Women's Tour de France Predictions: In-form Borghini could derail Vollering procession
The 2025 Women's Tour de France is the fourth edition of the race
Poland's Katarzyna Niewiadoma is the defending champion
Recommended bets:
The 2025 Women's Tour de France starts on Saturday and runs for nine stages, concluding on the slopes up to Les Porte des Soleil on the Swiss border next Sunday.
It is the fourth edition of the race and runs from west to east, with the Grand Depart taking place in Brittany and the peloton travelling through the Massif Central and across to the Alps.
Like the men's edition, the opening days could prove dramatic with a blend of ups and downs, but the race will ignite in the mountains, with the penultimate day's mountain-top finish up the Col de la Madeleine set to be a shootout.
Last year's winner, Katarzyna Niewiadoma, returns to defend her title but it is 2024 runner-up Demi Vollering who is the 7/20 favourite.
The latest Women's Tour de France odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Borghini can build on Giro d'Italia success
It has been a packed recent schedule with the Giro d'Italia only finishing on July 13. Elisa Longo Borghini won that race for the second year in a row, continuing her fine season.
The 33-year-old also won the overall at the UAE Tour and has enjoyed one-day success with victories at Brabantse Pijl, Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Italian national road championships.
Vollering's short price makes her tough to back but the justification is there with her record of 2-1-2 in the three years that the Women's Tour de France has been held.
The Dutch rider skipped the Giro after winning May's La Vuelta Femenina in a bid to stay fresh and only lost the yellow jersey in 2024 due to a nasty crash on stage five, recovering to end the race by winning on Alpe d'Huez.
Vollering is undoubtedly the rider to beat but Borgini could push her.
She might not be as explosive as her rival but the UAE Team ADQ leader's steadfast ability to grind results out makes her an omnipotent threat, even if there are doubts about fatigue.
Back Elisa Longo Borghini to win the Women's Tour de France at 14/1 with LiveScore Bet
Home hope Ferrand-Prevot another contender
The French riders are always worth keeping an eye on at the Tour and the pick of the current female crop looks to be Pauline Ferrand-Prevot.
Ferrand-Prevot has had a peripatetic career, which has seen her mix disciplines, enjoying success in cyclocross and on the mountain bike circuit, and even win the inaugural gravel world title in 2022.
However, after dominating the mountain biking scene, culminating in winning cross-country gold at last year's home Olympics in Paris, the plan was always for her to switch her focus to the road, signing a three-year deal with Visma-Lease a Bike.
This season has been her first time competing on the tarmac since 2018 and she has enjoyed some fabulous results, podiuming at Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders before winning Paris-Roubaix.
Born in Reims, her one-day record reflects her roots in northeastern France.
Her ability to battle through rolling terrain means there is every chance she could be in contention for the overall by the midpoint of the race.
Ferrand-Prevot's climbing remains somewhat of an unknown, but if she can reproduce the watts she produces on the flat once the road starts to turn upwards, the home fans could have plenty to cheer for.
Back Pauline Ferrand-Prevot to win the Women's Tour de France at 11/1 with LiveScore Bet
