Cycling : Volta a Catalunya

This is a one week race with some climbs and is used by Grand Tour contenders as training so very difficult to know who is racing and who is training. Short of crashing Valverde is probably a shoe in but at odds on I'm not interested. My pick for one of the remaining podium places

Top 3 Aru @ 7/1

Stage 1
Flat stage for the couple of sprinters in the race
Bennett ( Sam ) @ 7/1

For once Sky are not the strong team in the field for this one.Movistar will be tough to stop with Valverde, Quintana and Soler. Mitchelton-Scott have the Yates brothers and Chaves whilst UAE have Martin and Aru.

The big factor about this week long stage race is that there is no Time Trial. As such the likes of Aru, Pinot, Martin and Quintana will be loving it.

As Vann says the problem lies with who is using it merely as a tune up and who are ready to go full gas for the title.

A lively Top 3 outsider seems the best way to go.

Esteban Chaves @ 9/1 (I know the Yates twins should be the favourites but perhaps Chaves gets a good result on Stage 3 and becomes their main player)

So Bora bugger up yesterday's sprint and Bennett finishes with his lead out man
Unable to find exact details of last couple of km's on today stage but as Valverde is favourite it must also suit Dan Martin so a beer on the match bet double
Valverde over Pantano
into
Martin over Prades @ 22/10

With today's ( Stage 3 ) final climb cancelled due to weather my Aru top 3 is history. Not sure Impey and McCarthy can finish in peleton tomorrow if the climbers really go for it so a left field pick

Top 3 Jungels @ 22/1

Stage 4
Yates S over Bernal
into
Pinot over Woods
@ 17/10

Stage 5
Stage finishes with 12km downhill. If he can stay up the hill ( unlikely ) he can certainly descend

TJ @ 150/1

Steve Cummings might be a outside bet to win stage 5 today.
Going to take a chance at 16/1

Stage 6
Weather is reported to be crap so not sure the break will be chased down - but just in case it is

Ferrari @ 22/1

The Vann wrote: Stage 6
Weather is reported to be crap so not sure the break will be chased down - but just in case it is

Ferrari @ 22/1

First two climbs taken out and stage shortened for the day. Bunch sprint now more likely so adding

Bennett @ 6/1