Everyone’s talking about the “big four” ahead of this year's Tour de France and for good reason.
Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana, Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali are the favorites to ride into Paris with the yellow jersey. Froome, listed at 7-to-4, tops the oddsboard at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, with Quintana (9-to-4), Contador (7-to-2) and Nibali (5-to-1) not far behind and well ahead of the rest of the field.
Froome, the 2013 Tour de France winner, is coming off a victory at the Critérium du Dauphiné and was the favorite in last year’s Tour before he crashed out in stage 5. Head-to-head, Froome has beaten Contador once already this year at the Ruta del Sol and edged out Tejay van Garderen, listed at 30-to-1, at the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Quintana owns the next shortest odds at 9-to-4 despite being one of the youngest in the race at 25. He skipped last year’s Tour de France after a win at the 2014 Giro d’Italia, where he boasted his strong climbing skills. His climbing ability will come in handy during the seven mountain stages this year, as he hunts for his second King of the Mountains title and the yellow jersey.
Contador is on the hunt for the Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 1998. At 7-to-2, Contador is one of the most experienced riders in this year’s Tour, winning in 2007 and 2009, but struggled against Nibali during the flat stages in last year’s Tour before withdrawing after a crash. Earlier this year, Contador beat out rival Quintana in the four-day Route du Sud.
Nibali was a bit of a surprise winner in last year’s Tour after favorites Froome and Contador crashed out. Though he hasn’t raced in a major event this season, his sole focus has been defending his Tour de France title. However, he has the 2013 Giro d’Italia — where he beat out 2012 Tour winner Bradley Wiggins — and the 2010 Vuelta a España title to his name.
Outside of the “big four” favorites, van Garderen, an American, is listed at 30-to-1 and had a strong showing at the Critérium du Dauphiné. Alejandro Valverde, a 60-to-1 longshot, will be playing a support role for teammate Quintana.
Odds to win the 2015 Tour de France
CHRIS FROOME 7/4
NAIRO QUINTANA 9/4
ALBERTO CONTADOR 7/2
VINCENZO NIBALI 5/1
THIBAUT PINOT 25/1
JOAQUIM RODRIGUEZ 25/1
TEJAY VAN GARDEREN 30/1
ROMAIN BARDET 50/1
RAFAL MAJKA 60/1
ALEJANDRO VALVERDE 60/1
RICHIE PORTE 60/1
FABIO ARU 100/1
ANDREW TALANSKY 100/1
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE PERAUD 100/1
RIGOBERTO URAN 125/1
WILCO KELDERMAN 125/1
PIERRE ROLLAND 125/1
ROMAN KREUZIGER 150/1
FIELD (all others) 15/1
