Giro d’Italia Stage 8 Odds, Picks, and Greatest Bets

Belgium’s Thomas de Gendt rides in the course of the eighth stage of the Tour de France biking race over 200 kilometers (125 miles) with begin in Macon and end in Saint Etienne, France, Saturday, July 13, 2019. (AP Photograph/Christophe Ena)

• Saturday’s Stage 8 of the Giro d’Italia (Might 15) is ripe for an opportunistic attacker
• Whereas Stage 8 has lots of climbing, it isn’t significantly tough terrain
• Can we discover a longshot with worth because the Giro reaches Guardia Sanframondi?

In a shocker to no one, Friday’s dash end in State 7 was gained by Caleb Ewan. He beat predictable challengers Davide Cimolai and Tim Merlier. On Saturday, the sprinters shouldn’t be an element when riders navigate 170 kilometres, together with 3,400 vertical metres between Foggia and Guardia Sanframondi

Although GC riders can definitely be within the combine when racing begins Saturday (6:40 am ET), and climbers ought to do properly, with only one Class 2 climb two-thirds by the course, and a Cat 4 on the finish, there is a chance for attackers to breakaway and conceal.

There isn’t any actual Stage 8 favourite, which makes it a enjoyable day to handicap and wager on. Let’s take a look at a number of affordable choices together with a pair worth performs.

Stage 8 Giro d’Italia Odds

Odds as of Might 14th.

There aren’t any simple days on Grand Excursions, significantly within the mountains. That mentioned, Saturday doesn’t function any overly testing durations of racing. There may be in all probability an excessive amount of climbing for sprinters, and never sufficient tough climbing for GC riders to go, since gaining a big benefits may be very unlikely. That makes it huge open, and also you marvel who’s feeling good and opportunistic.

Ewan timed his run completely and gained Stage 7 somewhat simply. His fifth stage win on the Giro and second this 12 months got here after Fernando Gaviria made an early transfer and tried to steal the dash. Ewan jumped on his wheel and launched off it for the victory.

Friday produced no motion within the GC standings. Atilla Valter holds an 11-second lead over Remco Evenepoel with Egan Bernal 16 ticks behind Valter. Aleksandr Vlasov is in fourth place, 24 seconds behind the chief, and Louis Vervaeke is a second behind Vlasov in fifth place.

High Contenders

That is simply the third Grand Tour for Ruben Guerreiro. The 26-year previous competed in his first Giro final 12 months and gained the Mountains Classification.

Guerreiro gained Stage 9 in Roccaraso final 12 months. This stage resembles that one a tad.

Tuscan native Alberto Bettiol is racing in simply his second Giro, and first since 2016. He has participated in three current editions of the Tour de France.

He gained the Tour of Flanders in 2019, and has a flexible model that may very well be a giant profit on Saturday.

Diego Ulissi has gained eight phases of the Giro together with two final 12 months.

Ulissi had a very sturdy 2020, profitable the Tour de Luxembourg, and ending second within the Tour Down Underneath, and 2nd Gran Piemonte. He acquired on the rostrum on the Giro dell’Emilia too.

Longshots

You don’t often get a sq. worth on high GC contenders. The percentages are tempting in Stage 8 on Bernal and Evenepoel as a result of on paper this doesn’t appear to be a day for both to attempt to make an enormous transfer. That mentioned, if high riders are feeling sturdy, or sense weak spot, or simply need to flex muscle tissues, you by no means know once they may assault.

With regards to riders who choose their spots, Thomas De Gendt is among the many finest. He has gained phases on every Grand Tour and Friday’s route looks like one he may attempt to steal.

Final 12 months De Gendt gained the Combativity Classification on the Giro d’Italia.

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