Betting tips / Tour Connoisseur / 30 June 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

The Tour Connoisseur previews the prologue to the Tour De France, noting there could be a few surprises even this early in the race...

A short and sharp stage around the streets of Liege, suited to time trial specialists and the guys with some serious speed and power.

The profile reads as follows: 6.4km, flat, long straights and a few hairpin turns. In theory it should suit the likes of Wiggins, Cancellara and maybe even someone like Tony Martin.

But beware: in these types of stages you can always count on a couple of surprises

Bradley Wiggins
Has been super all year in the longer time trials and not bad in the shorter ones either. He was narrowly beaten in the opening time trial at the Dauphine over a similar distance and I think he will be out to rectify that here and will be very hard to beat.

Peter Sagan
Surprised a few by toppling Fabian Cancellara in the opening time trial at the recent Tour De Suisse. Has been in incredible form all season. He'll be ready to go for this.

Fabian Cancellara
After crashing out in the Classics in April, it's been a long road back for the Swiss ace. He returned to somewhere near his best in the opening time trial at the Tour De Suisse and will be looking to build on that. He is only going to get better.

Tony Martin
The current world champ in the ITT and boasts a stage win in the penultimate stage of last year's TDF. Has been pretty hot all year in the individual tests and if he comes ready to ride in this one I'm not sure if anyone can beat him.

Cadel Evans
You know just what you're going to get from him. The question is, whether he can produce something from the top shelf. History suggests he has performed will in Prologues, but has generally fallen short of winning the stage. He'll need something special to take it out but don't discount him.

Dave Zabriske
A previous winner of the prologue at Le Tour and although I don't think he'll be good enough to win here, you know what they say: once a time trialist always a time trialist. Took out the time trial at the Tour of California recently so you can be assured his form is very good.

The safest bets are Wiggins and Cancellara .

After that you can throw a blanket over Sagan, Evans and Martin.

My best outsider is Zabriske ,who may be worth a little something.