Paris hosts the 2024 Olympics this summer, and one of the most prestigious events in cycling will come in the form of the men’s road race. It promises to be a thrilling event on the streets of France, but which rider will land the illustrious gold medal?
Before Betting On Olympics Men’s Cycling Road Race
The men’s cycling road race was first contested at the Olympics at the 1896 edition in Athens. However, it was absent from the schedule for 40 years before making its return in Berlin in 1936. The winner of the race on its return was French rider Robert Charpentier. Alexander Vinokourov is the most successful Olympian in the event, winning the gold in 2012, and silver in 2000.
Italy ranks as the most successful nation in the Road Race, winning five Olympic golds, which is three more than any other nation. Richard Carapaz made history at the previous edition of the Olympics, with the rider becoming the first Ecuadorian athlete to win a gold medal in the contest. Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogacar picked up the minor prizes.
Pogacar certainly appears to be the leading contender at this year’s event, having won on the streets in France on two previous occasions after being a multiple time winner of the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021. He is currently the top-ranked rider in the world based on the UCI road racing rankings, and he comes into the event in excellent form after winning the top prize at the Giro d’Italia in 2024.
Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel is a very interesting contender this year after turning his attentions to road racing after winning the cyclo-cross World Championships on six occasions since 2015. He comes into the contest this year after winning the Paris-Roubaix in each of the last two years, as well as the gold at the World Road Race Championships in 2023.
Olympics Men’s Road Race Offshore Odds & Pick
| Athlete | Odds |
|---|---|
| Mathieu van der Poel | +350 |
| Tadej Pogacar | +350 |
| Remco Evenepoel | +650 |
| Wout van Aert | +700 |
| Mads Pederson | +900 |
An Olympic gold is the one big prize that has eluded Pogacar during his esteemed career to date. We could see his long wait for a first major honor coming to an end in France this year.
