King of The Mountains Tittle

[Escarabajo]

They should give time bonuses at the top of all climbs just like they do for the GJ (intermediate and finish)...

Turns every mountain top in a potential battlefield for either mountain goats who can't TT but still want to do well in the GC or for 'regular' GC contenders, who will consecutively be forced to seize the maillot a pois rouge...

I think the idea of bonus on the highest categorized climbs would be nice. I'll go for that.

As for the best climber of the Tours, it probably does not go to the Polka Dot Jersey champion. But I will be happy if the winner is climbing with the best on the majority of the last climbs. Soler did that, Kohl did that, and some others. Probably not all. Still for the Tour you had to be a decent climber.

I think the reason for doubling the points in the last climbs started with Laurent Jalabert and then Virenque who used to conquer the Polka Dot Jersey with long breakaways and then fading away at the end of the hard mountain stages. The last winners have not been that bad in keeping up in the last climbs, Kohl, Soler, and Rasmussen. So for the time being that was improved.

Thanks everyone for the input. Including Sean Connery.

 

[blaxland]

If Moreau was a smart rider he could win this competition hands down. He' s a very strong rider uphill. I personally thought he could ride well in the gc but his time trialling is too unpredictable. If its not moreau then it will have to be 'Moncoutie'.

Agreed but what about Matt lloyd and Van den broek?

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

I think the idea of bonus on the highest categorized climbs would be nice. I'll go for that.

I assume though that like last year theres no time bonuses in the Tour, for either intermediate sprints or at the finish.


All in all, the KoM competition should be interesting. Moncoutie seems to be targeting it or we could have someone like Lang last year who goes for it unexpectedly. (Lang may even have got it if not for allegiances to a certain Austrian).

 

[Polka Dot Punter]

Can someone please clarify the awarding of double points for me? I know it's only for Cat 1's and HC's that are the last categorised climbs of the stage, but I am not sure if the last climb has to be within x kilometres of the finish line?

For the title, I hope very much that it is Tony Martin. I also think Pierre Rolland is a good outsider - he won the Polka in Dauphine 2008 and in a post race interview spoke of his desire to wear the Polka Jersey in Tour de France.

 

[Polka Dot Punter]

Very interesting battle now. Kern, Martinez and Feilu all look like they want to go for this classification. Moncoutie's efforts recently suggest that he is still interested as well.

I would imagine that maybe AG2R are too focused on keeping yellow to be able to afford the luxury of chasing polka points. Looks to me to be a battle between Kern and Martinez, but there are many points left. Perhaps a low scoring rider can take maximum points tomorrow and put themself in contention?

 

[issoisso]

why is this even a jersey anymore? the yellow jersey represents the best racer, the green jersey normally represents the best sprinter (to finish) but does anyone really believe that richard virenque is the best pure climber of the last 20 years? no.

To be fair, the green jersey doesn't exactly go to the best sprinter either. It usually goes to whoever does the best job at dedicating himself to winning it

 

[Irish2009]

Time bonuses on each climb would be brilliant,no more processions,as an escape group grabs up the bonuses and GC contenders get back into the race after bad tt results, oh yes and the team holding the MJ wouldn't have to do all the chasing, classic.

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

So, bumping an old thread, as the race is almost over and the KOM contest is decided.
Sure the Polka-dot is not "the best climber" in the same way the Green is not "the best sprinter".
However, it is a great way to make sure early stages are lively, and this is what Pellizotti did this year with Martinez. Them being shoulder to shoulder on top of Tourmalet (correct me if I am wrong) was one of the best images on this year's TdF.

Sure, I can see the problem with Virenque-style raids, guess that's why they doubled the points and all but if you look at Virenque results in the CG, they were far from being ridiculous: from 94 to 00, he was always in the Top Ten (he managed second, third and fifth) excluding 98 of course. Last three participations were 16, 16 and 15. He was not as irrevelant to the race as he is now painted and most of his polka dot jerseys were won as he was a real contender for the podium.

So yeah, maybe not "the best climber", more like "the fastest climber to go for it" but still.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

why is this even a jersey anymore? the yellow jersey represents the best racer, the green jersey normally represents the best sprinter (to finish) but does anyone really believe that richard virenque is the best pure climber of the last 20 years? no.

So your saying Hushovd is faster than Mark Cavendish? And even the yellow jersey can be skewed at times, like in Oscar Pereiro's case, so the other jerseys are no more solid than the KOM title. I think watching climbers go for it is much more enjoyable than the sprinters.

 

[biker77]

The name virenque should be forgotten in my opinion. The guy was doped up to his eyeballs and a cheat. It is quite appropriate that he is probably driving around france visiting all those housewives.

The competition could be decided in a better way, as who really cares about the polka dots?

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

The competition could be decided in a better way, as who really cares about the polka dots?

A large part of the audience do, all the more since KOM is sometimes the only source of excitement we can get in early or mid-race stages where competition for the MJ is neutered (as it happened this year).

 

[badboyberty]

i never said anything about doping. i guess you see what you want to see. also, like i said, mauricio soler owns a polka dot jersey. contador doesn't. sastre doesn't. that seems to speak for itself.

Going right back in time here, but Sastre actually does have a polka dot jersey. According to all official records he won the Mountains Classification in 2008. He just didn't get to stand on the podium in Paris, and the commentary teams seemed to make a point of not making a reference to the fact.

 

[Andre.J]

The polka dot jersey should go to whomever wins the Tour.

Andre

 

[The Barb]

The polka dot jersey should go to whomever wins the Tour.

Andre

What? And we should give the yellow jersey to the King of the Mountains?

Or just have one jersey - yellow with polka dots?

 

[Andre.J]

No. The best climber is the one who wins the Tour.

 

[Amsterhammer]

No. The best climber is the one who wins the Tour.

Is that how it works in Belgium?

 

[lostintime]

No. The best climber is the one who wins the Tour.

Look at the history of the tour. Your statement is not true.

Was big Mig the best climber?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

No. The best climber is the one who wins the Tour.

that is silly.
the KOM is rewarded to a rider who almost constantly attacks throughout a tour (like we saw this year) works hard for the points and weeps the rewards. Giving it to the winner, wow that would be interesting

The KOM is almost the most exciting jersey, as it is very unpredictable, and just about everyteam can have a challneger for it. Time trialing, Constant concentration, big lead outs = means nothing in the KOM, you win it with heart and attacking cycling!!

 

[biker77]

I just don`t get excited by the KOM competition. I think time bonuses help a lot.

I agree with other posters that the KOM is the winner of the TDF. Otherwise, is the overall winner the King of the Flat? Or neither, not the best in the mountains or on the flat?

 

[dienekes88]

that is silly.
the KOM is rewarded to a rider who almost constantly attacks throughout a tour (like we saw this year) works hard for the points and weeps the rewards. Giving it to the winner, wow that would be interesting

The KOM is almost the most exciting jersey, as it is very unpredictable, and just about everyteam can have a challneger for it. Time trialing, Constant concentration, big lead outs = means nothing in the KOM, you win it with heart and attacking cycling!!

Exactly. It's about collecting big points in long breakaways (IIRC, Pellizotti was in 2 day-long breaks) and fighting for the points with tooth and nail. The efforts of the guys going for the KOM are a great spectacle.

I just wish Egoi Martinez could've lasted a little longer in the battle. Maybe next year! I'm pulling for you, Egoi. Maybe if you had hair as nice as Pellizotti's... :

Look at the history of the tour. Your statement is not true.

Was big Mig the best climber?

You're making cross-generational comparisons. Back in the day, day-long breaks went and guys like Charly Gaul and Federico Bahamontes would go on epic 150km romps in the mountains over 4 climbs. These guys were the truly great climbers of their times.

The race has changed! The teams control the race so that the truly great climbers have to make a decision: go for stage wins, go for the KOM, or go for GC. Oftentimes the best climbers are going for GC rather than the KOM.

Big Mig was among the best. He could haul himself up those mountains and stay close to the very best.

No. The best climber is the one who wins the Tour.

Eh... sometimes.

 

[elapid]

Barring a few exceptions (Pantani, Sastre and Periero), most GT are won by riders that can both climb and TT.

I agree with most other responders. The polka dot jersey is won by the rider collecting the most points on the climbs (and the green jersey is won by the rider collecting the most points on the intermediate and final sprints). While Contador and Andy Schleck are obviously the best climbers, Pelizotti is a deserving winner of the polka dot jersey. Similarly, Cav is by far and away the best sprinter, but Thor will (or should be) a deserving winner of the green jersey.