Giro d'Italia Mountains classification odds

Giro d'Italia 2019 - King of the Mountains classification

Giro d'Italia Mountains Classification 2019

The 2019 edition of the Giro d’Italia begins on Saturday 11th May in Bologna and ends of Sunday 2nd June in Verona, featuring seven summit finishes and three individual time trials. The mountains classification jersey is the second oldest jersey in the Giro d’Italia, behind the general classification jersey. Chris Froome (Team Sky) is the current holder of the green jersey, having won the overall race as well last year. He has, however, announced he will not be starting the race this year so it’s all to play for in the peloton.

The mountains classification jersey is decided on points awarded on the mountain stages of the race. Points are awarded to the rider who reaches the top of each identified climb first, as well as those who follow up on the leader. The amount of points awarded depends on the climbs classification, which is decided based on its difficulty - steepness and length of the climb.

The mountain classification jersey is worn on each stage by the rider who, at the start of each stage, has the most climbing points. In the 2018 race, Froome took vital wins in the big climbs of the Giro’s famous Monte Zoncolan and Colle delle Finestre.

There are six identified mountain stages during the Giro this year. The highest of the climbs will be the Gavia Pass, standing at 2,619 metres above sea level, which also comes on the same days as the Mortirolo, on stage 16.

Over the course of the race, stage 13 begins the mountain stages, featuring three big climbs and a finish on top of the Nivolet Pass. Stage 14 follows suit, with five categorised climbs amounting to around 3,000 metres of altitude gain.

Stage 16 is a extremely difficult day in the Alps, featuring 5,700 metres of climbing. Climbs include the Presolana Pass, Croce di Salven Pass, the Gavia Pass, and the Mortirolo. Stage 17 doesn’t get any easier with a number of climbs along the route before an uphill finish to Anterselva’s Biathlon Stadium.

The final summit of the race on stage 20 includes more than 5,000 metres of climbing, taking on the climbs of the Cima Camp, Manghen Pass, Rolle Pass and the ascent of Croce d’Aune-Monte Avena.

The favourites

Stages 19 and 20 will once more be the ones to watch for the mountains and general classification jersey.

As with last year, the general classification winner will also be a strong favourite for the mountains classification jersey. Simon Yates (Team Mitchelton-Scott) is returning to the Giro d’Italia to attempt to regain the pink leader’s jersey he wore for just over two weeks last year before Chris Froome overtook him in the penultimate mountain stage following an incredible attack. Yates finished third overall in the mountains classification.

Strong mountain climbers include former Giro champions Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) and Italian favourite Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team), while World Champion Alejandro Valverde (Team Movistar), Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo-Visma), and Egan Bernal (Team Sky), who has started the season in excellent form, will be dangerous attackers. Richard Carapaz (Team Movistar) also put a strong climbing performance in last year, coming fifth overall in the mountains classification.

Mikel Landa (Team Movistar) won the mountains classification in 2017 and will hope for another strong performance on the climbs.