Mountains classification in the Tour de France Mountains classification in the Tour de France The mountains classification is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1933. It is given to the rider that gains the most points for reaching mountain summits first. The leader of the classification is named the King of the Mountains, and since 1975 wears the polka dot jersey (), a white jersey with red polka dots. The first Tour de France crossed no mountain passes, but several lesser cols. The first was the col des Echarmeaux (), on the opening stage from Paris to Lyon, on what is now
Doping at the 2007 Tour de France Rasmussen's sacking whilst wearing the yellow jersey (no rider had previously been withdrawn from the race while leading), the mood became more pessimistic, with the exception of Tour director Christian Prudhomme who publicly regarded the Dane's withdrawal as "the best thing that can happen to the Tour. The race will go on for the rest of the riders and we believe it would be an insult to them to stop the race. We believe the general classification is much better now than it was." Prudhomme's reaction was in contrast to the French newspapers. "France Soir" ran a mock death notice