Denis Menchov look the lead in stage 12 of last year’s edition of the Giro, and the Russian fought off the prolonged challenge from Danilo Di Luca to win the prestigious Tour of Italy in 2009.

However, the likes of Menchov and 2008 winner Alberto Contador will both be preparing for the Tour De France, so will miss the Giro, and Lance Armstrong will be riding in the Tour of California. With a number of high-profile absentees, the bookies have installed Cadel Evans as the 13/8 favourite to win the Giro, which begins on May 8. 

The Aussie is a very versatile rider, but there will be plenty of punters who are looking someone who has still yet to win a Grand Tour. The world road cycling champion has gears on the flat and is a more than capable climber, but has never been under the spotlight before. The pressure could get to him, but he has the Team BMC to back him up.

Next in the betting is Carlos Sastre, who is attracting bits and pieces of money at odds of 9/2. The 2008 Tour de France winner has had a light season so far, and proved his aptitude for the Italian equivalent by finishing third last year. Sastre rides for Cervelo TestTeam, which managed to win individual stages in each of the three Grand Tours last year.

Sastre is a climbing specialist, and it may be more profitable for his fans to hang onto their cash until the hills. The first mountain stage is on 16 May, when the riders must get from Chianciano to Monte Terminillo.

The third choice of punters on paper is Ivan Basso at 5/1. The Italian can boast a win in this race, but his career has been tainted by a doping scandal. Will punters be able to forgive the Liquigas star?

Bradley Wiggins will have his backers at 25/1, but surely he will be saving himself for the Tour de France. Wiggins is 7/2 with Bet365 to win the first stage in Holland, a time trial in Amsterdam.

Personally, I think that Alexandre ‘Vino’ Vinokourov could be worth an each way investment at 9/1 (Corals, Blue Square). Vino had a year off the roads because he got caught up in yet another doping scandal, but his recent comments in the press suggest that he is highly motivated for more success.

Punters will worry about his backup from Team Astana, and the fact that Vino has been terribly inconsistent in these Grand Tours. However, I think that the price of 9/1 factors in those negatives, and that it is highly significant that he just recently won the Liege-Bastogne-Liege race. Vino is 4/7 with Bet365 to finish in the top 10.  

There are plenty of other markets being offered by the bookmakers for the Giro, such as the King of the Mountains. Stefano Garzelli is the 9/2 favourite in that market, but he could face competition from 7/1 shot Domenico Pozzovivo.

These are the last five winners of the Giro, together with their betting odds at the time:

2009: D. Menchov 10/1

2008: A. Contador 4/1

2007: D. Di Luca 66/1

2006: I. Basso 6/5

2005: P. Savoldelli 25/1

bookies.com is your best bet for comparing cycling betting odds.

2010 Giro d’Italia Outright Winner Betting Odds

2010 Giro d’Italia top 3 Finish Betting Odds

2010 Tour de France Betting Odds

The 2010 BRIT Awards take place on 16 February and will be screened live on ITV1. As ever, the bookies have priced up the nominees according to their theoretical chances of winning an award.

Duffy made waves in the betting last year as she scooped a total of three awards: British Breakthrough, Best Female Solo and Best British Album. Winning multiple awards on the same night is eminently possible, and has been done by the likes of Coldplay and Oasis in the past.

Therefore it may be a sound betting strategy to support your favourite group or singer across a range of markets.

JLS are the 6/4 favourites to win Best British Single for ‘Beat Again’, but will have to fight off competition from Cheryl Cole’s ‘Fight For This Love’ which is a 15/8 chance with Bet365. 2009 was a good year for genres such as R&B and hip hop, but the likes of Taio Cruz and N-Dubz aren’t given much of a chance at odds of 20/1 each.

JLS could also cap off a great night with the Best Group award, but Kasabian are the hot favourites at 5/6 in that betting market.

Nevertheless many pundits believe that this year’s Brit Awards will be a night dominated by the ladies. Lady GaGa, Florence and the Machine, Pixie Lott and Alexandra Burke all have nominations and solid chances respectively.

Florence and the Machine is strongly fancied in the Best Album market at 2/5 and could also take Best Female Artist at 9/4. Singer Florence Welch won Best Breakthrough Act last year, and has already received plenty of critical acclaim.

Paddy Power are best-priced at 2/7 about Lady GaGa winning Best International Female Artist – in what looks like a one horse race.

bookies.com is your best bet when it comes to comparing odds between the leading bookmakers:

British Male Solo Artist Betting

British Female Solo Artist Betting

Best Group Betting

British Breakthrough Act Betting

British Album Betting

British Single Betting

International Male Solo Artist Betting

International Female Solo Artist Betting

International Album Betting

International Breakthrough Act Betting

NME Awards Betting