Tour de France Stage 16 Odds and Betting Preview

BAGNÈRES-DE-LUCHON, FRANCE - Alberto Contador was the big winner of Stage 15, taking advantage of an Andy Schleck chain derailment to help himself to an eight second lead in the general classification. The Spaniard now looks a certainty to win his third Tour de France, but he will still have to negotiate the dreaded Col du Tourmalet twice in the space of three days if he is to hang onto the yellow jersey until the streets of Paris.

As initially thought, Stage 15 was decided by a breakaway, but several punters will be annoyed at having backed Frenchmen Christophe Moreau and Sylvain Chavanel to win the stage rather than national champion Thomas Voeckler.

The Stage 16 favourite is Damiano Cunego, but at odds of 16/1 with Blue Square, it really does reflect just how wide-open the stage is as a betting heat.

Cunego won the Giro d`Italia in 2004 and then took the white jersey in the Tour the following year, although he is still seeking his first stage victory in the Tour de France. `The Little Prince` certainly has the climbing ability to land the spoils in Pau, and his mettle will be tested by two first category climbs and then two hors-category climbs - one of which being the 2,115 metre-high Col du Tourmalet.

For the third stage in the Pyrenees, Alberto Contador features high up in the stage betting, this time at 22/1 with Bet 365. However going for a stage win would be an unnecessary gamble, as all he has to do now is to keep Schleck in check. It is up to Andy to fight back for his advantage, who can be backed at 22/1 with Paddy Power to win Stage 16.

There may be a 30km descent after the hors-category Col d`Aubisque, but punters will need to back an accomplished climber to actually get to the top in contention. Other grimpeurs near the top of the market are Luis León Sánchez and Samuel Sánchez who are both available to back at 20/1. The latter finished eighth in Stage 15 and may be chasing a stage win to save his ailing Team Euskaltel-Euskadi.

Sylvain Chavanel is an interesting punt at 25/1 with Ladbrokes, but Tour legend Lance Armstrong makes plenty of appeal at 22/1 with Blue Square. Armstrong has been taking things easy recently, and has hinted at one final dash for glory in his last Tour de France.

Another in with a shout is Ag2r-La Mondiale`s John Gadret, who is at 35/1 on Betfair. Fellow Frenchman Sandy Casar is at 33/1, and one being backed at big odds is Egoi Martínez, who is a stand-out 66/1 with William Hill to win in Pau.

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