Tour de France - Overview of the experts' picks

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The Tour is now over and I want to thank you all for checking in at the site during the race! The interest has been bigger than I expected, thanks! Let's take a look how well the 4 experts managed to do with their picks:

Thomas Löfkvist : 
Right winner pick: 7
Winner pick in top3: 2

Mauro Gianetti : 

Right winner pick: 5

Winner pick in top3: 1

David Etxebarria :
Right winner pick: 4

Winner pick in top3: 5

Laura Meseguer : 

Right winner pick: 4

Winner pick in top3: 3

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The numbers show that Thomas Löfkvist wins this little intern competition in front of David Etxebarria, Laura Meseguer and Mauro Gianetti. Thanks to the 4 experts for participating!

Well, thats all for me for now. It's about time to get some vacation, so I will change my surroundings in Madrid with new ones in Barcelona for a couple of days. See you all later!

Mikkel Condé 

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 21

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Thomas Löfkvist : Mark Cavendish

Mauro Gianetti : Mark Cavendish

David Etxebarria : Mark Cavendish

Laura Meseguer : Mark Cavendish

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Bookmaker's favorite : Mark Cavendish

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 20

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Thomas Löfkvist : Fabian Cancellara

Mauro Gianetti : Fabian Cancellara

David Etxebarria : Cadel Evans

Laura Meseguer : Cadel Evans

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Bookmaker's favorite : Fabian Cancellara

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 19

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Thomas Löfkvist : Alberto Contador

Mauro Gianetti : Fränk Schleck

David Etxebarria : Damiano Cunego

Laura Meseguer : Fränk Schleck

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Bookmaker's favorite : Fränk Schleck

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 18

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Thomas Löfkvist : Andy Schleck

Mauro Gianetti : pending...

David Etxebarria : Alberto Contador

Laura Meseguer : Alberto Contador

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Bookmaker's favorite : Alberto Contador

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 17

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Thomas Löfkvist : Simon Gerrans

Mauro Gianetti : Damiano Cunego

David Etxebarria : Jelle Vanendert

Laura Meseguer : Carlos Barredo

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Bookmaker's favorite : Philippe Gilbert

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 16

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Thomas Löfkvist : Edvald Boasson Hagen

Mauro Gianetti : Philippe Gilbert

David Etxebarria : Philippe Gilbert

Laura Meseguer : José Joaquin Rojas

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Bookmaker's favorite : Philippe Gilbert

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 15

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Thomas Löfkvist : Mark Cavendish

Mauro Gianetti : Mark Cavendish

David Etxebarria : Mark Cavendish

Laura Meseguer : José Joaquin Rojas

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Bookmaker's favorite : Mark Cavendish

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 14

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Thomas Löfkvist : Alberto Contador

Mauro Gianetti : Ivan Basso

David Etxebarria : Andy Schleck

Laura Meseguer : Alberto Contador

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Bookmaker's favorite : Alberto Contador

Always follow your instinct!

Thor Hushovd once again amazed the whole cycling world, taking his first individual stage win in this year's Tour de France. Big Thor was the first to attack on Aubisque and even though he was two minutes behind Jeremy Roy at the top of the HC climb, the managed to take it all back on the descent and fly by Roy on the final km.

Non of the 4 experts had put Thor Hushovd down for the win today, but it could very well have been that way! When I talked with Laura Meseguer yesterday about her pick she actually pointed at Thor Hushovd as winner before ending up picking Philippe Gilbert. After the stage she sent out the following tweet:

@Laura_Meseguer: S**** yesterday I changed my pick from Hushovd to Gilbert. alwayslistenthefirstdecision

And just a few minutes later ex-rider David Etxebarria tweeted that he had the same plan, but also ended up picking Gilbert instead of the Norwegian Thunder God.

So remember, always, follow your instinct! ;-)

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 13

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Thomas Löfkvist : Sandy Casar

Mauro Gianetti : Philippe Gilbert

David Etxebarria : Philippe Gilbert

Laura Meseguer : Philippe Gilbert

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Bookmaker's favorite : Philippe Gilbert

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 12

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Thomas Löfkvist : Alberto Contador

Mauro Gianetti : Cadel Evans

David Etxebarria : Fränk Schleck

Laura Meseguer : Alberto Contador

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Bookmaker's favorite : Alberto Contador

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 11

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Thomas Löfkvist : Mark Cavendish

Mauro Gianetti : Mark Cavendish

David Etxebarria : Mark Cavendish

Laura Meseguer : Mark Cavendish

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Bookmaker's favorite : Mark Cavendish

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 10

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Thomas Löfkvist : Alessandro Petacchi

Mauro Gianetti : Mark Cavendish

David Etxebarria : Jerome Pineau

Laura Meseguer :  Edvald Boasson Hagen

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Bookmaker's favorite : Mark Cavendish

Rest Day update

9 stages done and dusted in this year's Tour de France, the first rest day has arrived and that means that it's time for an update on how well the experts have been doing so far.

Team GEOX's manager Mauro Gianetti started out best with his pick for Gilbert to win stage 1. After that Team Sky's Thomas Löfkvist took over with 3 right winner picks in a row, while he at very same time become a father.

Cycling journalist Laura Meseguer has been consistently with her pick, hitting right winners and top3s four times within the first 9 stages. To end it all up former pro-rider David Etxebarria managed to pick out Voeckler for the win (Voeckler took 2nd place and yellow jersey) on stage 9, where Etxebarria himself won in 1999.

Thomas Löfkvist - 3 right winner picks (all in row! stage 5, 6 & 7)
Laura Meseguer - 2 right winner picks & 2 winner picks in top3 (stage 3, 5, 6 & 7)
Mauro Gianetti - 2 right winner picks (stage 1 & 7)
David Etxebarria - 1 right winner pick & 2 winner picks in top3 (stage 4, 7 & 9)

All in all a pretty good start for the experts. Tuesday we will find out if they can keep up the rate. Stay tuned!

The Expert's Tour Picks - Stage 9

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Thomas Löfkvist : Philippe Gilbert

Mauro Gianetti : pending...

David Etxebarria : Thomas Voeckler

Laura Meseguer : Philippe Gilbert

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Bookmaker's favorite : Philippe Gilbert

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 8

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Thomas Löfkvist : Thomas Voeckler

Mauro Gianetti : Alberto Contador

David Etxebarria : Rigoberto Uran

Laura Meseguer : Alberto Contador

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Bookmaker's favorite : Alberto Contador

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 7

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Thomas Löfkvist : Mark Cavendish

Mauro Gianetti : Mark Cavendish

David Etxebarria : Mark Cavendish

Laura Meseguer : Mark Cavendish

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Bookmaker's favorite : Mark Cavendish

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 6

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Thomas Löfkvist : Edvald Boasson Hagen

Mauro Gianetti : Mark Cavendish

David Etxebarria : Philippe Gilbert

Laura Meseguer : Thor Hushovd

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Bookmaker's favorite : Philippe Gilbert

The Experts' Tour Picks - Stage 5

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Thomas Löfkvist : Mark Cavendish

Mauro Gianetti : Tyler Farrar

David Etxebarria : Thor Hushovd

Laura Meseguer : José Joaquin Rojas

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Bookmaker's favorite : Mark Cavendish