Maillot à Pois Rouges: Who will take it?

[Afrank]

Maillot à Pois Rouges: Who will take it?

Since we have polls for the green, white, and yellow jersey, here's the final one. Who's gonna win the polka dot jersey at the Tour?
Edit: Forgot to make it visible who voted for what, if it's possible for a mod to change that, please do.

Hard to pull together a list of contenders for this one. It could be anyone from a breakaway rider, to a climber targeting it, to a GC contender that takes this. So the poll options are merely suggestions of some guys that are good climbers that could take it.

Points for KOM
Category 4 = 1 point
Category 3 = 2, 1 points
Category 2 = 5, 3, 2, 1 points
Category 1 = 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 points
Hors Category = 25, 20, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 pts
The points for a mountain top finish are doubled, if that mountain is an HC, 1C or 2C.

Last year it was Thomie V that took it.

The year before that, GC contender Samu Sanchez took it.

And before that it was breakaway specialist Anthony Charteau.

So who will it be this year that claims the title, King of the Mountains?

 

[cineteq]

It'd be nice if Froome gets it.

 

[Escarabajo]

No Pierre Rolland??

 

[karlboss]

I hope it's not a GC contender, as if not they'll certainly have earned it with at least 2 amazing breaks.

 

[nick101]

It'd be nice if Froome gets it.

That'd just be selfish and greedy of froome. He's going for yellow not polka dots. The only reason why froome would go for it would be if contador pulled off another verbier on ventoux or the alpe, and froome had no chance of getting yellow because of that (but i see that happening as unlikely). If he has the yellow jersey what does he need to take the polka dot jersey for?? It's not like he's eddie mercx and has the ability to take all the jerseys by riding away on the first mountain. Sky does all the work for him until the final km, so no chance.

I'm not so sure a serious top 5 gc rider will get the jersey. usually someone who's at the lower reaches of the top 10 or in top 15 gets it. That's been the case for a number of years apart from 2008. Sky wouldn't allow a serious gc threat to get in a break on a mountain stage (which is usually essential for the polka dot jersey). hoogerland isn't a great climber in the mountains so i doubt he could keep the jersey through all the mountains

Voeckler won't have the chance to go for it or anyone from europecar this year. They've said that they're working for Rolland. Which means they won't have many opportunities to make breaks unless Rolland crashes out.
I see someone like dan martin andy schleck getting it, as he's a great climber with an explosive acceleration. Quintana or pinot are possible if he were able to beat the other gc favourites at KOM's (like kohl in 2008) or be given more freedom by sky.

 

[Afrank]

No Pierre Rolland??

Considered Rolland but not too sure about his preparation this year. But could definitely see him taking it as a possibility. He would have been my next choice for the poll.

 

[Afrank]

Voeckler won't have the chance to go for it or anyone from europecar this year. They've said that they're working for Rolland. Which means they won't have many opportunities to make breaks unless Rolland crashes out.
I see someone like dan martin andy schleck getting it, as he's a great climber with an explosive acceleration. Quintana or pinot are possible if he were able to beat the other gc favourites at KOM's (like kohl in 2008) or be given more freedom by sky.

The Europcar riders should still be able to go in the breaks and go for stage wins. Their not a team that has the responsibility of controlling the race and Rolland doesn't need a train. He'll try to hang with the main GC contenders as long as possible and attack to gain time if the opportunity presents itself. Rolland was their main man for GC last year as well but Voeckler was still able to win the KOM.

 

[karlboss]

Considered Rolland but not too sure about his preparation this year. But could definitely see him taking it as a possibility. He would have been my next choice for the poll.

His early season was as good as any he's had. Though the team says he's going for GC. Voekler might give it a crack i don't think the team would hold him up for Rolland's GC chances.

 

[nick101]

I still can't see europe-car putting that many riders in breaks. Rolland will need some team mates to look after him, and voeckler has already said that he is going to be one of the riders supporting Rolland. Rolland had little support last year, so this year Europe-car will want to look after Rolland to ensure he can do even better...

 

[Afrank]

Voeckler said

“It’s clear that for the general classification, the leader is Pierre Rolland as he’s finished eighth and tenth in the last two Tours,” Voeckler told RMC. “As for me, I’ll have a free role. I think I’ve achieved everything within my capabilities at the Tour de France. I don’t have a fixed objective but I’m not ruling anything out either."

If Rolland needs the help, Voeckler will help him. But he'll also take his own opportunities in the race as they present themselves. They'll likely keep some riders with Rolland (their strong guys like Gaudin or Turgot in case he has a problem) but guys like Voeckler or Veilleux I wouldn't be surprised to see going in breaks.

 

[nick101]

yup sweet, misread that article. my bad. Yeah voeckler may have the opportunity for polka dots, but only if its clear early on (just after the pyrenees stages) that he has a chance, otherwise Rolland will be the main priority. If Rolland were to crash out or struggle early on (i.e. during the pyrenees), then i suspect that Voeckler would be given the green light and the teams support rather than Rolland.
If however, Rolland was well placed after the pyrenees, Voeckler as one of the better climbers in Europecar would be told to look after Rolland on the mountain stages, so definitely wouldn't have the opportunities then.

 

[Swede1]

I want to see someone target it like charteau did and go all out for it every chance they get, not some gc rider taking it simply by virtue of being near the front in the mountains. It could be someone like quintana loses a lot of time early on and then decides to go after it as he would certainly have the ability to beat out other breakaway riders for the mountain points.

 

[nick101]

I want to see someone target it like charteau did and go all out for it every chance they get, not some gc rider taking it simply by virtue of being near the front in the mountains. It could be someone like quintana loses a lot of time early on and then decides to go after it as he would certainly have the ability to beat out other breakaway riders for the mountain points.

If quintana lost time and valverde didn't i'm not sure quintana would have the chance to do that. He'd be more likely to support valverde. It's his first tdf so he'd probably do what most future gc riders do and be mountain domestique

 

[xanadu]

I still can't see europe-car putting that many riders in breaks. Rolland will need some team mates to look after him, and voeckler has already said that he is going to be one of the riders supporting Rolland. Rolland had little support last year, so this year Europe-car will want to look after Rolland to ensure he can do even better...

Yes, a fit Top ten aspiring Rolland would indeed need Voecklers help, but Rollands tour preperation has been dogged by misfortune, IMHO he will do well to reach Paris. Under such circumstamces Europcar will need plan B .

Voekler for a stage win or polka dot, possibly both

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I can see a Voeckler vs Kessiakoff battle again.

Ion Izagirre got what it takes to get into the mix as well.

Maybe Cam Meyer, if he tanks before the first rest day.

 

[nick101]

I can see a Voeckler vs Kessiakoff battle again.

Ion Izagirre got what it takes to get into the mix as well.

Maybe Cam Meyer, if he tanks before the first rest day.

Interesting you mention meyer, i had him at the back of my mind for doing something at the tour after his showing at the tds. He's in the young rider category and is 24 right ??

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Interesting you mention meyer, i had him at the back of my mind for doing something at the tour after his showing at the tds. He's in the young rider category and is 24 right ??

Tanks means +10 minutes in GC.

 

[nick101]

yeah i know. was wondering how old he is??

 

[Dazed and Confused]

yeah i know. was wondering how old he is??

hes 25 now. Born in jan

 

[ElChingon]

I hate it that its not the best climber

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I hate it that its not the best climber

would agree, but we can hope that at least two half decent climbers targets the jersey relatively early. Might be a battle that way.

 

[jens_attacks]

 

[RHRH19861986]

I hope for Voeckler.

This is the 10th TdF (if he did them all) since his epic 2004 Tour. Classy, classy rider, would be great to see him in Polka Dots in Paris.

I admit he´s not favourite Nr 1, though.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Pierre Rolland

...Or maybe a climber, for the first time since Lucho Herrera in 1987.

 

[Cimber]

Mikkel Condé v2.0‏@mrconde11m
Euskaltel DS Igor Galdeano: "We aim for the White Jersey with Ion Izagirre and for the KOM Jersey with Antón & Nieve" (via @biciciclismoweb)