RT: Mark Cavendish

In Twitter world RT stands for Re-Tweet but for today's matter it stands for Revenge Time. Mark Cavendish admitted after his narrow defeat to Andre Greipel that he didn't make his kick until 200 meters to go - which proved to be too late. Now it's time to take back the winning spot on the podium!

Today's stage 11 holds the last chance for the sprinters before the peloton hits the mountains and I think it's safe to say that it definitely will end up in the bunch sprint this afternoon in Lavaur. Yesterday Cavendish lost Renshaw and Goss on the last climb and had to rely on himself in the sprint. Today the chances of losing his lead-out are very low and with the eager to reclaim the throne of the sprinters only bad luck can come between Mark Cavendish and another stage win!

And hey, if you don't believe me, just take a look at who the 4 experts think will win today right here.

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!

Can Etxebarria repeat his win from 1999?

Our Tour de France expert David Etxebarria knows the finish of today's stage better than the most. In 1999 the Basque climber attacked his fellow escapees with 22 km to go and made it all the way to the finish to take beautiful solo victory in Saint-Flour. 4 days later Etxebarria won his second stage in the Tour, when he out-sprinted a young Alexander Vinokourov in Pau.

Today David Etxebarria has picked French animateur Thomas Voeckler to win the stage and giving his inside knowledge on the stage, don't be surprised if the Europcar leader crosses the finish line first later this afternoon!

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