Tour of Basque Country cycling news, odds, preview and tips

Starts 2.10pm Monday
Eurosport 1, from 2.30pm Monday

Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas bids to get his 2019 campaign back on track in the Tour of the Basque Country this week after withdrawing from the Tirreno-Adriatico three weeks ago with a stomach problem.

There is clearly some confidence that he is back in shape as bet365 cut his price from 14-1 to 8-1 on Sunday, but fellow Briton Adam Yates is the general 3-1 favourite.

A true climbing test, the seven-stage race, also known as the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, has been won by top riders such as Nairo Quintana, Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde in recent years, with this year's Tirreno-Adriatico winner Primoz Roglic topping the general classification last year.

The last stage of the 2018 event was won by emerging Spanish rider Enric Mas of the Quick-Step team and he looks a value bet to at least make the podium this year.

Mas, listed as Enric Nicolau by some bookmakers, is set to be the team's GC contender while colleague Julian Alaphilippe aims for stage wins.

Dubbed the next Contador, Mas is considered a future Tour de France winner by some and he is priced between 22-1 and 40-1 for this year's big race.

He looks worth an interest at 12-1 to take his biggest victory so far in this event, having won a stage and finished second overall in the Vuelta a Espana last season.

Mas showed his wellbeing when finishing second on the final stage of the Volta a Catalunya, lifting him to a top-ten finish.

Alaphilippe is 3-1 favourite to win Monday's opening 11.2km time trial.

Recommendation
E Mas
1pt e-w 12-1 bet365, Betway

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport