Tour de France odds fans have seen the gambit when it comes to nationalities competing in the sports biggest race. Every year the best cyclers in the world converge on France to compete in the Tour de France betting lines, the de facto Superbowl of the cycling sports book world. And while many nationalities will compete again in the 2009 Tour de France lines, it would seem that Spain has the best chance of producing a Tour de France odds winner.
Tour de France racing has always been a proving ground for talented Spanish riders and this year is no different. Spain is always one of the top producers of gifted cyclists and the sport is practically a third religion in the country after Catholicism and soccer. This year the country will send one of its best crop of riders in years to the Tour de France lines.
The top two favorites in most of the Tour de France betting lines are both Spanish. It’s no coincidence that both are also former winners of the Tour de France lines. Carlos Sastre, the 2008 winner of the Tour de France lines and Alberto Contador, the 2007 Tour de France betting odds winner head nearly every list of pre-race favorites.
Sastre overcame the odds last season and held of several strong charges to win the Tour de France odds last year. He proved himself a very capable and tactical racer in the 2008 Tour de France lines and for this reason he should be given the benefit of the doubt if this year’s Tour de France betting odds competition is a close affair that goes down to the wire. His team is also very strong and he’ll have plenty of support throughout the Tour de France lines.
Contador is a much younger and less experienced rider but is in peak physical condition. He is also a better all around rider than Sastre and will be hungry to get another Tour de France lines title under his belt. He’ll also have a tremendous mentor and teammate (if not Tour de France competitor) in Lance Armstrong.
But these two marquee racers are hardly the only Spaniards in the 2009 Tour de France lines. Jose Ivan Guitierez and Luis Pasamontes are also listed as contenders in the Tour de France odds. But when it comes down to it Sastre and Contador are the country’s top hope. If one of them should win this year’s Tour de France lines they would step into rare air as multiple winners of the race and elevate themselves to the list all-time Spanish greats.