The world's most famous race on two wheels is all set to hit the road once more. Read on to find out how to watch the Tour de France 2021, no matter where in the world you are.
Back in its regular mid-summer slot after it was shunted last year to September due to the pandemic, it looks likely that the two key protagonists from last year's Tour will be the two leading contenders this time out also.
Last year's thrilling climax saw Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) fight off fellow Slovenian Primož Roglič (Team Jumbo-Visma), but will the younger rider get revenge this time out?
The host nation's big hopes for the coveted yellow jersey appear to rest with Deceuninck-QuickStep rider Julian Alaphilippe, while his teammate Mark Cavendish looks set to be a leading contender for the green jersey as the British star makes his much-anticipated Tour comeback.
Also strongly backed to win the Tour outright will be fellow Brit Geraint Thomas, who will be looking to help the Ineos Grenadiers notch up their eighth yellow jersey in ten years.
Read on to find out how to watch the Tour de France no matter where you are in the world.
Tour de France 2021: Where and when?
Back in its familiar summer slot in the sporting calendar, this year's edition of Le Tour takes place between 26 June through 18 July.
Read on below for full stage times.
How to watch the Tour de France online from anywhere
We have details of all the US, UK, Australian and Canadian broadcasters of this weekend's cycling further down in this guide. If you're intent on watching the Tour de France, but find yourself away from home then you'll run into problems when trying to stream your domestic coverage online from abroad as it's likely to be geo-blocked.
That's where a VPN (Virtual Private Network) can be a lifesaver. They allow you to virtually change the ISP of your laptop, tablet or mobile to one that's back in your home country, letting you watch as if you were back there.
VPN's are incredibly easy to use and have the added benefit of giving you a further layer of security when surfing the web. There are lots of options, and we recommend ExpressVPN as our #1 pick due to its speed, security and ease of use. It can be used on a vast array of operating systems and devices (e.g. iOS, Android, Smart TVs, Fire TV Stick, Roku, games consoles, etc). Sign up for ExpressVPN now now and enjoy a 49% discount and 3 months FREE with an annual subscription. Or give it a try with its 30-day money back guarantee. Looking for other options? Here are some alternatives that are on sale right now.
How to watch the Tour de France 2021 live in the UK for free
There's awesome news for cycling fans in the UK. Terrestrial free-to-air channel ITV4 will be showing live coverage of the Tour de France, along with daily highlights of each stage. You can watch on a TV, or online using the ITV Hub. It's completely free so long as you hold a TV license.
How to watch the Tour de France online in the US
The good news for US cycling fans is that NBC 's new streaming service Peacock TV will be broadcasting every stage live, ad-free and on-demand.
A subscription to Peacock starts at just $4.99 a month, with the service currently offering a FREE 7-day trial.
Peacock has three membership tiers, including one that's entirely free to join! However, you'll want a paid membership to access the Tour de France with subscriptions starting at $4.99 per month or ad-free for $9.99 monthly. Plus, your susbcription begins with a free 7-day trial.
How to stream the Tour de France 2021 live in Canada
Canadians can watch all the action from France via streaming service FloBikes. A monthly subscription will cost you $30 while a yearly account will set you back $150 ($12.50 per month), which will give you access to coverage of major cycling events throughout the year.
Live stream Tour de France 2021 in Australia
If you're Down Under, you can watch every stage of the Tour live on the SBS and SBS Viceland channels, or catch a free live stream through SBS On Demand.
Tour de France 2021: Stages and start times
- Stage 1 - Saturday, June 26 at 12.10pm CEST, 11.10am BST, 6.10am ET
- Stage 2 - Sunday, June 27 at 1.10pm CEST, 12.10pm BST, 7.10am ET
- Stage 3 - Monday, June 28 at 1.10pm CEST, 12.10pm BST, 7.10am ET
- Stage 4 - Tuesday, June 29 at 1.25pm CEST, 12.25am BST, 7.25am ET
- Stage 5 (ITT) - Wednesday, June 30 at 12.15pm CEST, 11.15am BST, 6.15am ET
- Stage 6 - Thursday, July 1 at 1.55pm CEST, 12.55am BST, 7.55am ET
- Stage 7 - Friday, July 2 at 11am CEST, 10am BST, 5am ET
- Stage 8 - Saturday, July 3 at 1.10pm CEST, 12.10pm BST, 7.10am ET
- Stage 9 - Sunday, July 4 at 1pm CEST, 12pm BST, 7am ET
- Rest - Monday, July 5
- Stage 10 - Tuesday, July 6 at 1.05pm CEST, 12.05pm BST, 7.05am ET
- Stage 11 - Wednesday, July 7 at 12pm CEST, 11am BST, 6am ET
- Stage 12 - Thursday, July 8 at 12pm CEST, 11am BST, 6am ET
- Stage 13 - Friday, July 9 at 12.05pm CEST, 11.05am BST, 6.05am ET
- Stage 14 - Saturday, July 10 at 12.25pm CEST, 11.25am BST, 6.25am ET
- Stage 15 - Sunday, July 11 at 12.20pm CEST, 11.20am BST, 6.20am ET
- Rest - Monday, July 12
- Stage 16 - Tuesday, July 13 at 1.05pm CEST, 12.05pm BST, 7.05am ET
- Stage 17 - Wednesday, July 14 at 11.55am CEST, 10.55am BST, 5.55am ET
- Stage 18 - Thursday, July 15 at 1.35pm CEST, 12.35pm BST, 7.35am ET
