While most of us are either eagerly anticipating the arrival of the new NFL season, basking in baseball’s long and arduous regular season, or both, another renowned sporting event is taking place across the Atlantic that we may not have been aware of yet: the 2017 Tour de France.
Not everybody on American soil may be in the know about the world’s biggest cycling race, but that’s what the experts from around the internet are here for: to give us sound analysis and predictions for us to place some stakes on this iconic race itself.
Let’s take a look below at several insights from these esteemed cycling experts. And for even more coverage on this year’s Tour de France, check out our complete preview as well right after this.
*Find the complete list of the 2017 Tour de France betting linesHERE!
Global Cycling Network
Expert
Winner
Daniel Lloyd
Chris Froome
Matt Stephens
Chris Froome
Simon Richardson
Nairo Quintana
Tom Last
Richie Porte
The rider who got the most votes among GCN’s experts is none other than Chris Froome. Daniel Lloyd and Matt Stephens are firm in their belief that Froome’s experience will be the main difference in this three-week race. The Brit has won the Tour de France in three of the last four years, including each of the last two editions. Froome builds his season around this iconic race and Lloyd and Stephens expect another solid Tour victory from this cycling great. The defending champion is the bookies’ favorite at +135.
Bicycling
Expert
Winner
Joe Lindsey
Chris Froome
Joe Lindsey has made his choice and it is Chris Froome who he thinks will win the Tour de France this year. Lindsey believes that it’s going to be a close battle between former teammates Froome and Richie Porte. He gives the slight edge, however, to the two-time defending champion because of his deeper team. Team Sky boasts one of the strongest squads in this year’s Tour, with Geraint Thomas, Mikel Landa, road captain Luke Rowe, Christian Knees, Vasil Kiryienka, Spanish climber Mikel Nieve, former world road race champion Michal Kwiatkowski and Colombian climber Sergio Henao supporting Froome’s bid for a fourth Tour de France title.
Bike Roar
Expert
Winner
Marcus Speed
Richie Porte
Bucking the Froome trend is BikeRoar‘s Marcus Speed, who sided with Richie Porte instead. Porte is in a rich vein of form, winning the Tour Down Under at the start of the season and besting Froome in a head-to-head confrontation in the Tour of Romandie. He came close to adding another victory at the Criterium du Dauphiné, finishing one second behind winner Jakob Fuglsang. With the way he’s cycling right now, it isn’t far-fetched to see Porte win his maiden Grand Tour. He is pegged at +170to win this year’s Tour de France.
