Tour de France odds

[rich p]

I've just had a premature glance at the TdF odds for the outright win.
http://www.oddschecker.com/cycling/tour-de-france/winner
Chris Froome is already odds on! 4/7, 1/2 etc.
Not good value and hardly worth a punt given what can go wrong before and during the race. Nibali and Contador are better value and who knows, Bertie may be on the rump again
Rui Costa, Valverde or maybe Mollema would be an outside bet given that Quintana, Uran and Porte are unlikely to be in it to win it.
Andy Schleck? Hmmm, not having my mortgage on him!

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Froome has been that price since the end of last year's Tour.

 

[montage]

Ten Dam for podium 500:1 for the win so podium must be good odds

 

[Mattonsea]

I like Nibbles odds , he is very canny at his choices of races before a GT , can't wait .

 

[Dangermouse]

I have a sneaky feeling Wiggo may retire very soon and he may just want to have another under his belt, don't write him off just yet.

 

[rich p]

I have a sneaky feeling Wiggo may retire very soon and he may just want to have another under his belt, don't write him off just yet.

Who has written him off?
He has clearly stated a desire to help Froome in the TdF, do the P-R, do the Vuelta with a view to using it for the World TT and trying to get into the Rio track team.
None of this is a state secret

 

[Dangermouse]

Who has written him off?
He has clearly stated a desire to help Froome in the TdF, do the P-R, do the Vuelta with a view to using it for the World TT and trying to get into the Rio track team.
None of this is a state secret

No one, I am just saying what I think, I doubt very much he will make Rio...........far to many younger,stronger riders, yes he has said he will support Froome, but is this just a ploy to get him up there with a chance, will he win, if he does then I suspect he will retire with it under his belt, and un beaten

 

[Crackle]

No one, I am just saying what I think, I doubt very much he will make Rio...........far to many younger,stronger riders, yes he has said he will support Froome, but is this just a ploy to get him up there with a chance, will he win, if he does then I suspect he will retire with it under his belt, and un beaten

Going on the recent World Champs, he might well make Rio. Wiggins has his detractors ( I changed that from knockers but after his recent weight gain picture...) but he's quality and he'll add a lot to Froome's chances in the summer too.

 

[rich p]

No one, I am just saying what I think, I doubt very much he will make Rio...........far to many younger,stronger riders, yes he has said he will support Froome, but is this just a ploy to get him up there with a chance, will he win, if he does then I suspect he will retire with it under his belt, and un beaten

Given the poor showing in Cali recently I'd say that Wiggins has a better than even chance of making the team pursuit

Sutton was particularly critical of the team pursuit squad, although he absolved Ed Clancy from blame. "Ed is special. I don't think the other boys have got the talent if I was totally honest," said Sutton, who is keeping the door open to the prospect of Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish joining the team pursuit squad for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

but is this just a ploy to get him up there with a chance, will he win, if he does then I suspect he will retire with it under his belt, and un beaten

I think you're mistaking him for Dick Dastardly

 

[NorvernRob]

No one, I am just saying what I think, I doubt very much he will make Rio...........far to many younger,stronger riders, yes he has said he will support Froome, but is this just a ploy to get him up there with a chance, will he win, if he does then I suspect he will retire with it under his belt, and un beaten

He hasn't got a chance of beating Froome in the TDF, he'd get destroyed on the climbs. However he'd be a great asset to the team if fit so I don't think there are any intentions other than what he has stated,

 

[Pico Triano]

Hesjedal is well down the list. As a Canadian I'd like to see him do well. Last year he didn't look like he had the stuff to podium even before he bounced off the pavement a few times.

 

[Newman8]

For what it's worth, my top 3:
Nibali
Valverde
Froome
(in that order)
But would really love for it to be Wiggins!
Don't know what he's racing in later, but Kwiatowski was good at the weekend...

 

[TissoT]

If froome has a good team behind him .. my money is on Froome !
Wiggins will ride his last TDF before he gains the correct weight to ride the track for Rio ... then he will retire.. IMO

 

[Newman8]

If froome has a good team behind him .. my money is on Froome !
Wiggins will ride his last TDF before he gains the correct weight to ride the track for Rio ... then he will retire.. IMO

You're probably right!
I've always thought Nibali & Valverde are more exciting individual riders but actually Astana never seem a very strong team & Valverde's strongest team mate won't even be there!

Thomas well & truly outsmarted both Nibali & Costa yesterday at P-N! He knew exactly what kind of ride would get the yellow jersey.

OPQ seem to have a much more balanced team this year too. How good was that time trial yesterday(?!) - but is Kwiatowski now a genuine contender with Uran at his side???

All terribly exciting stuff!