Tour de France: The Pogacar-Proof Green Jersey

Can Tadej Pogacar also win the green jersey at the Tour de France ?

The Grande Boucle organisers have increased the chances of the green jersey being won by a sprinter in the 2026 edition, after the Slovenian proved to be Jonathan Milan's main rival last year.

In fact, in 2025, the winner of a flat stage of the Tour would get 50 points towards the green jersey classification, but this year, according to Sporza, the score has been increased to 70. The points up for grabs at the end of the mountain, hill and time trial stages would remain unchanged.

The 2026 Tour de France regulations were distributed to participating teams in recent weeks, but have not yet been made public by organizer ASO. The 2026 route includes seven flat stages, each worth a maximum of 70 points: stages 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 17, and 21.

The second-place finisher on the flat stages will receive 50 points instead of the previous 30 , while third place will now be worth 40 points instead of 20 .

At the route presentation last October, the ASO had already announced the biggest shake-up to the points classification in 15 years, revealing that the seven flat stages would feature two intermediate sprints instead of one .

The introduction of a second intermediate sprint on flat stages, as well as the additional 20 points up for grabs for the winner , suggests that ASO is trying to make the points classification more difficult for Tadej Pogacar to win, thus avoiding a monopoly of the jerseys by the defending champion.

Indeed, last year Pogačar, in addition to the yellow jersey, also won the polka-dot jersey for best climber, but Milan denied him the satisfaction of becoming the first rider since Eddy Merckx in 1969 to win all three major Tour classifications. Will the Slovenian succeed in this feat, despite this added difficulty?