Most riders have to wait a good few days to test their
climbing legs in a stage race but today’s opening stage of the Criterium Du
Dauphine features two category 1 and a category two climb in the opening stage,
with the Cote De Morgins being the first real racing any of the riders will
undertake, before a loop back into France, and then the Col Du Corbier and Pas
De Morgins. There’s plenty of time – around 30KM - for those who suffer to come
back onto the main bunch, but the Pas De Morgins is not an easy affair and
while the Cote De Cahmpery is only a drag uphill, the pace it will be ridden at
after such a day will see only the very strongest of riders contend for the
win. Understandably, Aljeandro Valverde, who has been in mostly fine form this
season through the classics and has the pace to win a race that resembles Liege
Bastone Liege, in which he was third, is a worthy favourite, but better value
comes from the pair of Evald Bosson Hagen and Thor Hushovd.
Both have had to take a backseat of sorts to Sagan and
Cancellara in the major classics this season, and Hushovd’s form is a shadow of
the once world champion, but his solid results in the Tour of California (where
he was 4th in the points classifications) with four top 10 finishes,
give encouragement that he can be something close to his best and with this
week’s team at his disposal, it will be interesting to see what he’s capable
of; 25/1 seems generous.
Edvald Bosson Hagen may be held to work for Richie Porte and
Chris Froome, but if not, his superb form at the Tour of Norway, where he never
finished any lower than fourth and took both the points and general classifications,
suggests he should be challenging for favouritism here and he’s worth an
each/way bet at 8/1.
1 pt each/way Edvald Bosson Hagen (8/1 general)
1 pt each/way Thor Hushovd (25/1 Stan James)
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