Stage 1

Stage 1 - Cluses to Saint Vulbas

Monday June 6th, 186km

A good start then with a 6pt profit from today's stage, it all worked out more or less as I expected - Contador was simply too good for them, a sensational performance from the Spaniard. Froome set the standard as expected, and his time looked like it might be good enough to win as rider after rider finished a long way off his time. Pinot was as disappointing as I expected, 12/1 was a shocking price for him.

Richie Porte almost beat him, it was a superb performance by Dickie Doors, one that puts him right in the mix with time bonuses available on some of these uphill finishes. He's been slashed from 16/1 to 5/1, Contador is now the 7/4 favourite (as short as 5/4) with Froome more or less the same price he started at around 3/1. 

Surprise package of the day though seems to be Dan Martin, but should we really be surprised one of the best climbers in the world finished 4th?! I thought he'd do well, I said 5th to 10th, I was just out! But he fairly flew up the climb and it puts him right in the mix too. Losers of the day were Pinot (52" down already), Aru (1'08" down already) and Rodriguez (1'02" down). 

On to stage 1 then, a zig-zaggy run for 186kms from Cluses to Saint Vulbas, which starts out quite lumpy with three Cat 4 climbs in the first 75kms, but they're nothing too hard and shouldn't really cause any problems. We should see a break go early on and probably build a big lead, but with one of the few sprint opportunities available at the end of the stage, it's likely we'll see the sprinter's teams reel them in and set up a sprint finish. 

There's not a huge amount of sprinters here though to focus on, but we still have some of the peloton's top sprinters here to battle it out. Alexander Kristoff and Nacer Bouhanni are more or less joint favourites around 9/4 and both have their pros and cons about their chances. Nacer Bouhanni has quite a few 1s in his results this year, but to be fair, the wins were almost all against poor opposition. When he came up against better opposition, like in Dunkirk or Paris-Nice, he was beaten nearly every time. On paper he is the fastest sprinter in the race, and he has a big chance of course, the 7/4 with Ladbrokes is very short, the 9/4 with PP is a bit better. 

Alexander Kristoff of course is a super-powerful sprinter, and after a break after Paris-Roubaix, he returned with a win in Frankfurt, beating Richeze and Bennett. He then took two thirds in California and a stage win, but one of those 3rds was effectively a 'win' as he won the sprint behind Ben King and Evan Huffman. He looks to be in great shape again and will go close to winning this. 

As mentioned above, 3rd behind Kristoff in Frankfurt was Sam Bennett, and he went in to the Tour of Belgium in good form and with high hopes of some good results, but a nasty crash on stage 2 took him down and badly bashed him up. He really felt the effects of it in the following day, and it was only a week ago so it's hard to know if he's recovered fully, and that's enough to put me off backing him for now, I'll watch and see how he goes for later in the race - he finished dead last in the TT today, so either he was in ultimate energy saving mode for tomorrow, or is still struggling. 

Moreno Hofland is another second division sprinter who could take advantage of the low-quality field of sprinters here this week to try to get a rare victory. The best result he's had this year though is a 2nd place in the Tour of Oman and when up against the top sprinters in the Giro he started well with a 4th in stage 2, but nothing more really after that. 

Nicolo Bonifazio is another who rarely visits the winners podium, but he's come very close this year on a number of occassions. 3rd in the Cadel Evans race and 2nd in stages in the Herald Sun Tour, Paris-Nice and Tour de Romandie, on that occassion, just behind Kittel. He wasn't able to get near the winners of the sprint stages in California though, and even Degenkolb beat him in the last stage. His team-mate Edward Thuens has a chance as well too though, it will be interesting to see who gets the nod to go for the stage tomorrow. They are pretty similar in price so it looks like it's not clear at all who will be going for it, so I am not going to play the guessing games as to who it will be.

Speaking of John Degenkolb, he continues to recover from his pre-season crash and has now got 1,500kms under his belt since starting his season in Frankfurt and California. As California went on he got more and more in to it and landed an 8th and a 5th place in the last two sprints. He'd prefer a tougher finish than this one though I think and on a flat out finish I don't think he'll be beating Bouhanni or Kristoff. 

Samuel Dumoulin is worth a mention I think as he is in superb form at the moment, having won two races in a row in France last week. The little pocket rocket can surf wheels well and he could nip up for a place - at 33/1 he offers a small bit of value.  

The race should probably come down to the sprint trains, and it looks like it will be cracking battle between Katusha and Cofidis, with Haller, Morkov and Guarnieri a strong trio to lead out Kristoff, and Soupe, Bozic and Vanbilsen a good trio for Bouhanni. I think that Katusha will bully Cofidis out of it in the finale, Kristoff will get a great lead-out, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Bouhanni nip out from behind him in the last 100m and take the win. 

 

Recommendations:

2pts win on Nacer Bouhanni at 9/4 with Paddy Power

0.3pts each-way on Samuel Dumoulin at 33/1 with various

 

Matchbets

Samuel Dumoulin to beat Boasson Hagen - 2pts at 6/5 with PP

Hofland to beat Bennett - 2pts at 11/8 with Bet365

 

 

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Stage 2

 

Stage 2 - Crêches-sur-Saône to Chalmazel - Jeansagnière

Tuesday June 7th, 168km

 

Two winners in a row then with Bouhanni battling and butting his way to victory in a proper old-fashioned crazy sprint. There were shoulders, head-butts and barges in the last few kilometres, with Katusha and Cofidis leaning in to each other so much at times they were almost riding each others bikes. Lots of riders have taken to twitter to complain about the lack of care and the generally dangerous behaviour in the sprint, and they may have a point, it did cross the line at times, but it is pretty obvious that Bouhanni is not well liked in the peloton, such was the animosity with which his win was greeted. 

Sam Bennett looked the winner with 50m to go after a superb sprint from far out, he was the first to go, but got passed by both Bouhanni and Debusschere on the line. Still good signs that he has recovered well from his crash. Kristoff was outside the top 10, he started his sprint, but looked laboured and Bennett almost clipped him when he came past, and Bouhanni too so he twice had to snatch up his sprint in about 10m and that was that. Dumoulin finished 15th, just behind the wave of riders who finished together at the front. So it two out of two with the main picks, but ended up down 0.1pts as the two matchbets lost! 

After a flatish stage for the sprinters, it's back to a GC stage with the uphill finish to Chalmazel. They start in Creches sur Saone and after just 5kms they start on the first of three similar climbs that come one after the other over the next 45kms. The Col de Durbize is a Cat 3 climb, then the uncategorised Che Nelette, followed by the Cat 2 Col de la Croix Nicelle. By the time they get over that final climb of the trio, there's still well over 100kms to go and it's likely that the break of the day will be after building up a decent lead - it should contain a number of strong rouleurs and climbers, you will need to be able to climb to get away in that opening 50kms, it's sure to be super-fast.

The next 90kms are pretty rolling as they continue to head south-west and after 145kms the road starts to rise again as they tackle the double ascension of the Cat 2 Cote de Saint George en Couzan, followed shortly after by the final climb to the finish at Chalmazel. The first part is 8.5kms at an average of 4.9%, just a warm up for the final climb to the summit. After going over the top they roll along a bit of a plateau for around 8kms before hitting the final rise to the finish. The climb to Chalmazel is pretty easy though, averaging only 3.7% over 6.8kms, but it even hits a flat part for 2kms before it kicks up for the final kilometre at 6.8% and then a 100m flat run to the line.

Even though it's a double final climb, it's not really very difficult, the first part is a very steady 5% and the second part is also pretty steady around 5% for only 3kms before the final kick up to the line for a kilometre. It may mean that we see a lot more riders in contention for the finish here than you would get on a typical summit finish.

Simon Gerrans was the main rider I had in mind when I wrote those paragraphs above a few days ago, and unfortunately the bookies have thought so too as he has been made favourite by some of them - he's been backed in to 5/1 with Paddy Power, I think he opened at 7/1, but he is available at 8/1 with Ladbrokes. He looked ok in the TT on Sunday, although he finished 99th, he looked strong without busting a gut.

He hasn't won a race since the TDU when he won two stages, but he should have won a stage in Pais Vasco only Steve Cummings had pulled off his trademark late attack. He should like this finish and OGE are here only to stage hunt and you can be sure that the team will be right behind him tomorrow, I wouldn't be surprised if Mitch Docker was told sit up when he stopped out of the break today. 

Julian Alaphilippe has been backed too tonight and is now as short as 4/1 favourite in places for the stage. He's in superb form as was obvious in his fantastic 5th place on Sunday, just 24" behind Contador and only 11" behind Froome. He also showed in California that his climbing has continued to improve and his attack to win stage 3 on the Gibraltar Road in the Tour of California was devastating, he just rode up to and then away from Stetina, and put around a minute in to the likes of Samuel Sanchez, Andrew Talansky and Rohan Dennis in about 1500m.

2nd in Fleche Wallone, 6th in AGR, 8th in Brabantse Pijl, he will love this finish and can attack hard with 1km to go. But 4/1 is too short - I think there will be quite a few riders still involved at the 1km to go banner, as the flat section for 2kms before that will allow some riders who might have been struggling on the steeper parts just before to get back on. And if that's the case, there may be some riders, like Gerrans, who might be able to outsprint him at the finish.

Another rider who could be still in there and would be capable of a good sprint finish is the man who finished 4th in today's stage, Edvald Boasson Hagen. He won't mind these sort of slopes too much and should be able to hang in there, protected by his DDD team. He clearly is in great shape and has his sprinting legs on him this week, as 4th place today was a decent result. Two stage wins in a row two weeks ago in the Tour of Norway also shows that he has timed his prep for around this time of the season, one of those wins was on an uphill finish too. I think he has a big chance of a top 3, I was hoping for something like 20/1, but the 8/1 with Ladbrokes will have to do. 

One who could sprint well or attack late on this finish is Enrico Gasparotto for Wanty - as he showed with his 2nd place in Brabantse Pijl, 1st place in Amstel Gold Race and 5th place in Fleche-Wallone, a tough, uphill finish is right up his street. A 6th and a 7th in the Belgium Tour a few weeks ago were good signs and his 14th in the TT Sunday was very impressive, but I've a feeling he might be bullied out of it in this finish and a 5th to 10th place is what he might end up with.

An uphill finish like this means you have to consider the likes of Greg Van Avermaet too, these roads are more like rolling Flanders hills, around 5% and not Alpine-like back-breakers and he can sprint well on an uphill finish, just ask Peter Sagan who was beaten by him in the uphill sprint on stage 13 to Rodez of last year's Tour De France. He's 14/1 with PP but just 9/1 with others. Alexis Vuillermoz, an old favourite of mine looks big at 40/1 with Bet365, he's only 14/1 with PP. I think though he'd prefer a steeper finish than just 6%, he might be outsprinted by the punchier types.

Tom Jelte Slagter, Tony Gallopin and Daniel Moreno could all go well too around the 20-25/1 mark but I can't see them hitting the podium. Louis Vervaeke rode well in the prologue, finishing 28th, he could be an outsider at 50/1 that could go well. Can Bouhanni hang in there? He has an outside chance, some bookies are a bit fearful of that as he is just 40/1 in places. I can't see him hanging in there though. 

Of course, with bonus seconds available at the finish, the GC men might go full gas on the steeper lower parts of the Cotes de Saint-George or the steeper 3kms at the start of the Chalmazal. If so, they could thin things out dramatically and some of those named above might struggle to hang in there. If so, then the likes of Contador, Froome, Porte could all go at it in the final kilometre, and Contador named Dan Martin as one to watch on this stage. But I think with a tough end to this week, they might let the puncheurs go at it while still ensuring they are close to the front and not lose any time by silly gaps.

A break could make it too of course, whether that's a late attack or the break of the day, and you can stick a pin in about 100 riders for that, but look at the likes of Emanuele Buchman, Thomas de Gendt, Anthony Roux, Steve Cummings or Alexis Gougeard. But I think there will be too many strong teams like OGE, BMC, Dimension Data, Etixx-Quickstep and AG2R who will want to bring the break back in time to tackle the last two climbs and set up a battle royale over the last 5kms. I fancy EBH to go really well, Alaphilippe and Van Avermaet could be right up there too, but if it comes to a sprint on the flatter last 100m, Simon Gerrans could sit in on their wheels and pounce late to take the stage. 

 

Recommendations:

1pt each-way on Simon Gerrans at 8/1 with Ladbrokes

0.5pts each-way on Edvald Boasson Hagen at 8/1 with Ladbrokes

 

MatchBets

Dan Martin to beat Moreno, Van Avermaet to beat Pichot and Porte to beat Pinot - 2pts on the treble at 2/1 with Bet365

Navarro to beat Meintjes - 2pts at 8/11 with Bet365 

 

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Chalmazel   

 

Stage 3

Stage 3 - Boën-sur-Lignon to Tournon-sur-Rhône

Wednesday June 8th, 187.5km

This will be an interesting stage - it climbs steadily upwards for 115kms and takes in two Cat 4 climbs, before plunging downhill for the best part of 40kms to Arras Sur Rhone, but then the crucial part of the stage comes in the final 25kms. 

The Cote de Sécheras averages 8.2% for 2.9kms, with the first kilometre only 5.7%, but then it kicks up on a very steep part that hits near 20% for 500m before easing off again to just 4.8% average for the last 900m. But the hill itself keeps climbing for another 5kms or so before they dive downhill for around 12kms towards the finish in Tournon sur Rhone. There's a short flat run for a few kilometres before a slight uphill run to the finish. 

This looks like a stage made for a breakaway - there's 45kms of flat to start with and it is sure to be extremely fast as lots of riders are sure to probably want to get in the break - it may take an hour or more to see a break go, and it might take the little lump of a climb of Chambles after 48kms before we see the elastic snap. Once over the top and down the descent, the road climbs for nearly 60kms, so strong rouleurs/climbers in the break could build up a big lead, the climb isn't very steep at all, more like a gentle drag, but for over 60kms!

Once over the Cat 4 Cote du Rouvey after 116kms the next 40kms will be an extremely fast descent, so the break will be going as fast as the peloton more or less and will hold the lead pretty steady maybe. With 24kms to go they tackle the final climb and it's a charge downhill to the finish.. easy, huh?

May sound easy, picking the winner isn't going to be, it could be any one of about 100 riders again. Paddy Power went with the opinion that a sprinter, or a sprinting puncheur type wins this, when they came out with their prices around 6pm they had Greg Van Avermaet as their 6/1 favourite, with Bouhanni, Kristoff and Degenkolb all in the first five in the betting. Ok, there might be a number of teams who will be interested in this finish and will want to pull it back, but I can't particularly see Sky or Tinkoff willing to pull at the front all day. 

Some teams like BMC for GVA might work too, but they have Porte in 2nd place and in a great position to challenge later in the week, will they want to burn matches with such a sketchy finish? GVA did well today though, finishing 7th, but he'd have wanted to be in the first 3 I think to tempt me in to backing him. Movistar might work as they don't really have a GC man, and their double-act with Moreno and Herrada worked brilliantly today, but the descent and flat run to the finish won't suit. Herrada should be considered a GC danger now though too I guess as he has jumped in to the top 6 and is clearly going really well, did a great prologue too.

I don't think Kristoff, Degenkolb or Bennett will hang in there with slopes up to 20%, and Gerrans and EBH disappointed so much today you couldn't trust them to be there either. Alaphilippe had to brake today when Vuillermoz and Bardet crashed in to each other, but still finished with the GC group, Hofland may make it over but I can't trust him either. Samuel Dumoulin was way off the pace today, finishing 19 minutes down, but maybe he was saving his legs for this stage? The finish will suit him a lot better than today's that's for sure.   

I think though that the break has a big chance tomorrow and one rider that always comes to mind on a stage like this though is Thomas de Gendt, you never know when the Belgian will go up the road on the attack, you just know he's going to probably try a few times. So striking when he's 66/1 might be advisable. Brilliant winner of the 4th stage in Catalunya, soloing away to victory from the break of the day he was in, he should like this sort of course. 

Another rider who could try to get up the road here would be Benjamin King, fantastic winner of another breakaway stage in the Tour of California a few weeks back, he and his breakaway companion Evan Huffman held off the charging pack to win by 8", with Kristoff leading home the peloton, but no bookie has a price on him! Omar Fraile might go for Dimension Data, so Cummings might have an easy ride to try attacking near the finish, but Fraile, who was fancied for some for the prologue, put in a poor time, and he was well down today, so maybe he's not 100%, or is saving himself for a specific stage.

Niki Terpstra is an interesting one too at a big price of 100/1, he finished fourth last on today's stage so could be planning something for a stage like this tomorrow. He could be a foil up the road to allow Etixx take it easy in the peloton so Alaphilippe or Dan Martin can maybe attack on the last climb. Tony Martin is another Quick-Stepper who could go up the road today on a stage for powerful breakaway men, he's 100/1 also. 

Mickael Cherel, Perrig Quemeneur, Jeremy Roy - all could go up the road on the break of the day and a few of them are at pretty tasty prices. Serge Pauwels was very strong today, attacking late and working really hard with Gallopin and Jeandesboz and still held on for a superb 3rd place. Depending on how much it took out of him, I wouldn't be surprised to see him try again tomorrow. Alexis Vuillermoz was right up there today and looking good, that is until Bardet took them both down.. He might be full of anger for tomorrow and attack on those steep slopes on the final climb!

It really is a lottery though with trying to pick candidates for these break stages and there's no guarantee either that the break will make it! If the GC teams want to, they can keep a tight rein on the leaders and reel them in in time. I am going for a few longshots for the break and if it comes back together, I'm having a saver on Nacer Bouhanni to get over that hill close enough to the front and sprint to the win - he is much better than most sprinters at getting over the climbs, his two wins in Catalunya earlier this season were testament to that, they were both lumpy days and the guys who finished around him were puncheurs and not sprinters. 

A small 2.5pt loss today, but we were unlucky as Moreno bust the treble despite Martin finishing in 12th place, the other two won, and Navarro comfortably beat Meintjes, he was very active in the finale to the stage.

 

Recommendations:

1.5pts win on Nacer Bouhanni at 8/1 with Ladbrokes

0.3pts each-way on Samuel Dumoulin at 50/1 with Ladbrokes

0.2pts win on Niki Terpstra at 100/1 with PP

0.3pts ew on Thomas de Gendt at 66/1 with PP (now only 33/1, but still worth a punt I think)

0.2pts win on Serge Pauwels at 100/1 with Ladbrokes 

 

MatchBets

Van Avermaet to beat Alaphilippe - 3pts at 4/6 with Bet365

Boasson Hagen to beat Gerrans - 2pts at 8/11 with Bet365

 

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Stage 4 

Stage 4 - Tain-l'Hermitage to Belley

Thursday June 9th, 176km

 

That was a cracking stage today, that final hill wasn't hard enough to shift the sprinters after all and still they
were not able to win the stage! It was a very tough last 30kms though and clearly took the sting out of a lot of riders.

That was an incredible performance from Aru, to attack, bridge to the break of Rolland and Grmay and attack again as hard as he did from the break group and hold off a charging peloton who were only 6" behind with 9kms to go. The terrain helped as he was able to go full gas down the descent, as behind the sprinter's teams were a bit all over the place and there was no concerted chase until about 2kms to go, when it was too late. Whatever energy drinks Nibali took at the end of the Giro he must have passed them on to Aru as he rode like a man possessed down the hill.

As it turned out, it was Kristoff once again won a bunch sprint behind a breakaway, no wonder he thumped his bars, he must be getting fed up of that scenario. Niccolo Bonifazio got up for 3rd to reward his 50/1 e/w backers and Julian Alaphilippe sprinted stronger than I expected to take 4th. EBH was 5th, Bennett 6th and Bouhanni eased out of it when he saw the win was gone and finished 8th. Favourite for the stage GVA was in 11th, just outside the top 10.

It was one of those annoying days where you get a lot of things right but end up unrewarded at the end of the day! Three attackers went up the road, I had two of them in De Gendt and Terpstra and they had close to 5 minutes at one point. But the sprinters clearly fancied their chances of getting over the final climb and a combination of Katusha and Cofidis, working together instead of trying to knock each other off their bikes quickly reduced their lead to just 30" as they headed towards the final climb.

And then, on the final climb, another one I liked, Tony Martin also took off, getting 20" at one point. But maybe he should have waited and attacked more on the downhill section like Aru did. Alberto Contador got a scare on that really narrow bridge they crossed with about 5kms to go, he must have clipped the bridge or something as he had to finish the stage on Romain Kreuziger's (far larger) bike. GC placing remain the same, Dan Martin looked frisky again today, very prominent at the front without wasting too much energy attacking, he was just trying to block the road a bit at the front with Tony up the road.. 

Stage 4 then and its a mostly flat stage that runs north-east for 176kms from Tain L'Hermitage to Belley. I say mostly flat but the road does roll along up and down over a lot of small hills, including two Cat 4 climbs along the way. They enter a finishing circuit after 137kms and 7kms later pass the finish line, before heading out on a 37km loop north-west of Belley.

It looks like it should be a sprinters stage, but who will have the stomach for a battle in Belley (you can have that one for free Carlton ;-) ). The one important thing to bear in mind with the finish though is that the last kilometre drags uphill to the line at an average gradient of 2.6%, so it will suit some sprinters more than others. 

The break will go, but now that so many riders lost so much time on stages 2 and 3, there might be a break goes that contains no realistic GC threats in it. Depending on who's in it, there might be less teams willing to chase, but with so few sprint opportunities in the race, I think they will be pulled back. 

Katusha will want to bring it back to give Alexander Kristoff another tilt at winning, he was in pole position behind his lead-out men in the battle of Saint Vulbas on Monday, but he delayed his sprint for too long, something that he usually doesn't do, and Sam Bennett got the jump on him. Bennett came flying past him and as Kristoff sensed him coming he started to move out from behind his leadout man and almost was taken out by Bennett. He had to snatch his effort back a little, and then Bouhanni came past and he nearly ran in to him too. He eased off a little and his chance was gone.

Now you could say he was unlucky, but the fact that Kristoff didn't start his customary long-range sprint and Bennett got so tired of waiting for it he decided to go early instead, may suggest that Kristoff hasn't full power just yet. Also the fact that he threw in the towel so quickly doesn't look good either, he didn't fight, just gave up and slipped out of the top 10. That was a little worrying if you're thinking of backing him at just 3/1.

But then he did 'win' the sprint today though, but it was quite a messy finish. He lost Michael Morkov, one of his key leadout men on the climb today and Marco Haller also got dropped so he was more or less on his own. With the full leadout back tomorrow it'll be a different matter entirely.

Nacer Bouhanni did a lot of bad things in the lead in to that sprint on stage 1, but when it came to the actal crux of the sprint in the last 200m, he was excellent. He shadowed Katusha and Kristoff and when Bennett went he was alive to it and pounced quickly. I thought he might pop out from behind Kristoff to steal the win in the last 50m, instead he popped out from behind Bennett and sprinted powerfully while nearly chewing his stem.

I think Cofidis will be careful to not incur the wrath of the commissaires this time, they would have been under a lot of pressure after the decision to not relegate him, especially as so many pros were moaning about it, Any infringement could see him chucked out, so expect a cleaner sprint I think. And the thing is, I don't think they need to fight with Katusha - Katusha have stronger leadout men, they should just shadow them to the last 300m, make sure Bouhanni is close to Kristoff and he should be able to take him again. 

Sam Bennett - I was worried he hadn't recovered from the crash he had in Belgium, as I had heard he was pretty badly shook up in the days after the crash, but he showed Monday that he is almost back to his best. With 100m to go I was beginning to regret not backing him, as he looked the likely winner, after a superb burst of speed took him to the front. But he just faded in the last 25m and Bouhanni, and Debusschere both passed him.

Bora were active in the closing kilometres to get him in a good position, without getting involved in the rugby, and when it came to the last 300m he did the rest himself, surfing wheels and going for it through the gap when it appeared. And in today's stage, Bora showed how confident Bennett was in his form when they went to the front on the climb, often Bennett would have struggled on a hill like that and would have rolled in 20 minutes down, he hung in there with the GC group and in the messy sprint he finished 6th, ahead of Bouhanni.

I think he has the beating of Kristoff again, especially on an uphill finish like this, and he has beaten Bouhanni in uphill sprint finishes too. I give him a good chance of finishing on the podium again and could come very close to winning it this time and at 12/1 he's a decent each-way bet I think

Niccolo Bonifazio came very close for Trek Factory Racing, after they made a complete mess of it on stage 1. He took '2nd' on the stage and 3rd on the day and if he can be at the front coming to the last kilometre he could come close to a top 3 placing again. 

Jens Debusschere was a surprise 2nd place on stage 1, he almost got up to beat Bouhanni with a strong late surge. Winner of Dwars Door Vlaanderen this year with a strong, late sprint to deny the already celebrating Bryan Coquard, he has a habit of coming late and fast. With an uphill finish like this that sort of finish could pay dividends and he could go close again. 

Edvald Boasson Hagen was right in the mix again today after a poor day the day before, but was '4th' in the sprint, I think he could be looking at a 5th to 10th place again on a faster finish like this, although the uphill finish will be more to his liking. Sam Dumoulin made it over with the peloton today but didn't have the punch in the finish, he finished 16th, I think this will be too fast for him. 

I'm going to leave picking break candidates for tomorrow, so you can be sure that De Gendt and Terpstra are going to finish 1-2! I think this is a great chance for Bennett though to strike and get one over on the two favorites ahead of the TDF. I think Bouhanni can top Kristoff late in the sprint again but watch out for the late finish from Debusschere also. 

 

Recommendations:

1pt each-way on Sam Bennett at 12/1 with Bet365

 

Matchbets:

Debusschere to beat Hofland - 3pts at 5/6 with Bet365

Bennett to beat EBH - 3pts at 4/6 with Ladbrokes

Bennett to beat Degenkolb and EBH to beat Sonder H Enger - 2pts at 11/10

 

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