Survival of the fittest is the name of the game on Stage 3 of the 2010 Tour de France, particularly after today’s stage in which one third of the peloton seemed to crash, not once but twice. Following a neutralised bunch finished that wasn’t universally popular there will be a number of riders who will be raring to go for tomorrows stage.

Run over some of the famed cobbled stages of the Ardennes Classics the bookmakers look no further than the specialists we see in the Spring campaigns. Cancellara, Hushovd, Flecha and Breschel, familiar faces. The question for many of these riders will be, are the needed to protect their GC men or will they be let off the leash to go for the stage victory? Following a bad day for Saxo Bank, it’s likely that Cancellara and Breschel will be instructed to look after the Schleck brothers.

Opportunities might arise for the likes of Flecha and Freire with question marks over whether Mark Cavendish will still be in the front group in the closing kilometres.

2010 Tour de France Stage 3 Betting Odds

Hushovd at 6.00 (5/1) with PaddyPower and Blue Square

Cancellara at 6.50 (11/2) with Blue Square and Ladbrokes

Boassen Hagen at 17.00 (18/1) with Sportingbet

Freire at 21.00 (20/1) with bwin

Cavendish at 23.00 (22/1) with Ladbrokes

Flecha at 26.00 (25/1) with Betfred

Breschel at 34.00 (33/1) with Blue Square

Vinokourov at 34.00 (33/1) with Sky Bet and Sportingbet

Kolobnev at 41.00 (40/1) with Boylesports

Hincapie at 41.00 (40/1) with Betfred

McEwen at 51.00 (50/1) with Boylesports and Ladbrokes

Ivanov at 51.00 (50/1) with Bet365 and Betfred

Stage 2 of the 2010 Tour de France will be a case of who is left amongst the top sprinters following a day of 3rd and 4th category climbs. The bookmakers odds show less faith in Mark Cavendish for this stage and see some of the ’stronger’ sprinters such as Freire and Boassen Hagen as more likely to take the honours. Cavendish will be fired up though following the disappointment of Stage 1 where he crashed. Tyler Farrar was hit from behind during the Stage 1 sprint but up until that point looked in contention to take the win.

The likes of Kolobnev, Roche and Luis Leon Sanchez are the kind of riders who could solo away to victory in the latter part of the stage.

2010 Tour de France Stage 2 Betting Odds

Freire at 7.50 (11/2) with Betfred

Boassen Hagen at 9.00 (8/1) with Betfred

Cavendish at 11.00 (10/1) with Sky Bet and Betfred

Hushovd at 13.00 (12/1) with Bet365

Farrar at 13.00 (12/1) with Bet365 and Betfred

Rojas at 17.00 (16/1) with Blue Square

Petacchi at 21.00 (20/1) with Blue Square and PaddyPower

Ciolek at 23.00 (22/1) with Bet365

Bole at 41.00 (40/1) with Sky Bet

Roche at 41.00 (40/1) with Blue Square

Kolobnev at 41.00 (40/1) with Ladbrokes

LL Sanchez at 46.00 (45/1) with PaddyPower

McEwen at 51.00 (50/1) with Bet365

Vinokourov at 51.00 (50/1) with Blue Square

Cunego at 67.00 (66/1) with Sky Bet

Cancellara at 67.00 (66/1) with Blue Square

Voeckler at 67.00 (66/1) with Sportingbet

Others on Request

Stage 1 of the 2010 Tour de France is destined to end in a bunch sprint in Brussels. The bookmakers predictably have Mark Cavendish as the favourite for this stage with the likes of Hushovd and Farrar offering much better value. With a weakened lead-out train and questions over Cavendish’s fitness both Garmin and Cervelo Test Team will be looking to their sprint men to oust Cavendish as king of the Tour sprints.

2010 Tour de France Stage 1 Betting Odds

Cavendish at 2.10 (11/10) with Betfred and Bet365 and bwin

Farrar at 6.00 (5/1) with PaddyPower

Hushovd at 12.00 12/1) with Betfred

Petacchi at 15.00 (14/1) with PaddyPower

Freire at 17.00 (16/1) with Betfred and Coral

McEwen at 21.00 (20/1) with PaddyPower

Boassen Hagen at 21.00 (20/1) with Coral

Ciolek at 23.00 (22/1) with PaddyPower

Rojas at 41.00 (40/1) with Coral

Breschel at 51.00 (50/1) with bwin and PaddyPower

Voigt at 61.00 (60/1) with PaddyPower

Ballan at 76.00 (75/1) with PaddyPower

The 2010 Tour de France opens with an 8.9km Individual Time Trial around the city of Rotterdam.  It’s a fairly straightforward course and suits Saxo Bank’s Fabian Cancellara who not only has the power to get round this course quickly but also the technical ability to use his speed through tight corners.  The odds for Cancellara are very short but there is still value in taking an Each-Way bet for a rider finishing in the top 3 on the stage.  David Millar at 40.00 (39/1) with Blue Square who are offering 1/4 odds for a top 3 finish.  Lance Armstrong is surprising at best odds of 101.00 (100/1).

2010 Tour de France Prologue Betting Odds @ 12:00 on (03/07/10)

Cancellara at 1.57  with Betfred and PaddyPower

T. Martin at 7.00 (6/1) with William Hill

Wiggins at 12.00 (11/1) with Unibet

Boom at 19.00 (18/1) with Blue Square

Boassen Hagen at 19.00 (18/1) with bwin

Contador at 21.00 (20/1) with Bet365

Millar at 40.00 (39/1) with Unibet

Brajkovic at 41.00 (40/1) with William Hill

Zabriskie at 45.00 (44/1) with Unibet

Evans at 51.00 (50/1) with Bet365

Bookwalter at 51.00 (50/1) with Blue Square and Boylesports

Kloden at 55.00 (54/1) with Unibet

Vinokourov at 55.00 (55/1) with Unibet

Kreuziger at 60.00 (59/1) with Unibet

Leipheimer at 67.00 (66/1) with Bet365

Hushovd at 67.00 (66/1) with Betfred

Thomas at 67.00 (66/1) with Blue Square

Knees at 76.00 (75/1) with PaddyPower

Rogers at 81.00 (80/1) with Bet365Blue Square

Armstrong at 101.00 (100/1) with Boylesports and Blue Square

Hincapie at 151.00 (150/1) with Bet365

Moerenhout at 200.00 (199/1) with Unibet

Basso at 501.00 (500/1) with Blue Square

Others on Request

Hushovd, the 2009 Points winner, has himself had an injury disrupted season and goes into the 2010 race with question marks over his fitness. The bookmakers offer both Hushovd and Tyler Farrar at the same odds and it could be the American that springs the surprise for the Green Jersey. Outside of the Top 3, Edvald Boassen Hagen could spring a surprise and is likely to be Team Sky’s best chance of an overall jersey.

2010 Tour de France Points Classification Winner Betting Odds @ 12:00 on 03/07/10

Cavendish at 2.20 (6/5) with bwin and Boylesports

Hushovd at 6.50 (11/2) with Coral

Farrar at 6.50 (11/2) with Blue Square and PaddyPower

Freire at 15.00 (14/1) with William Hill and Boylesports

Boassen Hagen at 15.00 (14/1) with Stan James and PaddyPower

Ciolek at 28.00 (27/1) with Unibet

Petacchi at 35.00 (34/1) with Unibet

McEwen at 51.00 (50/1) with Stan James

Lance Armstrong is third favourite amongst the bookies and his good showing in the final stages of the Tour de Suisse recently illustrate that he’s coming into some kind of form for the first time this year. Bradley Wiggins is a bit if a mystery this year and it remains to be seen whether he can repeat his performance of 2009 on a course which many deem to be much more difficult.

Robert Gesink showed well in the high mountains of the Tour de Suisse but his downfall has always been consistency so this year is his real chance to step up and claim his place amongst the current top riders. Kreuziger looks good value for a top 5 finish, especially as Nibali is no linger riding.

2010 Tour de France General Classification Betting Odds @ 12:00 on (03/07/10)

Contador at 1.62 (8/13) with Betfred

A. Schleck at 11.00 (10/1) with bwin

Armstrong at 8.00 (7/1) with PaddyPower and Coral

Basso at 26.00 (25/1) with bwin

Wiggins at 28.00 (27/1) with Unibet

Evans at 34.00 (33/1) with Bet365 and bwin

F. Schleck at 34.00 (33/1) with Bet365 and bwin

Menchov at 41.00 (40/1) with Bet365 and Sky Bet

Brajkovic at 51.00 (50/1) with Bet365 and bwin

Kreuziger at 81.00 (80/1) with bwin

Gesink at 101.00 (100/1) with Sportingbet

Leipheimer at 101.00 (100/1) with bwin

Kloden at 126.00 (125/1) with PaddyPower

Sastre at 126.00 (125/1) with Bet365 and Sky Bet

Rogers at 151.00 (150/1) with Sky Bet

Vinokourov at 151.00 (150/1) with PaddyPower

S Sanchez at 200.00 (199/1) with Unibet

LL Sanchez at 201.00 (200/1) with Bet365 and Sportingbet

T Martin at 201.00 (200/1) with Sportingbet and Stan James

Vandevelde at 401.00 (400/1) with Bet365

Others on Request

Velotips – the best odds on two wheels…

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2010 Tour de France General Classification Betting Odds @ 20:00 on (05/02/10)

Contador at 1.83 (5/6) with Betfred

A. Schleck at 6.50 (11/2) with PaddyPower and

Armstrong at 12.00 (11/1) with Blue Square

Basso at 26.00 (25/1) with Stan James

Wiggins at 26.00 (25/1) with bwin

Evans at 29.00 (28/1) with PaddyPower

Gesink at 34.00 (33/1) with Bet365 and Boylesports and Blue Square

Sastre at 34.00 (33/1) with Bet365 and Sky Bet and Sportingbet

Menchov at 41.00 (40/1) with Blue Square and Sportingbet

Valverde at 41.00 (40/1) with Blue Square

F. Schleck at 51.00 (50/1) with Blue Square

S Sanchez at 51.00 (50/1) with Blue Square and Stan James

Nibali at 51.00 (50/1) with Bet365

Vandevelde at 67.00 (66/1) with Blue Square

Leipheimer at 67.00 (66/1) with Blue Square

Kreuziger at 67.00 (66/1) with Bet365

Boassen Hagen at 151.00 (150/1) with Blue Square

Vinokourov at 151.00 (150/1) with Blue Square

T Martin at 101.00 (151/1) with Bet365

Kloden at 151.00 (150/1) with Bet365

Cunego at 151.00 (150/1) with Bet365

Others on Request

Velotips – the best odds on two wheels…

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The most complete odds anywhere on the web can be found on our dedicated 2010 Tour de France Betting Odds GC page with highlights being Contador odds on favourite at 1.83 (5/6), Andy Schleck second favourite at 6.00 (5/1) with Lance Armstrong at 12.00 (11/1). The bookmakers expect a repeat of last years podium. Ivan basso is expected to ride at 23.00 (22/1) with new World Champion Cadel Evans at 29.00 (28/1). The big surprise of last year, Bradley Wiggins, rolls in at a 34.00 (33/1) and 2008 winner Carlos Sastre now a complete outsider at odds of 67.00 (66/1).

Please visit our 2010 Tour de France General Classification Odds page for full odds on the top riders.

Who is your money going on?

We anticipate a break going up the road and go for Caisse d’Epargne rider Davide Arroya at 51.00 (50/1) for an outside Each-Way bet with Bet365

Betting on one of the GC contenders we go for Carlos Sastre at 12.00 (11/1) with Expekt and Unibet

2009 Tour de France Stage 7 Winner Odds

Velotips – the best odds on two wheels…

Contador at 3.50 (5/2) with Betfred and PaddyPower

A. Schleck at 7.00 (6/1) with Sportingbet and Stan James

Sastre at 12.00 (11/1) with Expekt and Unibet

Evans at 13.0 (12/1) with Stan James

Armstrong at 15.00 (14/1) with PaddyPower and Sky Bet

Moncoutie at 19.00 (18/1) with Blue Square

F. Schleck at 19.00 (18/1) with Bet365

Pellizotti at 23.00 (22/1) with Stan James

Anton at 29.00 (28/1) with Blue Square

Kreuziger at 29.00 (28/1) with Bet365

Menchov at 34.00 (33/1) with Sportingbet and Blue Square

Astarloza at 40.00 (39/1) with Expekt and Unibet

Nibali at 41.00 (40/1) with Blue Square and PaddyPower and Sky Bet

L.L. Sanchez at 41.00 (40/1) with Bet365 and Betfred and PaddyPower

Martin at 41.00 (40/1) with Betfred and Sportingbet and PaddyPower

Leipheimer at 51.00 (50/1) with Sportingbet and PaddyPower

Kirchen at 51.00 (50/1) with Blue Square and

Gerdemann at 51.00 (50/1) with Blue Square and PaddyPower and Sky Bet

Arroyoa at 51.00 (50/1) with Bet365

Kloden at 67.00 (66/1) with PaddyPower

After two days of 50km chasing and working hard in the finale of Stage 3 it’s likely Columbia-HTC, at best odds of 5.50 (9/2) with Bet365 will be a team full of tired guys. Astana will be a tightly drilled team, just as all of Bruyneel’s teams have been, so expect them to come close and they are favourites at best odds of 1.76 (10/13) with Bet365 . We go for Garmin-Slipsteam at best odds of 4.75 (15/4) with Unibet who, on paper, have an incredible line-up of time-trialists and will be looking to get one over on rivals Columbia-HTC.

Velotips goes for Team Garmin-Slipstream at odds of 4.75 (15/4) with Unibet to win 2009 Tour de France Stage 4 Team Time Trial

Velotips – the best odds on two wheels…

2009 Tour de France – Stage 4 Betting Odds

Astana at 1.76 (10/13) with Bet365

Garmin – Slipstream at 4.75 (15/4) with Unibet

Team Columbia – HTC at 5.50 (9/2) with Bet365

Team Saxo Bank at 9.00 (8/1) with Unibet

Liquigas at 151.00 (150/1) with Bet365

Rabobank at 251.00 (250/1) with Bet365

Silence Lotto at 301.00 (300/1) with Bet365