Tour de France 2019: Who will be King of the Mountains?

The leader of the King of the Mountains classification at the Tour de France wears the iconic polka-dot jersey.

Points are awarded at the top of categorised climbs, which are graded from the hardest, Hors Categorie, to the easiest, 4th category. The harder the climb, the higher the number of points are on offer and more riders are rewarded.

French favourite Julian Alaphilippe is the title holder and is bidding to become the first back-to-back winner since Michael Rasmussen in 2015 and 2016.

Julian Alaphilippe13-8

Frenchman Alaphilippe romped away with the mountains crown in 2018, accumulating double the amount of points as his compatriot, and predecessor in the polka dots, Warren Barguil. It's hard to see him being given as much rope this time around, especially as he could be in yellow after the first week.

Warren Barguil6-1

Another home hope, Barguil was imperious when winning the mountains classification two years ago but he has failed to rediscover that sparkling form since. He was crowned French road-race champion last week which hints that he maybe coming into some sort of shape and the ambition to go for polka dots remains as bright as ever.

Former Tour winner Vincenzo Nibali should thrive when the route starts to head skywardsCredit: Tim de Waele

Vincenzo Nibali14-1

The Shark is looking to go on the attack at the Tour and that should be a warning to all. A four-time Grand Tour winner including the 2014 Tour, Nibali finished second at May's Giro and immediately said that challenging for yellow may be beyond him after such exertions. A climber of proven pedigree, the ultra-high nature of the final week won't faze the Italian, who must go close if sticking to his word and targeting stages and the iconic polka-dot jersey.

Egan Bernal18-1

The Tour favourite and destined for the very top no matter what happens over the next three weeks, Bernal is a climber in the purest sense of the word who should thrive when the road heads skywards. Many yellow-jersey winners have also won the King of the Mountains as a by-product of their Tour win and it makes sense that if he contends for yellow, Bernal must feature highly in the mountains classification.

Mountain points breakdown

Hors category 40-30-24-20-16-12-4 points for first eight riders over the summit

1st category 10-8-6-4-2-1 points for first six

2nd category 5-3-2-1 points for first four

3rd category 2 & 1 points for first two

4th category 1 points for first rider

HC climbs are usually 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-2 points but ascents over 2,000m receive double points and all five HC climbs at this year's Tour are above that threshold.

Giulio Ciccone won the mountains classification at this year's Giro d'ItaliaCredit: Justin Setterfield

Giulio Ciccone18-1

The Trek-Segafredo climber has really come into his own this year. He won the mountains classification at this year's Giro in decisive fashion but it is notoriously difficult to follow up in the Tour, which could compromise his chances of doing a mountains double.

Mikel Landa18-1

Spaniard Landa has all the talent in the world but is regularly forced to sacrifice his own chances of success for team objectives. Landa is a former winner of the mountains classification at the Giro and got stronger as that race wore on this year in support of winner Richard Carapaz. An interesting outsider should he be released from Movistar's shackles.

Verdict

If the race for the green jersey was something of a closed shop, the battle to be crowned King of the Mountains is anything but. It would be folly to dismiss the chances of home favourites, and market leaders, Julian Alaphillipe and Warren Barguil but there are enough doubts about their chances at short prices. The extremely high nature of this year's route, coupled with double points on all five HC climbs, should see the GC men figure prominently on the mountains classification and Egan Bernal will surely figure. But the looming presence of Vincenzo Nibali looks a danger to all if, as he has said, the Shark hunts for stages. Nibali will almost certainly be targeting the brutal mountain tests if he is going for stages and the polka-dot jersey could come as a by-product of any success.

Recommendation
V Nibali
2pts each-way 14-1 BoyleSports

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