Giro d'Italia prediction, betting preview, free tips & TV

Free cycling tips, best bets and analysis for the Giro d'Italia

Where to watch

Eurosport, 12.15pm, Saturday

Best bets

Geraint Thomas to win Giro d'Italia
1pt 11-10 general

Simon Yates to win Mountains classification
1pt 9-2 Betway

Arnaud Demare to win Points Classification
1pt 3-1 general

Aleksandr Vlasov to win Young Rider Classification
1pt 8-11 general

Preview

The Giro d'Italia starts on Saturday, almost five months after its intended date but it has attracted a stellar field with Geraint Thomas the headline act.

The 2018 Tour de France winner missed this year's event due to poor form but he bounced back to take second at Tirreno-Adriatico. Thomas looks the man to beat after finishing fourth at last week's world time-trial championships.

The course also suits Steven Kruijswijk, who has recovered from his pre-Tour crash. The Dutchman has seven previous Grand Tour top-ten finishes, including crashing while wearing the maglia rosa in 2016.

In contrast, the inclusion of three time-trials could hurt Tirreno-Adriatico winner Simon Yates and his weakness against the clock means he will need to take time elsewhere.

Yates is a worthy favourite to win the mountains classification but will come under pressure from last year's blue jersey winner Giulio Ciccone and Pello Bilbao.

Peter Sagan is fancied for the points crown but with six flat stages, don't rule out Arnaud Demare, whose Groupama–FDJ team may well have had this route in mind when omitting him from their Tour line-up.

In the young rider category, Grand Tour debutant Joao Alemeida's form since the restart marks him out as a contender but Astana's strong selection means Aleksandr Vlasov will take some beating.

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