The Tour de France is one of the most famous sporting events in the world. So, of course, there are betting odds on who will win the world’s most prestigious bike race.
Two Durangoans will battle the best cyclists on the planet for three weeks in France when the Tour kicks off in Lille, France, on July 5. Sepp Kuss will ride for Visma-Lease a Bike and Quinn Simmons will ride for Lidl-Trek.
Gambling odds are a great way to see the projected favorites to win the general classification and in specific categories like points classification, mountain classification, team classification and young rider classification. They’re also a great way to recognize how much of a long shot a certain rider is.
Kuss and Simmons aren’t favorites in any of these individual categories, but they can affect the race by helping their teammates who are higher up the odds lists and have a chance at stage wins, the general and other classifications.
So here’s a guide to betting on the Tour de France and how the Durango riders fit into the mix. All odds listed are from DraftKings Sportsbook.
The general classification is expected to be won by either Tadej Pogačar or Jonas Vingegaard.
Pogačar, riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, is the overall betting favorite at -250. This means if someone bet $10 on Pogačar to win, they would get back $13.44 if he won, which isn’t a great return since the bettor would lose the $10 if anyone else won.
The 26-year-old Slovenian won the Tour in 2020, 2021 and 2024, all while riding for UAE Team Emirates. He’s seen by some pundits as being unstoppable this year.
Vingegaard is his main challenger. Riding for Visma-Lease a Bike, Vingegaard’s odds to win are +250, which means a $10 bet on him would return $35 if he won.
Kuss’ teammate has two Tour titles coming in 2022 and 2023.
No other rider has odds better than +1000.
Kuss comes into the equation for Vingegaard’s chances. He’ll act as a domestique for Vingegaard and will protect him and his energy levels, especially in the mountain sections where Kuss thrives as a climber.
The two Durango riders are massive long shots for the general classification since they aren’t the leaders of their teams. Kuss is a +15000 long shot, meaning if someone bet $10 on Kuss and he miraculously won, then that bettor would get $1,510 back.
Simmons is an even bigger long shot at +250000, meaning if Simmons won and someone bet $10 on him, that bettor would get $25,010 back. He’s expected to ride a lot of kilometers for the team as Lidl-Trek’s puller to help the team leader Mattias Skjelmose and sprinter Jonathan Milan.
If someone wants to support Kuss, the best way to do that in the general classification odds is to bet on Vingegaard at +250 and hope Kuss and the loaded Visma-Lease a Bike team can push him to victory.
The points classification is based on points given to riders who finish high in stages and win intermediate sprints. It’s primarily known as a classification for sprinters.
There isn’t as clear a favorite for the green jersey. Milan, riding for Lidl-Trek, is the favorite at +250 and Jasper Phillipson, riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck, is second in the betting odds at +275 ($10 to return $37.50). Kuss’ teammate, Wout Van Aert, is third in the odds at +500 ($10 to return $60).
Simmons is listed as a long shot for the points classification at +40000 ($10 to return $4,010).
Local bettors wishing to support the Durango riders could have some fun with this one by betting on either Milan or Van Aert or both. Simmons will work to help Milan in the sprint stages while Kuss will do the same for Van Aert. If bettors wanted to bet on both, the return would decrease since only one of them can win, but it’s a way to hedge your bet and have some return.
Milan is the safer bet, but sprints can be chaotic and anything can happen, including crashes.
The mountain classification, or the King of the Mountain, is awarded to the best climber and points are awarded to climbers who reach the summit of designated climbs first.
Pogačar is the favorite at +100 ($10 to return $20) and Vingegaard is second at +600 ($10 to return $70). No one else has odds better than +1100.
Kuss is listed as a long shot at +10000 ($10 to return $1,010) and Simmons is at +12000 ($10 to return $1,210) .
Once again, the best way to support Kuss and have a chance of winning some cash is to bet on Vingegaard to upset Pogačar with Kuss’ help.
The team classification goes to the top team in the Tour, awarded based on the general classification times of a team’s top three riders in each stage.
Vingegaard and Kuss’ Visma-Lease a Bike is the favorite at +110 ($10 to return $21) while Pogačar’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG isn’t far behind at +130 ($10 to return $23).
Visma-Lease a Bike and UAE Team Emirates-XRG are seen as two of the deepest and most talented teams in recent years. Velo called it “the super-team slug-fest.”
Kuss could be the difference in this tight battle and may need to return to his 2023 form for his team to capture the team classification crown.
Simmons and Lidl-Trek are long shots at +70000 ($10 to return $7,010).
The young rider classification is awarded to the best rider in the general classification who is under 26.
Remco Evenepoel, 25, riding for Soudal Quick-Step, is the favorite at -155 ($10 to return $16.45) followed by Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe’s 24-year-old Florian Lipowitz at +250. INEOS Grenadiers’ 24-year-old Carlos Rodríguez is third in the odds at +800 ($10 to return $90).
Kuss is 30, so he’s ineligible for this classification. Simmons, 24, is eligible and is a long shot to wear the white jersey at +100000 ($10 to return $10,010).
Gamble responsibly if you are placing a wager or two. Enjoy the show as these riders battle for supremacy in this sporting showing of superhuman strength and endurance.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
