The culmination of the first week of racing occurs on Friday as Giro d’Italia reaches stage 7. The riders will be thankful that in the main there haven’t been too many crashes (Zakarin aside) or terrible weather. Stage 7 looks like a standard Grand Tour days racing too.
I’m gutted my stage pick Jasper Stuyven lost the sprint by half a wheel on stage 6. Grrr – but thats sport.
Giro d’Italia 2017 Stage 7 – Stage Profile
Stage 7 looks like another day for the sprinters to do their stuff.
The stage is 224kms in length taking the riders from Castrovillari to Alberobello.
The racing starts with 20kms of downhill and is followed by 110kms of flat roads.
At this point the riders face the only categorised climb of the day into Bosco Della Planelle (category 4). From here to the finish the roads are a little lumpy but there are no real challenges for the riders. The run in to Alberollo is fairly straightforward and we should be treated to another sprint finish to decide the days winner.
Giro d’Italia 2017 Stage 7 – Favourites
This is the last stage that the sprinters have a definite chance of winning until stages 12 and 13 deep into next week. There has been talk a break may go but I have a hard time believing this. The run in to Alberobello is perfect for the sprinters.
Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) has proven he can win at elite level with two impressive stage wins so far. He will be looking to make it a hat-trick on Friday and it is tough to look past him. He is looking awesome and his team excel in the final kms of a stage. Plus, Quick-Step Floors need to be near the front to protect their GC rider Bob Jungels. The odds aren’t brilliant but he looks the best bet at 3.0.
Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) took 4th on stage 5 but slowed when he saw he couldn’t catch Gaviria. He really should have made it into the top 3. Of course there is no value in the big three in the EW market – you can only really bet on them as win only. That means we can essentially pick one of the three each day we expect a bunch sprint. Gaviria has shown himself to be the better rider in the last two sprints so 3.50 for Greipel is too short.
Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) messed up another sprint on stage 5. This time his team was also at fault as they were unable to get him in position to go for the stage win. In the final km he was always playing catch-up with his rivals. I will pass on him until I see an improved team performance. Odds of 3.0 look too short.
Giro d’Italia 2017 Stage 7 – Outsiders
Sacha Modolo (UAE Team Emirates) went missing again on stage 5 finishing well within the peloton and not contesting the sprint. The bookies, like me don’t think Modolo improves on Friday. Odds of 26.0 confirm his outsider status.
Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) looks to be back to better health with an impressive third on stage 5. Bennett should be in the mix again on Friday and is 4th favourite at 8.0. The EW works here so he could be worth a bet.
Jakub Mareczko (Wilier Triestina–Selle Italia) finished stage 5 like a cannon ball. He grabbed 2nd place and the way he was going another 50 metres and he may have overhauled Gaviria too. The crazy result was a shock as he had yet to sniff the top 10 in a stage this year. He can be backed at 15.0 but its not one for me until we see some consistency in his results.
Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) is another rider who has mysteriously disappeared in the last couple of stages. On stage 5 he was near the back of the peloton. I’m not sure if he is suffering from illness or not but he should be closer to the front. He is unbackable right now and odds of 23.0 don’t tempt me.
Nizzolo’s team-mate Jasper Stuyven is unlikely to feature in the finale as he was in a long break on stage 6. Expecting him to challenge for the win on Friday after that level is exertion is very hopeful.
I’m not keen on anyone else for stage 7 success.
Giro d’Italia 2017 Stage 7 – Tips
Only one bet for me for stage 7.
Back Fernando Gaviria to win stage 7 with a 3.0/10 stake at 3.0 with Bet365.
Bet here:
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