Tour de France stage 16 predictions and cycling betting tips

Free cycling tips, best bets and analysis for stage 16 of the 2022 Tour de France

Where to watch

Eurosport 1 & ITV4, 11.40am Tuesday

Best bet

Neilson Powless to win stage 16
0.5pt each-way 30-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

Stage 16 preview

The heat is on as the Tour de France enters its final week and it's not just the mercury that's reaching boiling point.

Temperatures are forecast to hover above 30C for the duration of the third week as Jonas Vingegaard aims to hang on to his 2mins 22secs buffer over Tadej Pogacar.

Vingegaard's lead was earned on an enthralling stage 11 as his Jumbo-Visma team showcased their superior strength to that of Pogacar's UAE squad.

But Sunday's stage into Carcassonne was a bruising one for Jumbo, who lost Primoz Roglic and Steven Kruijswijk to injury - two riders who would have been key players for Vingegaard, who also came down, when the race reaches the Pyrenees in a couple of days.

So, in a sense, the roles have potentially been reversed and Jumbo will be only too aware of what Pogacar can do in the stage 20 time-trial given how he overturned a near one-minute deficit on Roglic in 2020 to win his first Tour.

The final week begins with a mid-mountain test where descending skills will be just as, if not more important, than climbing ones.

After cresting the final climb of the day, the first-category Mur de Peguere, it's downhill all the way for the last 27 kilometres to the finish in Foix.

It could turn into a GC battle if either Vingegaard or Pogacar sense any weakness in their rival after the rest day and of the two Pogacar is the better descender.

But if there is a decisive breakaway to go off the front then expect American Neilson Powless to be sniffing a first Grand Tour stage win.

Powless has been fourth on two stages so far, on the cobbles in stage five and behind Britain's Tom Pidcock up Alpe d'Huez last week.

A decent climber, he is also an expert descender and won the prestigious Clasica San Sebastian last year which featured a fast downhill finish.

He is clearly in good form and Powless's rivals could be powerless to stop him on stage 16.

Not got a bet365 account? Bet £10 & get £50 in free bets

Open account offer. Minimum deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as bet credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Minimum odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude bet credits stake. Time limits/T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org

CLAIM OFFER HERE

MORE FREE BETS

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport