A have a look at the factors competitors within the Tour de France, the contenders for the inexperienced jersey and a wider preview of the sprinters.
Study to depend
Factors are awarded on the end line and at one intermediate level within the stage:
Flat levels (Phases 2,3,5,6,8,9,10,12,13,16) 50-30-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3 and a couple of factors for the primary 15 riders
Hilly end / Medium mountain levels (Phases 1,11,17,18): 30-25-22-19-17-15-13-11-9-7-6- 5-4-3-2 factors
Mountain Phases + particular person TT (Phases 4,7,14,15,19,20,21) : 20-17-15-13-11- 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 factors
Intermediate sprints: 20-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 factors
As stated right here earlier than the pedant is aware of “it’s not the sprinter’s jersey, it’s the factors competitors” however the skilled is aware of the flatter levels provide extra factors.
The previous two winners of the competitors are Wout van Aert and Jasper Philipsen. They make for instructive case research. Philipsen received 4 levels final 12 months which delivered him 200 factors and inserting on additional days helped him rating extra, his successful streak meant the jersey adopted as a consequence.
In 2022 Van Aert took three stage wins, one solo, one uphill dash and a time trial and positioned in a few of the dash levels, he constructed a commanding lead throughout the three weeks and was scoring on days when the pure sprinters weren’t.
These two methods needn’t be unique paths. The dream state of affairs is the jersey altering shoulders commonly with each dash and intermediate dash contested.
This 12 months’s route serves up extra dash finishes than final so it fits a pure sprinter much more than a baroudeur. Additionally the inserting of the intermediate sprints tends to fits a pure sprinter, there are solely a handful of levels the place it’s positioned after a tough climb so the sprinters groups can hope to filter the breakaway most days and management who will get to contest the intermediate dash.
Additionally speaking of mountain levels, the outdated maxim of “to complete first, first end” because the Tour has tight time cuts and it is a mountainous version with days that would see sprinters lose beaucoup time early. The commissaires can reinstate riders in distinctive circumstances but when this occurs they forfeit all the factors earned up to now so adieu the inexperienced jersey.
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) received inexperienced final 12 months and 4 levels. At first look he doesn’t appear to be such a simple decide for a repeat as a result of he’s been overwhelmed in sprints not too long ago, whether or not the Belgium championships or the Belgium Tour however this occurred final 12 months too. Philipsen is greater than a dragster sprinter as he can deal with brief climbs that different sprinters can not and he’s now going to have Mathieu van der Poel as a leadout man who provides a ferocious end. Van der Poel could possibly be essential right here as there days when he might have received for himself final 12 months, like Limoges the place Pedersen received, however he helped Philipsen attempt to win and place as a substitute. Will this occur once more? The Dutchman has an eye fixed on Olympics simply as he did the Worlds final 12 months.
Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) has the potential to win however does he have the liberty? He can win days when different sprinters can not and even harvest factors from the time trials. But he could possibly be on crew responsibility for Jonas Vingegaard if the Dane is within the combine for the general win which must be the case. With the crew weakened by harm and sickness he’s now not a joker card however essential in assist. Plus his purpose is the Olympics and simply as he left the race final 12 months to attend the start of his youngster, he might have plans to depart right here as properly or a minimum of again off the racing.
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) isn’t a sprinter however he received a stage of the Dauphiné and lots of different bunch sprints and he’s bought the flexibility to win extra. He’ll discover quicker riders forward of him right here for the flat finishes and his comparative benefit is available in an uphill dash however there are few of those, solely actually Stage 8 to Colombey so he’ll need to hustle and bustle for it within the bunch sprints and breakaways alike.
Is Arnaud De Lie a sprinter? After a giant crash within the 4 Days of Dunkerque final 12 months Lotto-Dstny have tried to take him away from the bunch sprints nevertheless it’s threat vs reward, no extra tangling for factors in 1.1 race however on the Tour de France? He wants a hillier, more durable day and there should not many however he’s typically so highly effective he can win on the flat by brute power.
Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco) is the shape decide having simply received the Dutch nationwide championships however he hasn’t received a top-level dash for some time, take your decide between the 2023 UAE Tour earlier than that the 2022 Tour de France. Workforce mate Michael Matthews is prone to be stage-hunting however can contribute whereas Luka Mezec is a stable leadout
Fabio Jakobsen (DSM Firmenich-PostNL) was rivalling Jasper Philipsen for the title of greatest sprinter however he’s a case examine for the unstable hierarchy among the many sprinters at present. Adrift in Paris-Good and the Giro alike however comes with a robust leadout with Bram Welten and Nils Eekhoff which reveals the crew are backing him.
Not way back Fernando Gavira (Movistar) was sizzling property among the many sprinters, now he’s making a reputation for himself by launching early and averaging 1-2 wins a season so a win on the Tour could be a giant flip round. Movistar are factors searching however UCI rating factors, not the inexperienced ones and eighth on a stage is 40 factors.
Mark Cavendish (Astana) was the factors winner in 2021 however all he needs is yet another win to surpass Eddy Merckx because the rider with essentially the most Tour stage win, “Mission 35”. After all if he will get right into a successful streak then inexperienced follows however the central query right here is whether or not he can get that first win. To attain this he could sit out some intermediate sprints as a way to enhance his possibilities on the end. Can he win a stage? Sure it’s doable however the debate is whether or not it’s possible. There six goes at a dash end the place must discover a well beyond the names cited already. The crew are all in and have recruited dash whisperer Michael Mørkøv to spice up the possibilities.
One other sprinter who finds age only a quantity is Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) though he’s not received a World Tour dash since 2020 when he took the opening stage of the Tour in Good and works as a useful chief for the crew. Søren Wærenskjold is a good leadout rider who can win sprints however not fairly at this degree, likewise Jonas Abrahamsen.
Intermarché-Wanty are struggling this season. As soon as upstarts who’d attempt longshot breakaway strikes, they’ve sharpened their focus with the likes of Biniam Girmay however he’s an rare winner who hasn’t present the identical type of the 2022 Giro when he was outsmarting Van der Poel. He can win bunch sprints and so can crew mate Gerben Thijssen so it’ll be fascinating to see how they experience though we’ve seen the crew earlier than joyful to have a number of riders within the combine slightly than again one.
As soon as a inexperienced jersey winner, Sam Bennett is again to successful methods with Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale however he and the crew would absolutely signal at present for a stage win, as we noticed not too long ago it’s one factor to storm to wins in Dunkerque, one other within the Dauphiné. Likewise Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) who has been via some introspection currently about his profession and objectives and appears to have come out with extra wins however the right way to land a stage right here, it could most likely be his crowning triumph, topping his current Suisse stage win. The identical for Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain) who has began 5 grand excursions however solely completed one however he’s a pointy rider who can win World Tour degree sprints however has but to take a grand tour win.
Marijn van den Berg (EF Training-Easypost) is one other versatile sprinter who can win on exhausting days however dangers being swamped by quicker sprinters as his crew don’t convey a giant prepare in assist. Arnaud Démare (Arkéa-Samsic) was dropping pace at Groupama-FDJ earlier than his switch final summer time and his greatest result’s a fifth place this 12 months after sickness spoilt his spring. Likewise for Pascal Ackermann (IPT) who has moved groups however hasn’t received for a 12 months now each should not straightforward picks for a stage win however will hope for a gap.
As for Tadej Pogačar (UAE)? He’s good, however absolutely not that good? He was fourth within the factors competitors final 12 months so he might be up there if nobody sprinter wins a number of levels however the system is tilted to the sprinters so he’d need to have an outstanding Tour simply to be within the combine. We’ll get extra into his possibilities quickly…
The publish The Inexperienced Jersey Contenders first appeared on The Interior Ring.
