2012 Olympics – Cycling Betting

Olympics

I’ve got to be honest and admit that I’m still carrying a little extra conditioning acquired over the winter. I have intentions to rectify matters in the weeks ahead having fitted my old mountain bike with a new saddle and adjusting the gears so I should now be able to pedal up the hill close to our home rather than get off and push, as was the case last summer. Of course, my inability to negotiate any significant gradient may be something to do with the fact that I’m totally unfit and it was with some envy that I was watching cycling’s World Track Championships last week.

With the Olympics being staged in London and this year and Team GB having a proud record in the cycling in recent Games, there is more pressure than normal on the country’s top cyclists to perform. But, based on what transpired in Melbourne and the form of Mark Cavendish on the road this year, we’re going to be hearing the strains of the UK national anthem on a regular basis at the velodrome in the Olympic Park.

Cavendish is 5/2 favourite with Skybet to win the Olympic Road Race and Sir Chris Hoy‘s dream of successful defending his three Olympic titles is still on track. The veteran Scot won the Keirin in Melbourne and is Evens to win the same event in London, though Skybet prefer France‘s Gregory Bauge in the betting for the men’s track sprint at 8/11. Bauge recently served a 12-month ban for missing dope tests but bounced back in fine style to beat Britain‘s Jason Kenny in the final in the world championship final in Australia, Kenny having earlier knocked out Hoy in the semi-finals.

Team GB will also be looking for gold from Victoria Pendleton, who won a sixth World Championship title in the women’s sprint in Melbourne, despite crashing in the first race of her semi-final against arch-rival Anna Meares. Skybet think the Australian may have her revenge in the Olympics, however, and have her as 13/8 favourite for the Keirin and 5/4 market leader for the track sprint with Pendleton 10/3 and 13/8 respectively in the two events. Great Britain’s women’s team is 4/9 to win the track pursuit, however.