1989 Tour de France under 25 years were eligible. In 1989, for the first time since 1975, no actual jersey was worn by the leading rider in this classification. The white jersey would be reintroduced in 2000. For the team classification, the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added; the leading team was the team with the lowest total time. The riders in the team that lead this classification wore yellow caps. The combativity award was given to Laurent Fignon. Commemorating the bicentennial anniversary of the French Revolution, a cash prize of 17,890 francs was given out to
Tour de France Eugène Christophe. Each team brings multiple yellow jerseys in advance of the Tour in case one of their riders becomes the overall leader of the race. Riders usually try to make the extra effort to keep the jersey for as long as possible in order to get more publicity for the team and its sponsors. Eddy Merckx has worn the yellow jersey for 96 stages, which is more than any other rider in the history of the Tour de France. Four riders have won the general classification five times in their career: Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel