Steve Starr
- Tadej Pogacar (+350) is looking to claim his third-straight King of the Mountains crown heading into Stage 16
- Jonas Vingegaard (-225) is the favorite to win the Tour de France over the reigning two-time champion
- The 109th edition of the 21-stage bicycle race concludes in Paris, France on July 24
Following Monday’s rest day, Tour de France riders will spend three straight days in the hills and mountains that form the border between France and Spain. So what better time to check in on the frontrunners to be named this year’s King of the Mountains?
Before we look at the latest odds to win the world’s most grueling bicycle race, let’s first check the odds on who will claim the polka dot jersey as 2022’s top climber. Here’s also where you can find all of our 2022 pro cycling betting picks.
King of the Mountains- Tour de France
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| Tadej Pogacar | +400 |
| Jonas Vingegaard | +500 |
| Guilio Ciccone | +600 |
| Thibaut Pinot | +800 |
| Simon Geschke | +1000 |
| Pierre Latour | +1200 |
| Neilson Powless | +2000 |
| Tom Pidcock | +2000 |
| Daniel Martinez | +2200 |
| Lennard Kamna | +2200 |
| Louis Meintjes | +2200 |
Will Pogacar remain King?
For the uninitiated, the King of the Mountains is officially known as the “Mountains classification.” Points are rewarded to cyclists who are first to reach the top of significant climbs that are categorized from 1 (most challenging) to 4 (least challenging) based on their steepness and length. Additionally, there’s the ‘Hors Categorie’ (HC) for the most difficult of ascents.
Tadej Pogacar (+350) has claimed the famous red and white polka-dot jersey by gaining the most points in the climbing stages of the Tour in each of the past two years. His main challenger is Jonas Vingegaard (+500), who is now the favorite to win this year’s Tour de France. Italian cyclist Giulio Ciccone (+600) also remains in the mix.
Jonas Vingegaard crashes but retains lead as Jasper Philipsen wins stage 15.
Read @jeremycwhittle's report https://t.co/mPdfZkmOhz #TourDeFrance
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) July 17, 2022
Winner – Tour de France 2022
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| Jonas Vingegaard | -225 |
| Tadej Pogacar | +225 |
Stage 16 from Carcassonne to Foix
Jonas Vingegaard (-225) maintains a 2 minutes, 22 seconds lead over Pogacar (+225), who won the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021. The Danish rider survived a crash in a nightmare Stage 15 that also saw him lose two Jumbo-Visma teammates: Primoz Roglic, the 2020 Tour de France runner-up, and Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk.
This means Vingegaard will enter the Pyrenees without two of the top climbers on his squad. Look for Pogacar to try to mount a comeback during Stage 16 when the riders hit the Category 1 Port de Lers and the ultra-steep Mur de Péguère climb.
Tadej Pogacar bought a luxury car following his emphatic 2020 Tour debut. It’s currently in Michael Matthews’ garage because the Slovenian doesn’t have parking in Monaco.
Loved these insights on the defending champion. @theage @theagesport.https://t.co/wwkzACuuHk #TdF2022
— Sophie Smith (@SophieSmith86) July 16, 2022
Pogacar vs Vingegaard
Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard (-225) has worn the yellow jersey since stage 11 but may now be vulnerable with fewer teammates to protect him. However, Tadej Pogacar (+225) has been isolated for almost the entirety of the Tour after his Team UAE Emirates riders went down with COVID.
The Slovenian must use his explosive power to close the gap during the Stage 16 climbs and at Stage 17’s summit finish at Peyragudes, when the gradient is a crazy 16 percent.
Best Bets
We recommended Vingegaard at +250 when we made our 2022 Tour de France Picks Ahead of Stage 10. However, there’s not much value in backing the 25-year-old Dane at -225.
Aiming for his third-straight yellow jersey, we expect Pogacar (+350) to clinch the King of the Mountains crown over the next couple of days in the Pyrenees. But, even with reduced support in the peloton, Vingegaard should excel during the Stage 20 time trial and capture his first career Tour de France victory.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
