Tour de France Young Rider classification odds

Tour de France 2018 - Young rider classification

Tour de France - Young rider classification

The young rider classification on the Tour de France is represented by the leading rider wearing a white jersey, or ‘maillot blanc’. This jersey is awarded to the best young rider in the race. To qualify, riders must be under the age of 26 on January 1st in the year following the race. The winner is decided by the highest ranked ‘young rider’ in the overall general classification standings.

The white jersey has been won by the overall winner in the same year on a few occasions. Laurent Fignon (1983), Jan Ullrich (1997), Alberto Contador (2007), and Andy Schleck (2010) have all won both the general classification and the best young rider category in the same year. The only cyclist to win the young rider classification and the mountains classification in the same year is Nairo Quintana (Team Movistar) in 2013.

Last year, Englishman Simon Yates (Team Mitchelton–Scott) won the white jersey, however, he will be ineligible to defend his crown this year as he has passed the age barrier. His twin brother, Adam Yates (another previous winner of the jersey) is also ineligible.

The young rider classification follows the exact same rules as the general classification, being based on overall time, rather than the points method of victory used in the King of the Mountains and Points classification.

This year’s race looks set to be a three-way battle between Miguel Angel Lopez (Team Astana), who won the young rider jersey at the recent Giro d’Italia, and the two Movistar riders, Marc Soler (Movistar Team) and Richard Carapaz (Movistar Team).