Tour de France stage 18 predictions and cycling betting tips

Where to watch stage 18 of the Tour de France

Eurosport 1 from 10.30am, ITV4 from 2pm Thursday

Best bet

Ben Healy to win stage 18
1pt each-way 22-1 bet365

Tour de France stage 18 predictions

A brilliant ride from Richard Carapaz saw him complete a set of Grand Tour victories by winning stage 17 of the Tour de France.

The 31-year-old had won stages at the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana, as well as Olympic road race gold in Tokyo, and completed the set with a brilliant solo triumph to become the first Ecuadorian to take a stage at the Tour.

There was also drama behind as yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar increased his lead over Jonas Vingegaard by two seconds, although Remco Evenepoel was the fastest of the top three.

Stage 18 has sharp edges everywhere as the peloton tackles five category three climbs among several other bumps on a 179.5km route from Gap to Barcelonette.

Carapaz's win will give others confidence and this looks like another chance for the breakaway specialists to go on the attack and nullify any slim hopes of a sprint.

Britain's Stevie Williams is a rider to watch after he finished 12th on Wednesday, but Carapaz's EF Education-Easypost teammate Ben Healy looks the best bet for the stage victory.

The Irishman and another colleague Neilson Powless were way down on stage 17, and understandably so if Carapaz was the team's appointed rider for the day.

It would be no surprise to see either in the break, and Healy's form in this Tour suggests a win is close.

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