Tour de France 2018 preview: Favorites, predictions and picks
By Zach Bigalke
Who is the favorite for the white jersey of the best young rider?
The white jersey is awarded to the rider with the best time in the general classification who remains 25 or younger through the end of 2018. White has been a regular feature among the Tour de France jerseys for decades. Since 1975, six white jersey winners have gone on to win the yellow jersey in their careers. (Four won the yellow the same year they claimed the white jersey.)
Over the past few years, the Yates twins have owned the white jersey at the Tour de France. Last year, Simon Yates wore the white jersey in Paris. He followed up the performance with 13 days in the pink jersey and three stage wins at this year’s Giro d’Italia. After expending so much effort in Italy, Simon is sitting out this year’s Tour de France.
That opens the door for his brother Adam to take back the white jersey. In 2016, Adam won the best young rider award at the Tour de France. That started the streak for the two brothers, and with Simon sidelined it falls to Adam to continue the streak in the last year both brothers are eligible. Adam Yates finished second in this year’s Critérium du Dauphiné, showing he is on good form entering the 2018 Tour.
Which other riders might snatch the white jersey?
Tiesj Benoot: Last year, Benoot finished fourth in the best young rider classification behind Simon Yates. Benoot, racing in his first Tour de France, ended in Paris with a top-20 finish in the general classification. His Lotto-Soudal team will be focused on André Greipel in the flat stages. But the 24-year-old Belgian, who won best young rider at this spring’s Tirreno-Adriatico, will be allowed to hunt for a potential top-10 spot in the general classification.
Guillaume Martin: Martin enters the 2018 Tour de France as the leader of Wanty-Groupe Gobert after ranking fifth in the 2017 best young rider competition. This spring, Martin won the Circuit de la Sarthe stage race. He also finished fifth in the road race at the French national championships. Last year, Martin was 23rd overall in the general classification.
Pierre Latour: The current French time-trial champion could improve on his 29th-place finish at least year’s Tour de France. Latour, who like Benoot has two more years of eligibility in the best young rider classification, is coming to this year’s Tour as a lieutenant for Romain Bardet. But if Bardet challenges for the podium, it could also put Latour in contention for the white jersey.