Will a Frenchman win the Polka Dot Jersey?

Romain Bardet and Julian Alaphilippe are the best bet for the Mountains Classification's Polka-dot Jersey

On some occasions, the Mountains Classification goes to the overall General Classification winner, by virtue of their ever-presentness at the head of high-scoring summit finishes, who then manages to collect enough points to secure the Polka-dot Jersey.

More often, though, it is a rider who is out of GC running who is successful: not considered a danger to the ambitions of Yellow Jersey, they are allowed to breakaway early on, on every mountains stage, sweeping up the points on the early climbs before usually capitulating by the stage's end.

Even predicting who the contenders are in any given year is difficult, then. Take 2019 Polka-dot winner Romain Bardet and 2018 winner Julian Alaphilippe, who head most Polka-dot betting lists. Both are excellent prospects if given the freedom required by the peloton.

After his 2019 exploits, though, which saw him wearing the Yellow Jersey for two weeks, the leading teams are unlikely to allow Alaphilippe to go riding up the road untethered.

Likewise Bardet, who might be an unlikely outsider for the GC, but is nonetheless among a group of riders who will be watched closely.

Thibaut Pinot who is focussing on his GC ambitions, could slao change tack, especially in the last week if he starts to loose time.