Tour de France mountain classification: how does it work?

The KOM classification awards points to riders who are the first to reach the top of categorized climbs throughout the Tour de France. The more difficult the climb, the more points are awarded.

Unlike the points classification (green jersey), which favours sprinters, the KOM rewards climbers, those who can sustain high power outputs on long, steep ascents, often at altitude.

The rider who accumulates the most mountain points across all the climbs during the Tour wears the polka dot jersey.

The polka dot jersey is one of the most iconic symbols in cycling.

The jersey was first introduced in 1975, even though the King of the Mountains classification itself had been part of the race since 1933. The red polka dots were chosen because they matched the packaging of the prize sponsor at the time: Chocolat Poulain, a French chocolate brand whose candy wrappers featured red dots on a white background.

While the pattern might seem whimsical, the jersey quickly became a symbol of grit, pain, and climbing prowess.

Not all climbs are created equal. Tour de France climbs are ranked into categories based on their length, steepness, and position in the stage:

The number of points awarded depends on both the difficulty of the climb and the rider’s position when crossing the summit.

Here’s a simplified example of how points are usually distributed:

Special rule:

On certain mountain stages designated as “summit finish stages,” HC climbs may award double points for the summit, making them crucial for KOM contenders.

The KOM classification is often won by aggressive climbers who:

• Join breakaways early in mountain stages to pick up points on multiple climbs.
• Target specific stages with multiple categorized climbs.
• Focus on high-category climbs, especially HC and Category 1 ascents that award the most points.

Sometimes, a general classification contender will also win the polka dot jersey if they dominate the mountains overall. However, more often, it’s won by specialists who sacrifice general classification ambitions to focus entirely on collecting mountain points.

Unlike the points classification, the KOM competition rarely involves sprint finishes or risky sprints. As a result, penalties for dangerous behavior are less common. However, riders can still lose points or be disqualified for violations of race rules (e.g. drafting behind team cars, cutting corners, etc.).

While the yellow jersey is the race’s ultimate prize, the polka dot jersey holds special prestige among climbing specialists. It honours riders who excel on the sport’s most iconic and punishing terrain, and who embody the Tour’s long history of brutal mountains.

Winning the KOM requires courage, strength, and daring, traits that have produced some of cycling’s most dramatic moments.

Will the battle for the polka dot jersey be decided by pure climbers on the attack, or will the GC contenders sweep up the points in the high mountains? Read our preview for the mountain classification.

Curious about the Tour de France points classification? Find everything you need to know right here. Do you want to explore everything about the Tour de France? Visit this page.