Tour de France 2019: Who will win the green jersey?

The green jersey is awarded to the Tour de France rider who accumulates the most points in the points classification.

Points are awarded dependent on a rider's finishing positions on certain stages and at intermediate sprints that take place at various points throughout a stage.

Peter Sagan is the reigning title holder having won the green jersey for a record-equalling sixth time in 2018. Can anyone stop the speedy Slovak breaking the record this year? Here's a breakdown of some of the green-jersey contenders.

Peter Sagan4-9

Since lining up for his first Tour in 2012, the Tour de France officials are the only people to stop the Slovak wearing green onto the Champs-Elysees - he was disqualified from the race two years ago. The three-time world champion has not had the best spring by his extremely high standards but he returned to form at the Tour de Suisse and will be extremely tough to pass.

Dylan Groenewegen 5-1

The Dutch sprint star has enjoyed his best year in the peloton. A winner of three Tour de France stages in his career, Groenewegen has become the leading sprinter in the peloton this year with nine stage wins and victory in the Three Days of De Panne. He is the likeliest to run Sagan close.

Italian sprinter Elia Viviani (blue) has something to proveCredit: Daniel Kalisz

Elia Viviani 6-1

Italian sprinter Viviani is an Olympic gold medallist from the track in Rio three years ago but has a burgeoning record on the road, too. Viviani enjoyed a golden 2018, winning the points jersey and four stages at the Giro as well as three stages at the Vuelta. He hasn't quite lived up to those heights this year and has something to prove after coming home from May's Giro without a stage victory.

Michael Matthews 8-1

Australian all-rounder Matthews was the chief beneficiary of Sagan's disqualification in 2017 as he went on to take green. Illness forced Matthews to abandon on stage five of last year's Tour but if he is any sort of form he would be the rider most likely to be able to go toe-to-toe with Sagan over all terrain. However, he has said that he hasn't done much sprint training as he was focusing on helping his team leader Tom Dumoulin in the mountains before the Dutchman pulled out of the race.

Who will win the yellow jersey?Who will be King of the Mountains?

Points breakdown

Flat stages (1, 4, 7, 11, 16, 17, 21)
50-30-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3 & 2 pts for the first 15 riders

Hilly or medium mountains (3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12)
30-25-22-19-17-15-13-11-9-7-6-5-4-3-2 points for first 15

Mountains & ITT (6, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20) and intermediate sprints 20-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 points for first 15

Caleb Ewan 16-1

Another Aussie, Ewan is an out-and-out sprinter who will look to gain his points in the finishes to the flat stages. Has shown a likeness for uphill drags to the line - stage one should suit him - but whether he can collect the points at intermediate sprints when the route heads into the mountains may prove his downfall. Stage wins look his main objective.

Julian Alaphilippe25-1

The reigning King of the Mountains, French favourite Alaphilippe would be an outside bet to take green. The QuickStep star is possibly the best all-round rider in the peloton and can sprint and climb with the best of them when on song. However, polka dots appear his main target again.

Wout van Aert28-1

Former cyclocross world champion Van Aert is the unknown quantity in this year's Tour. The Belgian has never raced a Grand Tour before and only began to focus more on the road this year. But he has already shown his immense talent with impressive results in a number of Spring Classics. Van Aert will likely be Dylan Groenewegen's lead-out man in the sprints but could be given the freedom to cause havoc in hillier terrain.

Verdict

Barring accidents it's difficult to see anyone but Peter Sagan riding onto the Champs-Elysees in green, but if anyone is to push him close it looks likely to be Dylan Groenewegen. The Jumbo-Visma sprinter should prove himself to be the best speedster around in the bunch finishes and with teammate Wout van Aert potentially aiming to stop Sagan mopping up the points at intermediate sprints on hillier terrain, Groenewegen looks an each-way wager.

Recommendation
D Groenewegen
1pt each-way 5-1 general

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