To begin with, gamblers focus far more on the Tour de France than any other cycling event. Indeed, the tour is the dominant date on the cycling calendar and rates as the Super Bowl or World Cup event for the sport. On the whole the Tour de France will draw significantly more casual public betting money than the other events combined. Additionally, the massive amount of media coverage for the Tour adds to activity with the Cycling betting Odds. The Tour is the one event that penetrates the general sports news and reaches the masses.
UCI World Tour
The UCI World Tour, founded in 2009, is trying to bring to light other evens on its calendar. UCI action runs from January 15 through October 20, 2019. With that is 38 rounds and five different locations. Australia, China, Europe, Middle East and North America will all host events this year. To begin with there are three “Grand Tour” events on the UCI schedule. Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta a Espana.
Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España
Owing to increased media coverage the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana are worth 850 points each to the winner. Only the Tour de France rates as a more valuable points race with 1000 going to the winner. Correlate the increase in betting action with the Cycling betting odds for these other two top events. As a matter of fact, significantly more money has been wagered on Giro d’ Italia and Vuelta a Espana in the past couple of years. Granted, it is still not at Tour de France levels but it remains an impressive increase.
Chris Froome
The 2019 Giro d’Italia will run May 11 through June 2 with a total of 21 stages. Concurrently the race distance is comprised of 2186 miles. Last year Chris Froome was the winner. To show Froome was the first British rider to win the race in Giro history. Froome erased a five-minute deficit to win by a margin of 46 seconds. But the Giro champion has already stated he will not defend his title and instead focus entirely on the 2019 Tour de France.
Simon Yates
Simon Yates was the sportsbook winner of the 2018 Vuelta a Espana. It was the first ever Grand Tour win by Yates. Additionally, it turned out to be the fifth consecutive Grand Tour win by a British rider. Further, there were a total of three different British riders that won Grand Tour events in 2018. This year Vuelta a Espana will run from August 24 through September 15. There will be 21 stages with a total distance of 2024 miles.
Team Sky
Fashion the crown jewel of the Tour de France. For 2019 the Tour will run from July 6 through 28. Overall the Tour is comprised of 21 stages and a total of 2150 miles in distance. Last year Geraint Thomas won for Team Sky and as three-time defending champion Chris Froome was dethroned. Correspondingly Team Sky beat the Cycling Betting Odds for the fourth straight year and sixth in the last seven Tours.
Cycling and Enhancing Drugs
Naturally the Tour de France and the sport of cycling has been tarnished with perpetual doping. Froome is the latest star to be accused of using performance enhancing drugs. Of course, Lance Armstrong was the biggest fraud of all having his seven titles from 1999-2005 stripped.