Vuelta Leader Evenepoel Has Bookmakers Running Scared
As the Vuelta a España 2022 enjoys its first rest day, bookmakers have scrambled to adjust their markets on the outright winner of cycling’s third and final grand tour of the season. Pre-event favorite, Primoz Roglic has not had the start he would have wanted. And a blitzkrieg performance by Remco Evenepoel in Sunday’s mountainous stage-nine sees the three-time Vuelta winner now trading at 8/1.
Race leader Remco Evenepoel and points leader Mads Pedersen at the start of Sunday’s Vuelta a España stage nine. ©GettyImages
On Day six of the Vuelta, Evenepoel became the sixth wearer of the leader’s Red Jersey. He earned the accolade when finishing second on the rocky stage. The result gave him a 21-second buffer over the second-placed Rudy Molard, 28 seconds over Enric Mas and a one-minute one-second advantage over Primoz Roglic in the General Classification.
Evenepoel Climbs Clear of His Rivals
But 22-year-old Remco Evenepoel – contesting only his second grand tour – broke the hearts of those with aspirations of outright Vuleta victory on Sunday. The Belgian pulled away during the final three kilometers of a long climb that featured a 12.5 percent average gradient to take an additional 34 seconds from Enric Mas and 52 seconds from Roglic.
This trio now sits at the top of the General Classification with Evenepol’s advantage being one minute and 12 seconds ahead of Mas. Roglic is an additional 41 seconds adrift. Spaniards Carlos Rodríguez and Juan Ayuso are the only other riders within three minutes of the race leader.
Evenepoel is now priced at 2/5 to take the race with the UK’s best cycling betting sites. He is also 2/7 to claim the White Jersey – the prize given to the winner of the ‘Young Rider’ classification. Rodríguez is 6/1 in this market.
Emirates Are Playing the Team Game
Heading into Tuesday’s 31-kilometer time trial, almost every market has an odds-on favorite. As predicted by BestBettingSites.com, Sam Bennet has been on fire in sprints winning two stages. But it is Mads Pedersen that currently wears the Green Jersey. It is awarded to the leader of the Points Classification, and the Danish rider is 4/7 with bet365 to own it at the conclusion of the Vuelta.
The Paddy Power online sportsbook has another double-stage winner, Jay Vine, priced at 2/5 to win the King of the Mountains award. It means only the Team Classification has a favorite trading at odds-against. Even this is marginal. Ineos Grenadiers are 11/10, UAE Team Emirates can be backed at 15/8.
This award is decided by adding each team’s three best individual times in all of the completed stages. At 101 hours, 27 minutes and 48 seconds, UAE Team Emirates are leading their rivals by a minute and 44 seconds at this juncture.
Backing Evenepoel to Lay Is the Play
There would appear to be very little value in the current Vuelta betting markets, but William Hill’s online sportsbook does appear to have made a big mistake in its 2023 Tour de France betting.
As the young Remco Evenepoel appears to have the Vuelta at his mercy – and could go on to dominate the sport for years to come – rival bookmakers offer just 3/1 about the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team leader taking the French showpiece next summer. We found in the review of William Hill that they see things differently; the company is offering a standout 8/1.
Betting on an event so far into the future does see your money tied up for some considerable time. But there is the prospect of taking a quick profit by laying off part of an Evenepoel / Tour de France investment on the Betfair betting exchange. Its market generally resembles that found at bet365 during the off season, and that company is amongst those offering just 3/1 about the rider winning in Paris.
