Tour de France points classification odds
Tour de France - Points classification
In the Tour de France, the green jersey is worn by the rider who is leading the points classification. This means the rider who has been awarded the most points during sprint stage finishes and intermediate sprints (placed at certain locations mid-stage to keep things interesting) - based on the order they cross the line. It’s easy to see, therefore, why the green jersey is synonymous with the world’s best sprint cyclists.
Over the course of the entire race, flat stages are given a higher points value than mountainous stages, giving sprinters a chance to get in on the action and target stage wins. However, occasionally, the winner of the overall general classification has also topped the points classification - in which case the cyclist who comes second in the points classification standings will wear the green jersey.
Sprinters thrive on the flat stages, where typically their team lead them to the very last moments of the race. Then, they try and burst clear of the pack and charge to the line at speeds of 60 to 70 kilometres per hour. Sprinters aren’t concerned with the general classification win, but often win multiple stages (Mark Cavendish once won six stages in one year).
With the Tour de France being the pinnacle of the professional cycling tour, the best sprinters will line-up. This year, Slovakia’s Peter Sagan (Team Bora–Hansgrohe), a five-time points winner and cycling superstar, will be hoping to regain his title after he was disqualified last year. Sagan, the three-time world champion looked set to do win the green jersey but was disqualified on stage 4 after he was deemed to have caused Mark Cavendish to crash in the sprint finish. This year, he is once more the hot favourite to equal Germany’s Erik Zabel for the most green jersey wins of all time.
The current points classification holder is Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), although his win came as a surprise to many - helped due to Peter Sagan’s disqualification. The Australian won the 2017 sprinters jersey after holding off the challenge from German giant Andre Greipel (Team Omega Pharma-Lotto).
All the big names are expected to start so Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data), Peter Sagan, Marcel Kittel (Team Katusha–Alpecin), Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) and Dylan Groenewegen (Team LottoNL–Jumbo) will also be eyeing up stage wins and the green jersey. Sagan, as he normally does, will be expected to regain his Points classification title, but will also have to fend off the likes of Elia Viviani (Team Quick Step).
Flat stages to watch out for:
1 - Noirmoutier-en-l’Île to Fontenay-le-Comte - 189km
2 - Mouilleron-Saint-Germain to La Roche-sur-Yon - 183km
4 - La Baule to Sarzeau - 192km
7 - Fougères to Chartres - 231km
8 - Dreux to Amiens - 181km
13 - Bourg d’Oisans to Valence - 169km
18 - Trie-sur-Baïse to Pau - 172km
21 - Houilles to Paris - 115km