The 2021 Tour de France begins its brutal three-week journey through France on Saturday. Oddsmakers from William Hill Sportsbook list defending champion Tadej Pogacar as the 3-2 favorite in the 2021 Tour de France odds. Last year's runner-up, Primoz Roglic, is the 2-1 second choice, while 2018 champion Geraint Thomas is 11-2.

With so many unknowns entering this year's Tour, you'll want to read how SportsLine senior writer Gene Menez, who correctly predicted the winners of the yellow, green and white jerseys in the 2019 Tour, breaks down the race before making any 2021 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 more than three decades. He has been following the iconic three-week race since the mid-1980s when Greg LeMond was riding to three yellow jerseys.

Menez has analyzed the Tour de France route and contenders and has picked his top three finishers for the yellow jersey, as well as the winners of the green jersey (best sprinter), polka dot jersey (best climber) and white jersey (best young rider). 

One shocker: We can tell you Menez is fading Pogacar, even though he is the defending champion and top Vegas favorite. "I also don't like the fact that he did not win his country's time trial national championship, which could be a sign of vulnerability," Menez told SportsLine.

Instead, Menez's pick to win the Tour de France is a rider who "has taken a different approach entering this year's tour." He also is high on a big double-digit long shot to win the polka dot jersey! You ABSOLUTELY need to see who it is before you lock in any picks.

So which rider wins the Tour de France 2021? Who finishes on the podium? And who captures the green, polka dot and white jerseys? ... Join SportsLine now to see which riders to be all over, all from the expert who has followed the Tour de France for more than three decades and nailed his Tour picks two years ago!