Tadej Pogacar will try to become just the sixth cyclist to win the Tour de France four times when the 2025 Tour de France begins its three-week journey on Saturday. The 26-year-old Pogacar already has won the Tour three times (2020, '21 and '24). He has been installed as the -290 favorite to win this year's race. Meanwhile his main rival, two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard, is the +250 second choice in the odds among the 184 Tour de France riders. Remco Evenepoel (+1000), Joao Almeida (+1800) and Primoz Roglic (+2800) round out the top five choices on the odds board.

With so many variables in every Tour de France, you'll want to read how SportsLine senior writer Gene Menez, who hit a +3300 best bet in the 2023 Tour, breaks down the race before making any 2025 Tour de France picks of your own.

A former reporter and associate editor for Sports Illustrated, where he covered an array of sports for almost 14 years, Menez has been obsessed with the Tour de France for four decades. He has been following the iconic three-week race since the mid-1980s when Greg LeMond was riding to three yellow jerseys.

Most importantly, Menez correctly hit Adam Yates to finish in the top three overall in 2023, at +3300. 

Menez has analyzed this year's Tour de France route and contenders and has identified three best bets.

We can tell you that Menez is picking Joao Almeida to earn a podium finish, at +250. "This year he enters the Tour in much better form; he already has won the Tours of the Basque Country, Romandie and Switzerland," Menez told SportsLine.

Moreover, Menez has two other best bets, including one on a rider to win the King of the Mountains jersey at odds longer than +800. This rider is a "climbing savant" and could surprise. You absolutely need to see whom it is before you lock in any picks.

So what rider wins the King of the Mountains jersey? And what other best bets does Menez like? ... Join SportsLine now to see which riders to be all over, all from the expert who hit a +3300 best bet two years ago!