CyclistHow to fix the Tour de France King of the Mountains classificationThe polka dot jersey is one of the most recognisable symbols of the Tour de France. This unique classification is hard to predict and offers a quirky dynamic within the Tours often nebulous dynamic. Yesterday, we discussed the rapid devolution of the Tour de France breakaway, and one of the factors we mentioned counting against the break these days is the dwindling chances for an outsider to win the King of the Mountains classification. The idea of attacking away on the regular for a polka dot jersey seems lost when you know the GC riders will win it anyway.Since 2020, only one non-GC contender, Giulio Ciccone, has finished the Tour in the polka dot jersey, the others having gone to the overall winner of the race in Tadej Pogaar(once) and Jonas Vinegeaard (twice). Before the 2020s, the King of the Mountains was more often decided by a breakaway chancer, with the yellow jersey having only won the classification nine times in Tours history before this point.In 2024, it looks as though one of the chief GC protagonists is going to win the mountains classification again. After 18 stages, Tadej Pogaar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel fill the top three places in the KOM standings as well as the GC.Christian Prudhomme, I hope youre taking notes. Heres how to restore the King of the Mountains classification to its former glory.Keep categorisations consistent and closer in pointsA.S.O./Charly LopezToo often at the Tour de France, climbs are not compared equally in terms of their categorisation. Some climbs of an equal length and gradient receive wildly different peggings and therefore point offerings. For example, on Stage 10 of last years Tour, two climbs with similar stats, the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert and the Ctede la Chapelle-Marcousse, received different categorisations. And on Stage 12 of last years race, the categorisations werent regular throughout the stage; its a lucky dip as to whether climbs receive Category 3 or Category 2 status. In response, the Tour should use uniform criteria for categorisation based on length and gradient. For example, any climb less than two kilometres should be granted category 4 status. A hill between two and five kilometres should be billed as category 3, and a climb between five and ten kilometres should be in the category 2 bracket. Anything between 10 and 15km should warrant Category 1 stature. This leaves hors-catgorie, which is reserved to climbs in excess of 15km as long as the average gradient is over 5%.While were at it, the points on offer for different climb classifications should be narrowed. Category 3 climbs should warrant three points (one more than at present), Category 1 climbs should receive 15 points (an increase of five) and the rarer hors-catgorie climbs should remain on 25 points. Related Posts Is this the end of Tour de France breakaways? How much is the 2024 Tour de France prize money? Mens Tour de France 2024: Route, how to watch and all you need to know History of the Tour de France jerseys and how they got their colours More points for intermediate hills and bumpsA.S.O./Billy CeustersParticularly on hilly stages known in French as accidente smaller climbs through the stage are not honoured with a KOM classification. The bumps hidden in the profile should receive categorisation like any other.At the 2024 Tour de France, some climbs have managed to miss KOM footing, even if their gradients and length should really warrant one. Stage 18 to Barcelonnette missed out on two climbs worthy of at least Category 3 name at Les Costes and Le Lauzet-Ubaye. Similarly, a 7km-long climb on Stage 16 to Nmes went unnoticed by the race organisers.With a breakaway up the road, these smaller uncategorised climbs could be turned into KOM markers in order to spice up the competition. More points on offer during the middle part of the profile should make for a more exciting competition for riders hoping to gain a points haul before the high mountains.Double points for historic climbsA.S.O./Charly LopezIn 2022, Tour de France organisers cut the amount of points handed out at mountain top finishes. Previously, double points were on offer for summit finishes usually considered the toughest mountain finishes.Double points were a good incentive for riders searching out the jersey. However, the system of multiplying points at summit finishes ended up favouring GC riders who often contest to win these stages.Instead, add double points for select historic climbs. The likes of the Col du Galibier, Col du Tourmalet, Alpe dHuez and the highest point in the Tour (the Cime de la Bonette in the 2024 races case) should be awarded double points. In terms of breakaway hopes, these peaks frequently come midway through a stage so would favour an escapee group over the main favourites.The Giro dItalia employs this system for the Cima Coppi, which is allocated solely to the highest point in the race. This does a good job of ensuring a big breakaway fight for that prestigious prize and the hefty amount of KOM points that come with it. In the past decade, the Cima Coppi has been won by the breakaway on seven occasions, and three times by GC stakeholders.In order to add to the prestige of these climbs, a little sprinkle of bonus points could work wonders for the classification.Time-trial style mountain classificationA.S.O./Billy CeustersMore drastic in its principle, the KOM points could be decided by each riders time up a categorised climb, from base to summit. No matter where you are on the road, whether it be in a breakaway or the grupetto, each rider gets their own individual times. In return, the fastest ascents would receive the points on offer.Climbing isnt sprinting, after all, so why should points be awarded simply for first over the line?Riders will mostly ride up the climb at their normal pace, but for those wanting to fight for the classification, they are free to hammer up the climb as fast as possible. Even if a plucky climber is dropped under this alternative system, they can measure their effort and still score points.This reform does not tackle the looming presence of GC riders among the top places in the KOM standings, however. If the peloton decides to accelerate, then the points will likely favour the peloton. However, the equal footing each rider will have at every climb could make for an exciting and open contest, riders that start the climb at the back of the group of favourites could ride in the wheels and sprint to the front at the end to take a faster time. Riders could also drop off the back of the group to rest their legs for a climb, increasing the points of intrigue on the road.This system would add another complicated dimension to the KOM competition though and, lets be honest, the Tour is already complicated enough.But, shouldnt the best climber win the mountains classification?A.S.O./Billy CeustersThe other argument is that the prize is known as the King of the Mountains, not the Court Jester of the Mountains. With this view, the best climber should win the contest, not the luckiest and most entertaining breakaway climber.Perhaps the system was broken all along in favour of the breakaway instead of rewarding the best climbers in the race. Its hard to argue for example that Julian Alahilippe was the best climber at the 2018 race when he was 1h 28min behind Geraint Thomas in the GC.The days of paper-light climbers shedding four minutes in time-trials and hoping to still be successful are gone. GC riders are optimised to climb, stay high in the rankings and fight for stage wins throughout in this current era. You cant dispute that Pogaar and Vingegaard have been the best climbers over the past four Tours.Maybe this return to GC riders at the top of the KOM standings is a reflection of the climbing greats we currently witnessing at the Tour. We have returned to the times of Fausto Coppi and Eddy Merckx, who won both yellow and polka dots multiple times in the same Tour.The big polka dot dealA.S.O./Billy CeustersMuch like breakaways at the Tour de France, the polka dot jersey has changed a lot in the past couple of years. For better or worse, this eccentric jersey is losing its spark. Some argue that Pogaarand Vingegaard are diminishing the classification by removing the chances of those who come into the race specifically targeting the iconic jersey.In order to keep the King of the Mountains alive for riders in breakaways, some change is needed. More emphasis needs to be placed on climbs during stages. This will move the balance of power away from the GC guys contesting the overall fight. Perhaps a time-trial style classification could make for a novel dynamic within the race where lost climbers bury themselves in the grupetto for the polka dots. Or perhaps it aint broke at all. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or on social media. Related Posts Is this the end of Tour de France breakaways? How much is the 2024 Tour de France prize money? Mens Tour de France 2024: Route, how to watch and all you need to know History of the Tour de France jerseys and how they got their colours The post How to fix the Tour de France King of the Mountains classification appeared first on Cyclist.