Froome 15-8 for fifth Tour after losing early time

Stage two
Eurosport 1 & ITV4, 12.20pm Sunday

Tour de France favourite Chris Froome was eased from 13-8 to 15-8 after crashing on a dramatic first stage.

Fernando Gaviria made a winning Tour debut in a chaotic stage to Fontenay-le-Comte.

Gaviria, tipped at 11-4 by Racing Post Sport, took victory in a sprint finish but after a largely mundane day there was carnage in behind as a number of general classification contenders crashed and lost time.

Froome trailed in 51 seconds behind the winner alongside Richie Porte and Adam Yates after hitting the deck, while Nairo Quintana lost 1min 15secs after suffering a puncture with 3.5km to go.

Quintana’s Movistar teammate Mikel Landa, Tom Dumoulin and Vincenzo Nibali managed to avoid the trouble, finishing safely in the peloton to gain an early advantage.

Bookmakers pushed out Froome's price to win a fifth consecutive Tour and Nibali was perceived to the day’s biggest winner as he was cut from 14-1 to as short as 6-1 to win a second yellow jersey.

The general classification contenders will be hoping for a much calmer stage on Sunday with another flat day for the sprinters to target.

Gaviria looks sure to be in the mix again after showing why he is the speedster to beat at this year’s Tour.

However, a technical finish, which sees the peloton do a 100 degree turn before the road shoots up for a final kilometre at a three per cent gradient, could thwart his Quick-Step teammates’ chances of controlling affairs as they did so effectively on stage one.

The nature of the finish may not be entirely inconvenience the Colombian but he would be much more potent on a flatter finish while this is ideal terrain for world champion Peter Sagan.

Sagan showed his speed with a second-placed finish on stage one and is undoubtedly the man to beat on the uphill drag to the line.

Recommendation
P Sagan
2pts e-w 11-2 bet365

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