- Mathieu van der Poel (+275) is favored in the men’s road race cycling competition
- Tadej Pogacar (+550) will likely enter the Paris Olympics as a three-time Tour de France winner
- Ninety riders will compete on a 169-mile course at Trocadero in France on August 3, 2024
Road cycling is one of the original Olympic events, dating back to 1896. Held over 169 miles, the men’s road race starts at the Trocadero and travels through iconic Parisian sights such as the Louvre and the Eiffel Tour.
Who will top the podium in Paris this summer? Before examining the odds, check out our tips for Betting on the 2024 Paris Olympics and get all our Olympic Betting Picks.
Men’s Road Race Winner
| Cyclist |  |
 |
 |
| Mathieu van der Poel (NED) | +275 | +275 | +275 |
| Tadej Pogacar (SVN) | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Mads Pedersen (DEN) | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Wout van Aert (BEL) | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Remco Evenepoel (BEL) | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Christophe Laporte (FRA) | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Biniam Girmay (ERI) | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Jhonatan Narvaez (ECU) | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Alberto Bettiol (ITA) | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
| Ben Healy (IRL) | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
| Matteo Jorgenson (USA) | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Michael Matthews (AUS) | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Brandon McNulty (USA) | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Laurence Pithie (NZL) | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
Gold Medal favorites
The Olympic road race limits teams to a maximum of four riders, instead of the usual six or seven. Smaller teams should favor cyclists like reigning world champion Mathieu van der Poel (+275), who specializes in ‘one day classics’. The Dutch rider has three Tour of Flanders triumphs and victories at both the 2023 and 2024 Paris-Roubaix. No one has won more gold medals (10) than the Netherlands in road cycling.
Wout van Aert (+750) of Belgium is also among the favorites, but he may not be in peak condition after suffering a bad fall in the spring.
Van der Poel is a lead-out machine 💪
The world champion was vital to Jasper Philipsen’s Stage 10 victory at the Tour de France 🔥
Watch highlights on @RoadCode: https://t.co/EPpZrQPAQo
_______________
🇫🇷 #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/VxfUiOoryj— Velon CC (@VelonCC) July 9, 2024
Pogacar to add to his legacy?
Tadej Pogacar (+550) was leading this year’s Tour de France as of July 15, an event he also claimed in 2020 and 2021. This Slovenian already has wins at the Giro de Italia, Strade Bianche and Liege-Bastogne-Liege this season.
The only question is if the climbs in Paris are tough enough to allow Pogacar to build up a big enough lead. This event is usually won in a sprint finish over the last few hundred meters.
Two-time Tour winner opts out
Jonas Vingegaard, the winner of the 2022 and 2023 Tour de France, will not be competing in this year’s Olympics after suffering an injury in April. His style is also more suited to stage, rather than a one-day ride.
Remco Evenepoel (+1000), the 2022 world champion, is a strong bet as he should be able to match Pogacar’s stamina while finishing faster. The Belgian has two Liege-Bastogne-Liege wins on his resume. Proceed with caution before wagering on Mads Pedersen (+600). The Danish rider withdrew from the Tour de France after crashing in stage 5.
The spectator who threw crisps at Tadej Pogačar yesterday has been arrested and will be questioned today. #TDF2024 | 🎥 @LeTour pic.twitter.com/qt2i0YEFYA
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 14, 2024
French riders
Christophe Laporte (+1600) and Julian Alaphilippe (+2000) of France will both have thousands of fans cheering them on through the race.
Reigning Olympic champion Richard Carapaz will not get a chance to defend his medal as Ecuador has tabbed Jhonatan Narvaez (+2000) as their top rider.
Best Bet
While Tadej Pogacar is already a legend in the cycling world, he might be spent after another incredible performance at the Tour de France. With the format favoring Mathieu van der Poel (+275), the Netherlands will pick up its 11th gold medal in road cycling.
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