Giro D'Italia betting preview

We look ahead ahead to the season's first major stage race with Sky Bet. The action gets under way in Venice on Saturday.

Home favourite Basso installed as favourite

The centennial Giro D'Italia gets under way in Venice on Saturday and Sky Bet have installed seven-time Tour De France winner and Giro debutant, Lance Armstrong, at 8/11 to win any of the twenty individual stages (team time trial not included in this bet). This is Armstrong's first major Tour race since his return from retirement to promote his cancer charity. Having just recovered from a broken collarbone sustained in Spain, he is playing down his chances of overall victory (12/1) and insisting he is riding to help fellow American, Levi Leipheimer, to victory (Leipheimer 5/2). The race also sees the return of Italian cycling hero, Ivan Basso, winner in 2006, following his enforced absence from the sport, and he has been installed as 13/8 favourite with the Harrogate-based firm. Other Italians to note in the race are Cunego 10/1, Di Luca 16/1 and Simoni 25/1. The race sees nine British riders start, including Mark Cavendish who won two stages in last year's Giro, and Sky Bet quote 5/6 for the Manx Man to win over 2.5 stages (5/6 under). Cavendish is also quoted at 4/1 not to win a stage. Click for Sky Bet prices: Giro D'Italia To Win an Individual Stage
Note: Bet is void if rider does not start the race. Team-time trial does not count. Maximum 5-folds. Armstrong, L - Yes evens Armstrong, L - No 8/11
Basso, I - Yes 8/13 Basso, I - No 6/5
Leipheimer, L - Yes 5/4 Leipheimer, L - No 4/7
Cunego, D - Yes 4/5 Cunego, D - No 10/11
Di Luca, D - Yes 4/5 Di Luca, D - No 10/11
Garzelli, S - Yes 9/4 Garzelli, S - No 1/3
Menchov, D - Yes 11/4 Menchov, D - No 1/4
Pellizotti, F - Yes 10/3 Pellizotti, F - No 1/5
Sastre, C - Yes 9/2 Sastre, C - No 1/8
Simoni, G - Yes 5/2 Simoni, G - No 2/7
Voigt, J - Yes 11/4 Voigt, J - No 1/4
Boasson Hagen, E - Yes 11/4 Boasson Hagen, E - No 1/4
Gerrans, S - Yes 3/1 Gerrans, S - No 2/9
Scarponi, M - Yes 10/3 Scarponi, M - No 1/5
Bruseghin, M - Yes 3/1 Bruseghin, M - No 1/4
VandeVelde, C - Yes 3/1 VandeVelde, C - No 1/4
Rodriguez, J - Yes 7/4 Rodriguez, J - No 2/5
Lovkvist, T - Yes 5/1 Lovkvist, T - No 1/9
Cancellara, F - Yes 6/4 Cancellara, F - No 1/2
Petacchi, A - Yes 5/6 Petacchi, A - No 5/6
Farrar, T - Yes 15/8 Farrar, T - No 4/11 Mark Cavendish Cavendish to win the Points jersey 6/1
Cavendish to win over 2.5 individual stages 5/6
Cavendish to win under 2.5 individual stages 5/6
Cavendish not to win any individual stages 4/1
Cavendish to finish the Giro d'Italia 2/1 Lance Armstrong Armstrong to win an individual stage evens
Armstrong to finish on the final podium 5/2
Armstrong to finish in the Top 5 11/10
Armstrong to win the Mountains Jersey 33/1
Armstrong to win the Points Jersey 33/1 Giro d'Italia Outright
Each Way terms: 1/4 of odds for 1st 3 places Basso, I 13/8
Pellizotti, F 22/1
Lovkvist, T 66/1
Leipheimer, L 5/2
Simoni, G 25/1
Danielson, T 100/1
Menchov, D 8/1
Soler, JM 28/1
Van Goolen, J 125/1
Cunego, D 10/1
Garzelli, S 40/1
Seeldrayers, K 125/1
Armstrong, L 12/1
VandeVelde, C 50/1
Popovych, Y 125/1
Sastre, C 12/1
Rogers, M 50/1
Visconti, G 125/1
Di Luca, D 16/1
Brajokvic, J 66/1
Valjavec, T 125/1
Scarponi, M 18/1
Rodriguez, J 66/1
Cataldo, D 150/1
Bruseghin, M 22/1