The Real Yellow Jersey
What is The Real Yellow Jersey?
Cycling UK has awarded 10 hand-knitted yellow jerseys to 10 everyday heroes who’ve transformed their lives through cycling and our Big Bike Revival programme.
In the Tour de France, the yellow jersey has been worn by the race leader since 1919. It’s an iconic symbol of sporting excellence—recognised around the world and worn by only nine British riders in the Tour’s 120-year history.
Our Real Yellow Jersey celebrates a different kind of cycling hero. It recognises that cycling isn’t just about sport—it’s a powerful everyday activity that supports health, independence and connection, and plays a vital role in tackling some of society’s biggest challenges, from climate change and air pollution to obesity and mental health.
Each jersey was hand-knitted in Tour de France yellow by the Seacroft Hookers & Knit-wits in Leeds —one of our own Big Bike Revival delivery partners. Every jersey took around 35 hours to make, symbolising the time, care and dedication our winners put into supporting their communities through cycling.
Meet the class of 2025
In 2025, to mark 10 years of The Big Bike Revival, Cycling UK celebrates 10 everyday cycling heroes with a Real Yellow Jersey—recognising people who’ve used the power of the bike to change their lives and lift up their communities.
This year’s winners include Laura, a single mum from Southampton who’s turned Monty’s Bike Hub into a vibrant centre for connection and support; Mostafa, a refugee who rebuilt his life in Halifax with the help of a bike; and Helen, who swapped unreliable buses for an e-bike and transformed her daily commute in Newcastle.
There’s Hamida, who helped form a cycling sisterhood from the ground up in Blackburn, and Khadija, who sparked a movement for Muslim women in Bolton to take up space and ride with pride.
Each story is different—but together, they show what the Real Yellow Jersey is all about: everyday people using bikes to do extraordinary things.
The stories behind the jerseys
Click on each winner’s story to discover how they’ve used cycling to overcome challenges, inspire others and create positive change in their communities.
Celebrating everyday champions since 2019
The Real Yellow Jersey was launched in 2019 to recognise everyday people using cycling to overcome challenges, improve their wellbeing, and uplift others around them.
That first group of winners included Martin, who went from homelessness and addiction to becoming a volunteer bike mechanic; Joy, who learned to ride at 50 and became a community cycling leader; and Declan, a ten-year-old with dyspraxia who never thought he’d be able to ride—until he did.
From Joan, who got back on a bike in her 80s, to Caitlin, who turned frustration into action and became a qualified bike mechanic, these inspiring individuals laid the foundation for what the Real Yellow Jersey represents today.
Powered by The Big Bike Revival
Every one of our Real Yellow Jersey winners has been supported by The Big Bike Revival—Cycling UK’s flagship behaviour change programme that helps people unlock the benefits of cycling, often for the first time.
Whether it’s learning to ride, fixing a bike, building maintenance skills, or finding the confidence to join a group ride, The Big Bike Revival is where these incredible journeys begin.
Want to know more about how the programme works—and how you can get involved? Click the links below to explore The Big Bike Revival.
