The first edition of Britain's newest stage race, the Tour of Yorkshire with live coverage on both Eurosport and ITV2 every day. ITV look like they are bringing the big guns out with Imlach, Rendell, Boulting, Millar and Boardman all likely to be involved.
And there's plenty of household names in the race itself, at least in terms of teams as BMC, Sky, Cofidis, Europcar, Giant, Lotto-Jumbo, MTN Qhubeka and IAM Cycling are all here, along with Wiggins team, JLT Condor, Great Britain, Madison Genesis. Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise and Team Roompot Oranje Peloton will be worth keeping an eye on as well, with the hilly terrain similar to the races they take part in week in, week out. In terms of world class individual names, we have Van Avermaet and Teuns, Swift and Eisel. Marcel Kittel returns after the amazing reception he got from the crowd in last year's Tour of Britain. In what other sport would a German get cheered through the streets of Britain up and down the land? The parcours is hilly in parts as you’d expect but should suit Kittel et al. We should see a bunch sprint in Scarborough at the end of Stage 1. Stage 2 finishes with circuits through the streets of York and another bunch sprint is nailed on there. Stage 3 finishes in Leeds and there is much more climbing. This could well see a sprint from a select group, or a solo win.
Hard to see past the sprinters for this with the time bonuses, although a fast pace could catch them out in the 3rd stage. I've left Kittel alone anyway, he's short and I'm not sure about his form and he may well get dropped on Stage 3 if he isn't 100% even though he won in Harrogate in the first stage of the Tour last year. Moreno Hofland is the one I've taken for Stage 1 at 18/1. He's not been at his best so far in 2015 but he won plenty in 2014 and he wouldn't be too far off if he got near that form. I've considered him for the outright as well, he won the Limburg Classic on a similarly hilly route to Stage 3, but in the end I've plumped for a couple at longer prices, Dylan Teuns 33/1 and Jonas Van Genechten 66/1. They can both handle this sort of terrain and could be in the mix of the sprinters don't handle the terrain on Sunday.
Hard to see past the sprinters for this with the time bonuses, although a fast pace could catch them out in the 3rd stage. I've left Kittel alone anyway, he's short and I'm not sure about his form and he may well get dropped on Stage 3 if he isn't 10
Kittel out to 5/4 for Stage 1 tomorrow. That's a fairly tempting price if his biggest opposition from a spriting point of view is Ben Swift. You'd think he could probably win this at around 80-90%.
Kittel out to 5/4 for Stage 1 tomorrow. That's a fairly tempting price if his biggest opposition from a spriting point of view is Ben Swift. You'd think he could probably win this at around 80-90%.
7/4 Kittel now Bet £3.65. Had a good chat about Stage 1 with a mate of mine who regularly rides these roads and he thinks Kittel should be avoided as some of the climbs are very sharp. That's good enough for me. I've got Hofland 18/1 and Steele Von Hoff 20/1 for Stage 1. I'd like to have got some of the Roompot and Topsport boys onside as well but don't have a clue who is leader so will maybe look to get on in running.
7/4 Kittel now Bet £3.65. Had a good chat about Stage 1 with a mate of mine who regularly rides these roads and he thinks Kittel should be avoided as some of the climbs are very sharp. That's good enough for me. I've got Hofland 18/1 and Steele Von
I thoroughly enjoyed the tactical battle on the closing stage yesterday and the partnership of Nordhaug/Deignan tag teamed it perfectly but still the other 3 covered every move and it was so exciting.
There are not many posts on todays stage probably because of its unpredictability. Will Garmin-Alpecin be trying to make amends for the depature of Kittel yesterday? They may be allowed some freedom.
PP are betting Pelucchi 4/1 Von Hoff 5/1 Hofland 5/1 Sinkelman 9/1 Ciolek 9/1 GVA 14/1
Sinkelman may be the man for Giant-Alpecin ifit is another tough punchy day, it may all come together though for the run around York city centre and for the sprint you would have to look towards GVA @ 14/1and at a speculative price Bert De Backer but no price is available with PP or SKYB and only 50/1 on here
I thoroughly enjoyed the tactical battle on the closing stage yesterday and the partnership of Nordhaug/Deignan tag teamed it perfectly but still the other 3 covered every move and it was so exciting.There are not many posts on todays stage probably