The eyes of the cycling world will be on Nice on Saturday, August 29, as the prestigious Tour De France gets underway.
The 107th edition of the event will cover a total of 3,470 kilometres and features eight mountain stages with four summit finishes, nine flat stages, three hilly stages and a time trial.
Read on as we take a closer look at the 2020 Tour De France and predict who we think will emerge victorious in Paris on September 20.
Roglic Remains Optimistic Despite Recent Crash
Primoz Roglic is the 6/4 favourite in the latest betting odds to win the Tour De France, with reigning champion Egan Bernal next in the market at 9/4.
Roglic crashed at last week’s Criterium du Dauphine and he faces a race against time to recover from the injuries he sustained.
The Jumbo-Visma rider posted a positive update on his official Instagram page on Thursday, although his left elbow was still heavily strapped.
Roglic and his teammates have remained in the French Alps, thus suggesting that he fully intends to line-up in Nice when the Tour starts.
Bernal Out to Prove 2019 Win was no Fluke
The decision by Team Ineos to leave both Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome out of their Tour squad caused shockwaves around the cycling world.
The British team is backing Egan Bernal in this year’s event, after the Colombian became the youngest winner of the yellow jersey last season.
The 23-year-old will be supported by Richard Carapaz and Pavel Sivakov in his bid to defend a title many pundits thought he was fortunate to win in 2019.
Thomas and Froome will target the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana respectively, leaving Bernal to try and prove that last year’s success was not a fluke.
French Stars Hoping to End Tour Drought
Thibaut Pinot is France’s best hope of ending a barren run in the Tour that stretches all the way back to Bernard Hinault’s success in 1985.
The highest placed Frenchman in recent years was Romain Bardet in 2016, but Pinot could improve on that if he produces his best form.
He finished second in the Criterium du Dauphine, although his admission after the race that he ‘didn’t have the legs’ to push for first place is a cause for concern.
Julian Alaphilippe will fancy his chances of success after leading the race for 14 stages last year, although Bradley Wiggins wrote off his chances in a recent podcast.
Out-of-Form Cavendish Misses Out
Mark Cavendish’s confession that his form wasn’t good enough for him to be selected for the race came as no surprise after a disappointing season.
The 35-year-old has missed significant portions of the current campaign, resulting in Bahrain McLaren throwing their weight behind GC leader Mikel Landa for the tour.
Cavendish’s contract is up at the end of the season and it remains to be seen whether he will still be around for one last Tour attempt in 2021.
Landa finished down in 18th place at the Criterium du Dauphine, but the course set-up for the Tour should play to his strengths a little more.
Tour de France Route
| Stage | Date | Start | Finish | Distance | Terrain |
| 1 | Aug-29 | Nice Moyen Pays | Nice | 156km | Flat |
| 2 | Aug-30 | Nice Haut Pays | Nice | 187km | Mountain |
| 3 | Aug-31 | Nice | Sisteron | 198km | Flat |
| 4 | Sep-01 | Sisteron | Orcieres-Merlette | 157km | Hilly |
| 5 | Sep-02 | Gap | Privas | 183km | Flat |
| 6 | Sep-03 | Le Teil | Mount Aigoual | 191km | Hilly |
| 7 | Sep-04 | Millau | Lavaur | 168km | Hilly |
| 8 | Sep-05 | Cazeres-sur-Garonne | Loudenvielle | 140km | Mountain |
| 9 | Sep-06 | Pau | Laruns | 154km | Mountain |
| Sep-07 | Charente-Maritimes | Rest Day | |||
| 10 | Sep-08 | The Chateau d’Oleron | Saint-Martin-de-Re | 170km | Flat |
| 11 | Sep-09 | Chatelaillon-Plage | Poitiers | 167km | Flat |
| 12 | Sep-10 | Chauvigny | Sarran Correze | 218km | Hilly |
| 13 | Sep-11 | Chatel-Guyon | Puy Mary Cantal | 191km | Mountain |
| 14 | Sep-12 | Clermont-Ferrand | Lyon | 197km | Flat |
| 15 | Sep-13 | Lyon | Grand Colombier | 175km | Mountain |
| Sep-14 | Isere | Rest Day | |||
| 16 | Sep-15 | La Tour-du-Pin | Villard-de-Lans | 164km | Mountain |
| 17 | Sep-16 | Grenoble | Col de la Loze | 168km | Mountain |
| 18 | Sep-17 | Meribel | La-Roche-sur-Foron | 168km | Mountain |
| 19 | Sep-18 | Bourg-en-Bresse | Champagnole | 160km | Flat |
| 20 | Sep-19 | Lure | Planche de Belles Filles | 36km | Time trial |
| 21 | Sep-20 | Mantes-la-Jolie | Paris (Champs-Elysees) | 122km | Flat |
Tour de France Prediction
Backing a 6/4 shot in an event as gruelling as the Tour De France is a risky move, but Roglic is undoubtedly a worthy favourite for the big race.
He has been in excellent form over the past year and was unfortunate not to claim victory at the Criterium du Dauphine.
However, Pinot appeals as better value bet at odds of 8/5 to finish on the podium and gain redemption for being forced out of last year’s race when still in contention for victory.
