Chris Froome is among the cycling betting favorites to win the upcoming 2017 Tour de France. His feet are taped to the bicycle on this one. But he’s not the only one. That’s why people betting on cycling call it a peloton.
Chris Froome
The British professional road racing cyclist for UCI ProTeam Team Sky is a three-time Tour de France winner and last year became the first man since Miguel Indurain in 1995 to successfully defend the title. Since then, Froome won his third – and second straight – Critérium du Dauphiné, the Herald Sun Tour, and the bronze in the time trial at the Rio Olympic Games. This year, he finished 6th overall in the 2017 Herald Sun Tour.
Nairo Quintana
The Colombian will be looking to nail that elusive Grand Tour career Grand Slam. Nairoman already won the Giro d’Italia in 2014 and the Vuelta a España in 2016. He was a runner up in the 2013 and 2015 Tours de France, and finished third last year. This year Quintana has won the Tirreno–Adriatico and the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, and finished second in the Vuelta a Asturias.
Richie Porte
Australian professional road bicycle racer on BMC Racing Team is an underachiever, winning the Paris-Nice twice (2013 and 2015), as well as the 2015 Volta a Catalunya, 2015 Giro del Rentino, the 2017 Tour de Romadie, and 2017 Tour Down Under. However, Porte has yet to win a Big One – which may or may not affect his cycling betting odds. His best finish in a Grand Tour being a fifth place in the 2016 Tour de France.
Alberto Contador
As usual favorite of fans betting on cycling, El Pistolero has won multiple Giros d’Italia, Tours de France, and Vueltas a España. As a matter of fact, such has been his cycling prowess that doping allegations have come to the forefront throughout his career – and not always unfounded. For example, his entire 2010-2011 records (which included what would have been third Tour de France win, and then-second Giro d’Italia win) were scratched from the books. All things considered, Contador is the Spanish Lance Armstrong.
Alejandro Valverde
The Green Bullet has won the 2009 Vuelta a España, Liège–Bastogne–Liège (2006, 2008, 2015, and 2017), La Flèche Wallonne (2006, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017), the Clásica de San Sebastián (2008 and 2014), the 2006 and 2008 UCI ProTours, as well as the 2014 and 2015 UCI World Tours. It’s safe to say for fans betting on cycling that the Tour de France is one of the few feathers missing in his cap.
Romain Bardet
Bardet has competed in four Tours de France in a row and has improved upon each and every occasion. He finished 15th in 2013, 6th in 2014, 9th in 2015, and 2nd in 2016. Now it’s either go all the way or regress for the AG2R La Mondiale French cyclist. It should be the latter rather than the former, at least according to cycling betting odds, but that’s why the word ‘upset’ was invented.