It’s that time of year again, when all eyes descend on France and the surrounding areas for the biggest cycling race in the world, the Tour de France! The race gets underway this Saturday night and we have a full preview and betting tips for the three-week extravaganza below!
2019 Tour de France Betting Tips
The Race
This year’s race will span over 21 stages as usual, with two rest days after stage 10 and stage 15. There will be both a team time trial and an individual time trial in stages 2 and 13 respectively this year, meaning that the eventual winner of the coveted Yellow Jersey will need to be adept in that area.
There are just seven bona-fide mountain stages littered throughout the race, which is one less than last year, while the sprinters will fancy themselves in the seven stages that are classified as ‘flat’.
The Yellow Jersey will likelt be decided over the three day stretch from stage 13-15, which kicks off with the individual time-trial followed by two tough days in the French Pyrenees.
Stages 18, 19 and 20 will also be super important for riders striving for the GC win, with three consecutive days climbing the Alps culminating in a monster climb up the Val Thorens in Stage 20.
Contenders
Geraint Thomas
The reigning general classification champion of the Tour de France, Gerraint Thomas will be looking to become the next in a long list of consecutive champions. Thomas was great at times but not super consistent in 2018, finishing 1st in the Tour de France, 3rd in the Tirreno-Adriatico and 4th in the UCI World Tour while helping his team to a team time trial victory at the Criterium du Daphine. He also picked up a win in the individual time trial in the 2018 National Road Championships, so the extra time trial in the Tour this year should really benefit him. Team Ineos teammate and former winner, Chris Froome, was forced to pull out of the Tour de France through injury, however, Thomas will have to share the lead for Ineos once again with Colombian Egan Bernal.
Egan Bernal
Bernal rode as domestique for Team Sky leaders Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas in the Tour last season but will be elevated to co-leader for the event this year after a fantastic 2018. The 22-year-old finished 1st overall in the Tour of California, first overall in the Colombia Oro y Paz, 2nd overall in the Tour de Romandie. His start to the 2019 season has arguably been even more impressive with wins overall at both the Paris-Nice and the Tour de Suisse, which both featured Tour de France level competitors. The youngster is the hottest property in cycling at the moment and should have the edge over his teammate in the mountains, whether he can stay close enough in the individual time trial is another story.
Jakob Fuglsang
The Danish star will lead Team Astana once again this year and look to continue what has been a fantastic 2019 season to date. He finished 1st overall in the Criterium du Daphine and 1st overall in the Vuelta a Andalucia while also picking up a win in the Liege-Bastogne and a stage win in the Tirreno-Liege. Is arguably the most in form rider in the world at the moment and will have no competition for the lead at Team Astana. Astana is a proven team when it comes to the Tour de France and are more than capable of carrying their leader through the toughest conditions. Fuglsang is great value at $5.
Prediction
While there are some other riders in contention in the likes of Richie Porte, Adam Yates and Nairo Quintana, we think it’s likely that the eventual winner comes from the three that we mentioned above. Of those three, we really like the look of Fuglsang. Thomas had an outstanding race in the Tour last season but there are still some real question marks over his ability in the mountains, which is ultimately where the tour is won or lost. There is the extra team time trial this year, which Sky should fair well in, but that won’t help him over teammate Egan Bernal.
Fuglsang has been building towards the Tour this year and already has impressive wins in the 2019 season. The withdrawal of Chris Froome will have given the Swiss star real confidence in his ability to take out his first Yellow Jersey.
Jakob Fuglsang Yellow Jersey
$5.00
Others
Nairo Quintana Polka Dot Jersey
$26
Peter Sagan Green Jersey
$1.57
Egan Bernal White Jersey
$1.50
