed off the road and into a barbed wire fence by a media vehicle was awarded it despite being practically towed in by the medical car with very nasty wounds was awarded it when he started the next day's stage after an evening in the medical centre)
