Cycling: Peter Sagan (Bora – hansgrohe) has also booked the green jersey for the 2019 Tour de France. The Slovak has won the best point ranking six times in the past seven years. This year, too, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to hold a candle to him. Seven sprinters will - maybe - still try.
Michael Matthews: Is he a threat without Dumoulin?
Without a doubt, Michael Matthews (Sunweb) has to be called Peter Sagan's biggest competitor. The Australian is the only pro to break the Slovakian's winning streak in 2017. However, it must be said that the green jersey fell into his lap out of nowhere. Sagan was - wrongly - disqualified and Marcel Kittel retired injured. Still, Michael Matthews has the skills to at least challenge Sagan. He can finish in the top 5 in bunch sprints and is one of the top favorites on hilly sections. Michael Matthews will particularly benefit from the fact that he is the sole team captain. Tom Dumoulin isn't there, so he can focus entirely on his own results.
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Alexander Kristoff: Will the Gaviria exit clear the way?
Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) is also not one of the pure sprinters. The Norwegian is very good over the hills and at the same time very fast in a bunch sprint. Just like Michael Matthews, he also benefits from the loss of a teammate. Because actually Fernando Gaviria would have been intended for the sprint arrivals, but the Colombian is injured. Now Alexander Kristoff will be the captain on flat stages. He is still capable of winning a Sprint Royal. But what makes him dangerous for Sagan is his ability to suffer and his ability to score points even on moderately difficult stages. Together with Matthews and Sagan he could provide an exciting three-way battle. In a head-to-head three-way battle in a flat sprint, Kristoff might even be the strongest.
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Wout van Aert: Can he or can't he?
Wout van Aert (Jumbo – Visma) caused a lot of astonishment in June. The crosser won two stages at the Critérium du Dauphine - one in the time trial, the other in the sprint. A month ago we certainly wouldn't have mentioned him as a possible contender for the green jersey, but now we can't avoid it. The Belgian doesn't seem to have any weaknesses. This year he convinced in classics, hilly stages, flat sprints and in the fight against the clock. If he's in top form at the Tour de France, he can make life hell for Sagan. Wout van Aert only has one problem: he rides in the same team as Dylan Groenewegen. It can therefore be assumed that he will be assigned a helper role. In the sprint finishes, Jumbo - Visma will drive for Groenewegen as he promises almost certain stage wins. Then there is no more room for a Wout van Aert driving for the green jersey. It is therefore conceivable that the all-rounder shows no interest in the green jersey. A pity!
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Dylan Groenewegen: Will he dominate the bunch sprints in 2019?
Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo – Visma) is probably the best sprinter in the world at the moment. The Dutchman has already celebrated eleven victories in 2019. Last year he won two stages in the Tour de France. So the powerhouse knows how to score a lot of points for the green jersey. However, his problem is that he has to be called a pure sprinter. He won't score as many points on hilly sections as on time trials or mountain stages. In order to be able to seriously compete with Peter Sagan, the Dutchman would have to take every intermediate sprint and ensure several stage wins in the bunch sprints. If he becomes the serial winner and keeps Sagan in check in the intermediate sprints, he is certainly the first candidate for the points classification of the pure sprinters. However, history has shown that points on flat stages simply aren't enough.
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Elia Viviani: Will he win his first stage of the tour?
It's unbelievable but true: Elia Viviani (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) has never won a stage in the Tour de France. However, the Italian was only at the start of the Tour of France in 2014. But this time he wants to know. The 30-year-old will also be motivated because he did not finish the Giro d'Italia. This is particularly hard to get over in the Italian championship jersey. A few days ago at the Tour de Suisse he showed that there is no lack of good form. Since he can fall back on the strongest team for mass sprints, success can actually be expected. However, Elia Viviani is unlikely to set eyes on the green jersey. Rather, he will drive for stage wins and ignore the intermediate sprints.
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Caleb Ewan: Will he take up the fight for green?
Caleb Ewan (Lotto – Soudal) is also one of the fastest men in the peloton. In contrast to Viviani and Groenewegen, the little Australian is not to be underestimated, even when going uphill. If the terrain is not too difficult, he can certainly compete with Peter Sagan. But even with him, the question arises as to whether he will even set his sights on the green jersey. If he wins the first stage, he will certainly take part in intermediate sprints right from the start. Because he's stronger than Sagan in a full flat sprint, he can take a few points from him on finishes and sub-scores. If he bites his teeth and joins a group on a hilly stage, Sagan will find him a real opponent. Let's hope Caleb Ewan accepts the duel.
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André Greipel: Can he win another stage?
Although André Greipel (Arkéa – Samsic) has only celebrated one win this year, he is still one of the top sprinters. Unlike Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), for example, the now 36-year-old is still in the position to make a day's win possible. Although it lacks the final speed compared to the competitors already mentioned, it has often been compensated for in the past with its experience. André Greipel can certainly win a stage. However, he will ignore the green jersey from day one. While the competition is sprinting for points in the interim rankings, André Greipel will take it easy and only focus on the finish sprint.
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