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Olympic cycling - Men's Omnium preview

More from @wheelie1977, a former top Irish cyclist who now focuses on the betting side of professional cycling. He offers these tips for subscription first, and then makes them free a day or so later. His tips throughout recent months on the Giro D'Italia and the Tour de France have been outstanding. You can read more of his excellent work on his website - Wheeliebets.

Men's Omnium

A track event with a number of parts. This is to cycling what the decathlon is to running. The disciplines range from 1 kilometre timed sprints to elimination races to a 50 lap points race and in between there are individual pursuits and flying laps. It's a battle of endurance for these riders, a 6 event marathon and thankfully Ireland even has a representative in Martyn Irvine!

There is a worthy favourite in Glenn O'Shea who won at the World Championships with some ease yet there is some concern that his main focus will be on recapturing the Gold Medal in the Blue Riband Event , the Men's Team Pursuit against the British on their home soil. The Omnium features the day after the pursuit so it remains to be seen whether O'Shea's personal ambitions are knocked off course.

The British team are in the same boat with Ed Clancy scheduled for the Pursuit and the Omnium. He finished on the same points as my pick yet is 1/5 of the price, purely on the basis that he rides at home, which I believe is nonsense.

Biggest danger to my selection and to O'Shea is Zachary Bell who is a good all rounder. Second in the World Champs he's is a very backable 11/2 in all firms however my selection is a rider I took note of some years ago.

Lasse Norman Hansen was the Danish star of the Junior World Time Trial Championships held in Denmark in 2009. The event was won by none other than Luke Durbridge who has gone on to shine in the professional game. Hansen rose to prominence once again at the World Track Cycling Championships in Australia earlier this year performing well in the time trial disciplines, winning the pursuit and the scratch race and featuring in the points and elimination to end up 3rd Overall.

Hansen is a full 3-4 seconds quicker than these in the pursuit so he is effectively in a medal position if he rides as expected in the time trial events. He is sure to improve in the kilometre and a small improvement in the points race would see him go very close to gold.

He followed up his World Championship form in Ireland in May winning Stage 7 of the RAS Ireland's premium cycling race before going back to the track and focusing on the team pursuit and this event.

One thing is certain, he is not a 16/1 shot and SKYBET has their prices incorrect for it but he is also available at between 12/1 and 14/1 in most other firms.

The Omnium event gets underway on Saturday 4th August and finishes on the Sunday.

Advised Bet

1pt e/w Lasse Norman Hansen 16/1 (1/4 odds Pays 1,2,3) SKYBET

(Still some 14/1 win only about, best each-way price 11/1)

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