The world of road cycling is something that has seen its reputation taken a bit of a hammering over recent years, but it has enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance over the past seven years with the cleaning up of the sport with the help of Team Sky. 22BET’s offer of the day provides you with the best offers on sport every day, dependent on sporting season.
Tour de France
The days of Lance Armstrong and drugs cheats plaguing the sport seem to be in the rear mirror and this year’s Tour de France hit all the right notes in enticing a new audience to the sport. However, there is far more to the world of road racing that just the Tour de France.
Of course, the event in France is the most celebrated in the world and has the ability to change a career forever. Bradley Wiggins won the tour in 2012 before winning Olympic gold in the same year and then was awarded a knighthood before the end of the year. There has been a British dominance in the French event over the past eight years, with six British wins during that time. But, which other races should cycling fans be tuning into?
Milan-San Remo
The unpredictable elements that come with the weather in March make this event a must-watch. It remains the longest one-day evening in cycling and offers an early test of endurance at an early stage of the season for the professionals. The race is often called the ‘Sprinter’s Classic’ due to the fast charge for the line in the closing stages. However, the winner of the race is normally the quickest rider, but instead, the one that has made the fewest mistakes throughout the enduring day.
Paris-Roubaix
This race is one of the most grueling in terms of the effect on the rider’s body through the terrain as well as the 150 miles covered. The race takes place from the Compiegne to the Velodrome in Roubaix. The interesting element in the race is that the event takes place over 30 cobbled sectors and is easily deserving of its tag as the ‘Hell of the North’. It is simply one of the most grueling single-day professional races in the world.
Giro d’Italia
This 21-day race, which spans over 2,200 miles is the perfect start to start the grand tour season. The ‘La Corsa Rosa’ is one of the most prestigious races in the world and the climbs through the Alps and the Dolomites dominate the race. There are also dirt roads and various mountain top finishes throughout, which highlights its uniqueness to the cycling world. There is no easing into the race as the very first stages include bone tingling climbs which offer early opportunities for heroic performances.