 Ok, so here's my second betting article.
It seems like the true gambler amongst us is schleck93, who put all his earnings into an outside favourite, Oscar Freire, for the Milan San Remo, and it worked. A massive lead now and I think we all know who’ll be winning come the end of the season.
Still, a bit of a learning curve for me and odds, and a bit of a learning curve for you all as you should all take a bit of risk and do as schleck93 did!
Next race up starts tomorrow with a short prologue.
The Volta Ciclista a Catalunya.
Odds for the favourites stay open until the 2nd stage (or the 1st stage if you count the prologue as a stage 0).
This years Volta Ciclista a Catalunya is one hilly race. Well, it usually is, but nothing has changed for this season either.
AG2r
Well, the French teams really are taking the fight to the Spaniards and Italians this season, as AG2r are example to. Valjavec, Efimkins and Roche lead the assault, with strong back up from Dessel. Look to Roche for even more early-season antics before he takes on the Ardenne Classics, has a rest, and then hits the Tour head on.
Astana
Are pinning their hopes on Pereiro, a rather risky move, but maybe it’ll give a few chances to guys like Dyachenko and Hernandez to shine through.
Caisse d’Epargne
The Spaniards are showing up fronted by Luis Leon Sanchez, who we’ve all seen in some good form. Backed up by a strong force of climbers. Arroyo, Perez, Gutierrez, Losado and Pasamontes. Strong favourites indeed.
Euskaltel-Euskadi
Touted as the next best Spanish Grand Tour rider since, well, since Contador I guess, Igor Anton has continually failed to live up to the hype of the Spanish media. Surely, by now, we all realise he’s never going to be a GT winner. However, that’s not to say he can’t climb. And this, being a climber’s race, might well just suit him.
Footon-Servetto
The surprise underdogs for every single race they’ve entered so far this season, which is a lot as they’re Pro Tour. They’ve taken a lot of victories already, surprising even the most cynical of forum critics. Manuel Cardoso, the Portuguese Champion, might still be in the form that saw him beat Valverde Down Under, so keep an eye out for him.
Francaise des Jeux
Another French team, but sadly with a weaker line up. Casar leads, or is that Christophe Le Mevel? And both have di Gregorio as a helping hand when the road kicks up. I’d reckon Le Mevel is on for a good chance of a top 10 GC going on his Paris-Nice performance, but to win would take something special.
Garmin – Transitions
A strong line up from the Americans, with Hesjedal, Vandevelde, Zabriskie all possible candidates for a GC ride. Yet more climbing talent from Peterson, and Stetina, and TT legs fro Meier.
Lampre – Farnese Vini
So somewhere along the line we had to have a weak team, and Lampre don’t fail to provide it. Marzano might be their GC man, or Mori, or they could just be here for a pleasant pedal around some of Spain.
Liquigas – Doimo
Ivan Basso, Roman Kreuziger, Szmyd, Kiserlowski, Bellotti, Koren, Guarnieri and Vandborg. Wow, strong squad for sure. I’d be putting my neck out a bit and saying that Basso is here to start his pre-Giro training, and will be looking out for Kreuziger, but, you can never be sure. Either way, both leaders can potentially win here.
Omega Pharma-Lotto
A suitable bunch of Belgians, an Aussie and a Brit all support their Spaniard, Daniel Moreno. I think Moreno isn’t far off the top, and a top 10 GC certainly is within his grasp. It should be if he’s trying to be leader for the Tour anyway!
Quick Step
Mountains have never been Quick Step’s strong point, but with Samouilau, and Cataldo, they might show a bit of a prescence in the race. I’d expect them to look after Stauff for the first road stage more, to try and sneak a win in, and then focus on the breaks, but hey ho, it is bike racing, you can never tell what will happen!
Rabobank
Denis Menchov is here flexing his muscles, like Basso I suspect, and with strong rider behind him, he could do some damage. That is, if he avoids crashing on a descent… or on the flat… or, as we’ve seen in the Tour, on an uphill.
Ardila, Ten Dam (really, is he back already?! Kudos if he is!), Garate and Weening are all able domestiques too.
Sky Professional Cycling Team
Sky bring a bit of everything. Augustyn, Cioni, Froome and Pauwels for the climbs, Cummings for the time trial, and Vigano for the sprint. Not the strongest squad, but it is Sky.
Edit: A late realisation that Wiggins may well be coming here too. So another GC rider does decide to turn up!
Team HTC-Columbia
HTC bring Tony Martin as their GC man, and Mark Cavendish for the sprints. It seems a bit random for Mark to be here, as there seem to be more climbs than flat roads, but I guess he’s just continuing to get into shape.
Team Katusha
Katusha bring a duel shotgun, with Vladimir Karpets and Joaquin Rodriguez. I’d suspect Rodriguez to be doing better than Karpets, but you can’t put the big Russian down. Also present are Horrach, who’s been going very well so far this season, and Pavel Brutt, also here getting some valuable training in to support Rodriguez/Ivanov at the Ardennes.
Team Milram
Errr, Luke Roberts and … erm… well.
Team Radioshack
Radioshack are in force here. Levi Leipheimer is backed up by Kloden, Zubeldia and Brajkovic. I presume Levi is the leader, but a little slip by him on any day and Kloden or Zubeldia have shown many many times in the past they can easily take the lead themselves. In fact, if Kloden wasn’t near the top 10 anyway, I’d be surprised.
Team Saxo Bank
Schlecks! Both of them! And then the peloton’s favourite, Jens Voigt. Who’ll be leading is a mighty good question, but I suspect the two Schleck’s might be trying to test their form ahead of next month’s games. Suitable back up here from both C.A and N Sorensen. The Haedo brothers are also here for the sprints.
Andalucia-Cajasur
I’d love to lie right about now, and say I recognise any of the names, but, I just don’t. Oh, wait. Jose Angel Gomez (Marchante?) is here, with I guess a full team backing him.
Cervelo TestTeam
Carlos Sastre is starting here, and we could be in for a good show, but he fails to spark my enthusiasm. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him in any good form right about now. Also here are Deignan, Tondo and Cuesta, the oldest man in the team, and probably the race!
Cofidis
Cofidis bring Dumoulin, who has been in excellent form so far this season, and Moinard, who could well go for a KoM prize. Rein Taaramae is also lurking about, waiting for another chance to podium on one of these shorter tours, before the media claim him to be the next GT winner to dethrone Alberto.
Xacebeo Galicia
Eze. Mosquera has managed to get in the car to travel to another bit of Spain to race, but, having never seen him race other than in the Vuelta, I have no idea of how he goes early season. He’s Spanish, we’re in Spain, that must mean something… right?
There’s my little run down on the startlist I found, feel free to comment, or completely ignore everything I’ve written.
Good luck on the betting!
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