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Published on Thursday, 23 August 2018 13:00

Vuelta - Other Markets 

A selection of other random bets

Lot's of other markets to think about as usual with the Grand Tours, not as many as at the Tour de France, but still some interesting ones to get stuck in to. Let's have a look at some that caught my eye.

Top 10 Finish

Wilco Kelderman - 4/5 with Ladbrokes

I think Kelderman can go well here, he might start slowly, but he shouldn't lose too much time, and in fact he might have made some time up on GC rivals in the opening TT. He should ride himself in to it later in the race and will take 30" to a minute or maybe even more off of a lot of his GC rivals in the second TT and that could be enough to give him a top 10 finish. 

Steven Kruijswijk - 6/5 - various

I backed him last year at 11/10 and he did the business for us in 9th place, and I actually think he's going better this year than last. There's lots of competition for a top 10 place here, but I think his consistency and strong climbing, coupled with an ok TT should see him scrape home in 8th to 10th place again. 

Ilnur Zakarin - evens - various

Another who I expect to go well and isn't a bad time triallist, he could haul himself in to the top ten with a combination of solid climbing, some audacious attacking and a good TT. 2pts win

Over/Under Stage Wins 

Dan Martin to win a stage - evens - Dan has been in great form of late and came away from the Tour with a deserved stage win, a fine 2nd to Nairo on the Col du Portet and the Most Combatitive award. I think he'll be on the attack again in this Vuelta and there are a number of stages that he will fancy, starting on just stages 2 and 4. He may find himself out of the GC hunt after the second TT, so he could be free in the final week to try more attacks when the GC mark each other. 2pts at evens.

Elia Viviani - over 2.5 stage wins - 4/6 - I think Viviani could have a field day here, possibly pulling off a Trentin with four stage wins against limited sprinting opposition. I am tempted by the 11/8 on over 3.5 stage wins, but I'm going to play it a little safer and go for the three stage wins, I think he could easily have 2 in the back going in to the final week and there are two more opportunties in the last four stages for his QSF team to deliver him for more wins. 3pts at 4/6

George Bennett to NOT win a stage - 2/9 - Bennett has never won a race, not sure he's going to break his duck here, he'll be reeled in as usual with his late attacks and someone punchier will outsprint him. 4.5pts at 2/9

Max Walscheid to NOT win a stage - 1/3 - Viviani will mop up all the sprints probably, and even if he doesn't, Walscheid doesn't win enough for me to be a real threat here. 3pts at 1/3

Thibaut Pinot to win a stage - 6/4 - I've outlined his credentials in my overall preview, I think he will go well here and will like some of these finishes. I can see him outsprint the likes of Quintana, Porte and Bennett on some uphill sprint finish for a stage win.. 2pts at 6/4

I'm also tempted by the 8/11 that Nibali won't win a stage and the 9/2 that Sander Armee will win a stage, but I think I'll just look for the stages I think he'll be in the break for and back him at prices like 100/1 instead... 

KOM Matchbets and Points Matchbets are to be found in the KOM and Points previews here.