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• Lance returns to the Tour de France...
  
• Get the latest betting news online...
  
• Back the Serie A winner today...

The sun is out, Wimbledon's on, and the Ashes starts next week -
the summer of sport is upon us!

Our man-in-the-know Mr X has got news on the Ashes betting, the
Tour de France and the new football season for you today -
including a bet for Italy's Serie A.

Over to Mr X...

Lance returns to the Tour de France

"Cycling's most glamorous event starts on Saturday - the Tour de
France - and all eyes are on ace American Lance Armstrong, who
comes out of retirement after a four year absence. He's going to
try to win the Tour for a staggering eighth time.

Most people know Lance's story - a cancer sufferer who fought his
way back to health and won the Tour de France an unprecedented 7
times. A hero to many, Lance is a villain to others, who believe
that Armstrong couldn't have pulled off all those amazing wins
without drugs, blood transfusions or some other skulduggery.

Now - he's back after four years away to try to do it all again at
the advanced age of almost 38!

So which is he, saint or sinner? And can he win? Here are three
different views of The Man....

"I guarantee that you have never met anyone like him. He's brash,
but it's not egotism with Lance, it's utter self-belief, and he
channels every single thing in his life into one thing - winning.
He could do it again."
Ex team mate David Millar

"The Tour de France belongs to us, it is part of French history,
then Lance Armstrong suddenly appeared and ruled over our icon
without sharing. In France Armstrong has been condemned by so many
books and 70 percent of French people are against his return."
Pierre Ballester - French sports writer

"I was diagnosed with cancer in April 2000 and a friend gave me
Lance Armstrong's autobiography. Straightaway Lance's book became
the text to refer to whenever I was in doubt or in need of
inspiration.

Later I started a child cancer charity, and I wrote to Lance
telling him about the case of a 13-year old boy who had lost his
leg to sarcoma. I woke up one morning o find donations pouring in
for the charity from around the world. Lance had read out the case
in a video message on his website. That meant a lot to me. I hope
he wins."
Cancer survivor Mike Grisenthwaite

Even it you're not a cycling fan this is a story that goes beyond
the sport - and we're in for a fascinating few weeks.

As usual, I've got an opinion - and for what it's worth, I don't
think that a 38-year old, even Lance Armstrong, can win the Tour in
the modern era.

The man who I reckon will win is Spaniard Alberto Contador - who
won the Tour de France in 2007 when Armstrong was in retirement.
Contador is 12 years younger than the American and wants to hammer
Armstrong to prove himself the best - and this brilliant 'climber'
has the youth and the talent to do it. He's the 11/10 favourite at
the bookies.

View the latest Tour de France odds here

Eto'o rumours spark bookie specials...

"Could Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o be on his way to Manchester
City?

We're getting mixed signals at the moment - but Eto'o's agent
describes City's wages offer as 'stratospheric' so it's a
possibility.

The bookmakers are already tooled up for his arrival with a
selection of special Eto'o markets...

• To win the Premier League Golden Boot 7/1
  
• To be Player Of The Year 12/1

Match Bets - who will score the most goals?

• 5/6 Eto'o - 5/6 Rooney
  
• 11/10 Eto'o - 4/6 Drogba
  
• 5/4 Eto'o - 4/7 Torres

Samuel Eto'o's move to City might be a big success, if it comes off
- but big money doesn't always guarantee a good result.

Maybe the worst Premier League deal of recent years was the £16
million that Newcastle paid to Real Madrid for Michael Owen - who
didn't want to go to a club outside the top four in the Premier
League anyway.

Even as a lad at Liverpool, Michael had a long record of missing
games through injury - and it got worse at Newcastle - much worse.
The Magpies paid him big money too - but the benefits were sparse.

One week 'til The Ashes...

"England's Ashes hopes got a boost at the weekend. I've thought for
some times that both England and Australia are likely to be decent
with the bat - and that this series will come down to who has the
best bowling attack.

The Aussies had a whole day, and two new balls, to dismiss county
side Sussex - and failed to do it. Particularly disappointing (from
an Aussie point of view) were their two spinners Hauritz and North.
Conditions were very Test-like and these two should have done
better.

Bookies prices to win the Ashes series are:

8/11 Australia
9/4 England
11/2 Drawn series

One Aussie based bookie - Canbet - offer England at 5/2 to win the
series.

At these prices, a drawn series at 11/2 looks the option to be on.

Find the best odds on The Ashes here

Back the Serie A winner today...

"Incredible though it seems - we're only six weeks away from the
start of the new football season!

We've got an awful lot of leagues to analyse between now and then -
and today I want to take a look at Italy's Serie A - where I reckon
there's a bet for us.

When Jose Mourinho left Chelsea eighteen months ago he wasn't out
of work for long - he soon popped up in Italy as manager of glamour
side Inter Milan - and what a perfect fit he's proven for that
club.

Inter won the Serie A title last season doing handsprings, no
league champion in Europe won their title more easily than Inter -
not even Champions League winners Barcelona.

Inter were clear of the Serie A pack by December - and had the
title in their pockets by the time people were wishing each other
'happy new year.' From then until the end of the season Mourinho's
side were on cruise control and seldom had to break sweat - but
they still ended by winning the Serie A title by 10 points.

Mourinho brought his trademark defensive expertise to the club last
year, and Inter conceded just 32 goals in the entire 38-game season
- the best performance in the league. But 'the special one's' side
were no slouches on attack either - rattling in a handsome 70 goals
in the season - a figure that compares well with attack-minded Man
United's 68 strikes in the Premier League.

The team that finished second to Inter was AC Milan, but this club
have had a nightmare of an off-season, losing their best player
Kaka to Real Madrid, and then seeing their talented manager Carlo
Ancelotti decamp to Chelsea. Rumour has it that the club could lose
more good players in the weeks to come - and I just can't entertain
them as title challengers this year.

Juventus could be a bigger threat to Mourinho's men. They finished
third last year and should play well again - but Inter beat them
fair and square last season, and Juve have a fair bit of ground to
make up. Another point to consider is that Inter have plenty of
money to spend should it be necessary to strengthen their squad -
and there are a string of top players who have made it clear they'd
like to come to play for Mourinho.

In the years when I used to treck around the racecourses of Britain
I was lucky enough to know ace backer and the founder of Timeform,
Phil Bull. Here's a piece of advice Phil gave me:

"Sure, look behind in a race and see what's been unlucky and what
wasn't trying - but don't forget the winner!''

I guess that Phil meant we shouldn't overlook the obvious - and we
won't overlook the obvious here - we'll have a decent bet on Inter
to repeat their Serie A title win again this year. You'll get odds
of around 5/6.

Find the best odds on Inter Milan here

That's all from me for today. But remember to check on the new
Betting News page at our website for the latest from the world of
sports betting, every day...

Best wishes,

Matt Nesbitt

Sports Betting Xtra
www.SportsBettingXtra.co.uk