Giro d’Italia Sunday Time Trial: Analysis and Betting Advice

The first weekend beckons for the Giro D’Italia as the cyclists first negotiate Gran Sasso on Stage 7. However, on Sunday, there is that pesky “race of truth.” This will be the second of the Giro. There is a third that comes on Stage 20.

The big story is that while Remco Evenepoel has mainly shown his form, Primoz Roglic has not. It is something that could change. Week 1 is only the beginning of this three-week plus race. Legs and form can come and go very quickly.   

To get you ready for your weekend cycling betting, we take an early look at the Stage 9 time trial. Many riders will find this easier to handle than the first one. The race against the clock is a brutal test of truth.

Breaking Down This Time Trial

When the designers of the Giro mulled how this grand tour would be broken down, they wanted more time trials. The result is a total of 73 kilometers of time trial racing. Stage 9 features 35 of them in all. This 35-kilometre course features three timed checkpoints at 13 kilometres, 23 kilometres, and 29 kilometres.

After Stage 7’s General Classification shakeup, Sunday expects to feature another reshuffling of the deck before Monday’s rest day. That first rest day will be very welcome after the cyclist go full bore on Sunday. With a primarily pan-flat time trial, riders will need a big gear as speeds could approach 57 kph. 

The intriguing part is how riders will approach this time trial. Look at the first part of Stage 1 and how Remco Evenepoel easily navigated the flat portion of the course at a touch over 57 kph. That took a mere 10:05, a good 12 seconds clear of Filippo Ganna (The Hour Record Holder).

Check locally for those watching television in the United States. Bein Sports Extra will carry the time trial live. There are also GCN+ for-pay options. 

So, this time trial has one unwelcome houseguest of sorts. This edition of the Giro has had some weather issues. 

Oh, It Just Keeps Raining!

Naturally, Stage 9 continues the theme of rain and stormy weather. The ride into Cessna expects to feature periods of rain that are heavy at times. Cyclists must be mindful even though the course is primarily flat and straight. Some technical turns will need to be negotiated. 

Again, that one wrinkle makes the most straightforward time trial of the three not so simple. Riders who have hit the pavement on the rain-soaked roads will not like this. Expect a few riders to hit the deck here, impacting bettors.

Thankfully, temperatures will be cool but not cold. Remember that the weather can be very changeable in this region of Italy. 

COVID Update

COVID returned to some prominence early in the lead-up to the Giro. 

Fortunately, there has not been this outbreak of cases during the event. That may be the best news so far, as it was feared several teams were projected to see significant impacts. So far, it has been so good. 

Giro d’Italia Time Trial Predictions

The books might not like Primoz Roglic as much. Again, the wild card is how the legs will be after a nasty Stage 7 summit finish at Gran Sasso. Stage 8 will be a punchy shot to the gut with several intermediate climbs and a couple of spots in the double-digit territory. This Giro feels like a relentless and punishing survival exercise more than anything else. 

Here is our projected early table of the favourites and where their odds may lie. 

Projected odds set by Gambling.com are not currently available at legal sports betting sites. This page will be updated should odds become available.

Again, expect a slip-and-slide type of time trial. Good luck, bettors, and hopefully, some numbers adjust for Sunday. If Remco Evenepoel stays upright, expect him to save his legs for Sunday. Do not sleep on Ganna. Almeida remains an intriguing, more extended shot here.