In sport, numbers often carry meaning. In rugby and American football, numbers correspond to field positions. In ice hockey, players choose numbers for personal or historical significance. But in the Tour de France, the logic is less sentimental and more pragmatic, with just a few exceptions that give the system some character.
At first glance, you might think the numbers on riders’ backs are random. And to some extent, they are. But there’s a consistent framework behind how dossards are assigned, beginning with the reigning champion.
Who wears number 1 at the Tour de France?
The number 1 bib is always reserved for the winner of the previous year’s Tour. If the reigning champion is back to defend their title, they wear number 1, and the rest of their team will wear numbers 2 to 8. These are usually ordered alphabetically by surname.
In 2023, Jonas Vingegaard returned as defending champion and wore the number 1 dossard. Unsurprisingly, number 1 is statistically the most successful number in the race’s history, having been carried to victory 27 times.
Why is number 13 often worn upside down?
Superstition plays a big part in how riders treat the number 13. While it’s just another number in the official listing, it’s often worn upside down in a small act of defiance. Felix Großschartner was due to wear it for UAE Team Emirates in 2023, but the team chose to skip the number entirely, jumping straight from 12 to 14. Adam Yates wore number 19 instead.
The last rider to wear number 13 upside down was Steven Kruijswijk in 2022. That year, he crashed heavily and abandoned the race on stage 15 – a fate that probably hasn’t done much to curb the superstition.
What do numbers 11 and 21 represent?
The second bib of interest is number 11, typically awarded to the runner-up of the previous Tour. In 2023, that was Tadej Pogačar, and he led UAE Team Emirates with numbers 11 through 18. When teams deviate from this system, it usually relates to internal reshuffling or avoiding the number 13.
Numbers 21 through 28 are then passed to the team of the third-place rider. If that rider is not present, the team might still be allocated the numbers. For instance, in 2023, Ineos Grenadiers took 21 to 28, even though Geraint Thomas wasn’t racing. They gave 21 to Egan Bernal, though Carlos Rodríguez eventually emerged as the team’s top performer.
If any of the previous year’s podium finishers are absent, the teams simply assign the bibs to whoever is stepping into a leadership role.
How are the rest of the numbers assigned?
Beyond the top three teams, it’s less formulaic. Teams are assigned sequential blocks of numbers – usually 31–38, 41–48, and so on. These blocks have sometimes been awarded alphabetically, sometimes based on team rankings, or to honour individual performances.
In 2023, David Gaudu was France’s top finisher in 2022, placing fourth overall. His Groupama-FDJ team were allocated numbers 31 to 38 in recognition of that achievement, even though he didn’t make the podium.
The legend of number 51
While number 1 has the most Tour wins, number 51 is steeped in its own kind of folklore. Dubbed the ‘dossard anisé’ after an anise-flavoured drink marketed in 1951, the number developed its reputation after Eddy Merckx won the 1969 Tour with it on his back. Between 1969 and 1978, it delivered four winners including Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault.
Since then, 51 has often been given to standout French riders. Pierre Rolland wore it in 2013, Thibaut Pinot in 2019 and 2020, and Julian Alaphilippe took it in 2023 for the second time in his career. Despite the mystique, it is only the fourth most successful number, level with 15 and 21, and behind 1, 11, and 2.
What do the red and yellow numbers mean?
Once the race starts, some riders will earn coloured dossards based on performance. The most visible is the combativity award – traditionally a red number, now gold due to new sponsorship from Century 21. It’s given to the most aggressive rider of the previous stage, as judged by a race jury and fan vote.
Another coloured number is yellow, not to be confused with the yellow jersey. This one is worn by all riders on the team currently leading the team classification. Like the maillot jaune, this can change hands day to day. In 2023, Jumbo-Visma ended the race with both the yellow jersey and the yellow dossards.
While not as symbolic as in other sports, Tour de France bib numbers do carry meaning. Some are assigned through tradition, others through hierarchy, superstition, or national pride. For fans, they’re another detail to latch onto in a race that’s as much about narrative as it is about numbers.
