 Still the Italians were favourites, especially Gino Bartali, who had come second in the 1950 Giro d'Italia behind Hugo Koblet, who did not enter the 1950 Tour de France.Other candidates for the victory were Bobet, Kübler, Ockers and Geminiani.Two days before the Tour started, the organisation held a poll amongst 25 journalists, who each gave their eight favourites for the victory.