Tour De France Stage 1 Predictions: Betting Tips & H2H (Florence - Rimini, 29.6.2024)
- Written by Simone Bettarini
The Tour de France is starting in Italy for the first time in its 121-year history. Stage 1 is a 206 kilometers run from Florence to Rimini, featuring no fewer than seven categorized climbs. Who will wear the first Yellow Jersey of the 2024 TDF? This post contains our Tour De France Stage 1 betting tips, odds, recommended bets on Winner, Top 3 & Head to Head, promotions & sign-up offers!
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TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE 1 BETTING PREVIEW
There's no warm-up for the riders this year. Stage 1 is a tough hilly run through the Apennines to Rimini on the Adriatic coast.
The distance alone is tough, with seven categorized climbs totaling 3,600 meters of elevation gain.
- Col de Valico Tre Faggi (930 m) | Category 2 | Race kilometer 49.7
- Côte des Forche | Category 3 | Race kilometer 77.8
- Côte de Carnaio | Category 3 | Race kilometer 98.3
- Côte de Barbotto (584 m) | Category 2 | Race kilometer 135.6
- Côte de San Leo (572 m) | Category 2 | Race kilometer 157.3
- Côte de Montemaggio | Category 3 | Race kilometer 167.1
- Côte de San Marino | Category 3 | Race kilometer 179.7
The first ascent is the toughest – the Col de Valico Tre Faggi (12.5km at 5.1%) and it would no surprise to saw some bold attacks right from the off. Then the riders will not see 10kms consecutive of flat until the very last part of the stage.
The succession of hills in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna are likely to be the setting for a testing confrontation between the contenders for the title, particularly the final climb into San Marino (7.1km at 4.8%),
From the top of the last climb, it's still about 30 KM to the finish, making a solo attack less appealing.
This makes this stage the most unpredictable of the Tour and is more than ever entirely dependent on how the riders decide to behave.
Stage 1 Favourites
Tadej Pogaçar will aim to become the first cyclist since Marco Pantani in 1998 to win the Giro-Tour double in the same season. The Slovenian is going to want to put a marker down early, and we expect him to attack since day 1 as it is the perfect opportunity to test out the legs and lungs of his big rivals.
There is the possibility of a full on GC battle, if Jonas Vingegaard is not 100% fit yet, team UAE would try to open a gap very early on in every opportunity in this first week.
Having only recently returned to the bike after a bad crash during April's Itzulia Basque Country, Saturday’s stage will be a massive early test of Vingegaard's readiness.
Primoz Roglic also went down in that crash in Spain but quickly recovered and won a stage at the Criterium du Dauphine earlier this month.
The fast descent into Rimini would suit the handling skills of Tom Pidcock if he is still in the mix while Soudal Quick-Step's Remco Evenepoel will have a defensive approach.
Beyond the 'big four', Santiago Buitrago and Simon Yates could have a chance to shine.
Should the GC contenders have a quiet day, anyway, the likes of Mathieu Van der Poel (who returns in action after two months of absence), Wout Van Aert and many of the heavier riders will not be dropped on the climbs if the tempo is not too high.
Dark Horses?
Other possible contenders are Alberto Bettiol - who will go all out in his Tuscany in the Italian tricolor to win this stage - and fast riders with climbing skills such as Mads Pedersen and Michael Matthews.
Movistar's Alex Aranburu (newly crowned Spanish champion), Lotto Dstny's Arnaud De Lie and Maxim Van Gils, Matej Mohoric from Bahrain Victorious, Israel-Premier Tech's duo Stephen Williams (La Flèche Wallonne winner) and Derek Gee (Dauphiné podium sitter) can't be completely ruled out.
TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE 1 PREDICTIONS
The section below contains our experts' betting tips on the Tour De France Stage 1 (Winner, Top 3 and Head To Head recommended bets).
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