The Super Bowl of cycling – and, frankly, the only time most Americans care about the sport even a little – begins Saturday as the Tour de France kicks off … in the Netherlands? Yep, the three-week, nearly 2,263-mile event does begin northwest of France in Holland and the first three stages wind south through that country and Belgium before stage four begins in France. Bodog’s cycling odds have several prop options available for the 97th Tour de France.

The overwhelming favorite for this race is defending champion Alberto Contador, although you can bet on the top finisher other than Contador, who also won in 2007. Still, you might want to bet on a Spaniard considering one has won this race in each of the past four years. Contador excels in climbing stages and there are six mountain stages and three summit finishes in this year’s Tour.

Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong is back for what he says is his final Tour de France; his last title came in 2005. Armstrong, in his 13th Tour, is the third favorite at 15/2, but at least this year he doesn’t have to serve as a valet, so to speak for Contador. Last year the two rode on the same team and Armstrong had to sacrifice personal goals to help Contador win as Lance finished third.  There was definitely some tension there. This year, the two are riding for separate teams:

Armstrong for Team RadioShack, Contador still for Astana. Armstrong turns 39 in September and no one older than 34 has ever won the Tour. But the American comes in having finished on the podium at the Tours of Switzerland and Luxembourg. The top challenger for Contador is likely Andy Schleck, who finished second at a little over four minutes behind the winner last year. Schleck took the white jersey as best young rider in the 2009 event.