The Tour de France is over and I am exhausted. Doing video previews of each stage and betting every day for 3 weeks running certainly does take its toll.

As the riders sprinted down the Champs-Elysees on Sunday I was left to reflect on a very interesting race where my early betting form was poor, but where a great 3^rd week saw me finish comfortably in front of the bookmakers.

It was an interesting final week. In Thursday’s 18^th stage a breakaway made it clear, but I didn’t think it would stick. I bet against Richard Carapaz (favourite and part of the break) winning the stage, but it became clear that the breakaway would indeed fight out the finish. In the end there were 3 riders left on the final climb and when they crested it only 2, both Ineos riders, Carapaz and Kwiatkowski. I needed Kwiatkowski to beat Carapaz, but the big question was would they even race each other for the win or would the team themselves decide who would win the stage.

The tension was unbearable in the final 1000m with the pair who were well clear of the 3^rd place rider, chatting away as they casually rode to the finish. Eventually arm in arm they crossed the finishing line and as the commentators uttered the words “the result does not matter” I was staring at the screen relieved to see Kwiatkowski’s wheel cross marginally in front of his teammate’s. That was one of the strangest bets I have ever won.

It was a much needed momentum changer and I followed it up on the Friday with a 50/1 winner and then on Saturday I got the big bonus when my pre-tour pick, Tadej Pogacar, who I had backed at 14/1 rode the most incredible Time Trial to come from nearly a minute down against Roglic to beat him, comfortably in the end. It was perhaps the most stunning turnaround in Tour de France history as Roglic was a strong favourite for the stage and had shown virtually no sign of weakness over the 3 weeks.

I always feel a bit down after the Tour de France, but great news for cycling fans and punters is that the Giro gets going in 2 weeks and we have the Worlds this weekend. Time for a short rest then we hit the bookies hard.

Twitter: @BrentGraham.

This article was written for the CitiGaming supplement of the Citizen Newspaper and was published on the 24 September 2020.

Brent Graham is a blogger on www.goodforthegame.co.za and sends a free weekly e-mail list just CLICK HERE to register