How to watch the Tour de France live anywhere

Tour de France peloton

Finding a free way to watch the entire Tour de France is getting increasingly difficult. However, we’ve discovered a way and will be sharing it in this article.

The Tour de France is one of the biggest, best-known, and most popular cycling grand tours in the world.

Every fan of cycling out there would not miss it for the world. This year’s Tour will be the 110th edition, and cycling fans are as excited about it as ever.

Unfortunately, not everyone can watch it, as it is broadcast via streaming services that not everyone can access. This is due to geo-restrictions, which is often an issue when it comes to major, international events.

But, if you are interested in watching it without a cable subscription – we’re about to teach you how.

How to watch in the UK

A lot of cycling fans from the UK are excited about the Tour, but you will have no problem watching it from start to finish if you are in the UK.

ITV4 will show the entire event free, and online on ITVX, and anyone in the UK can easily access any of them. It’s also being shown on Eurosport Player although this requires a subscription.

Hand drawn Tour de France cartoon cyclists

This is not the case with the rest of the world, as the UK does not allow anyone outside of the country to access these services.

Their geo-restrictions are known worldwide. However, there is a way you can join in and below you can discover how.

How to watch outside the UK

As mentioned, there is pretty much only one thing that you can do if you wish to watch live coverage of the Tour de France outside the UK, and that is to use a VPN.

A VPN, or ‘Virtual Private Network‘, is online privacy, security, and anonymity app that can let you bypass any geo-restrictions or censorship. They’re used by millions of people daily to stay safe online.

There’s A LOT of choices, but the best one for this kind of thing is ExpressVPN. It has a wide range of apps for all devices and fast speeds which are critical for viewing live sport such as the Tour.

Alternatively, NordVPN and CyberGhost VPN are suitable, so you are free to choose.

30-day money back guarantee

Live Stream Tour de France Step-by-step

After choosing a VPN that you wish to use, the rest is easy.

You might say that picking the right VPN is the most crucial step. But, with that done, here is what you need to do next:

1. Sign up

The first step is obvious – you must go to your chosen VPN’s website, such as ExpressVPN and sign up for an account.

This will involve choosing one of a few payment plans. More extended plans are cheaper monthly, but you will have to pay them at once, so keep an eye on that.

2. Get the app

After signing up, it is time to get the dedicated app for the device you wish to watch on.

Most VPNs cover all Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and Amazon Fire TV devices. Download the app and install it like any other.

3. Connect to the UK

The next step is crucial – within the app, find the country list, and connect to any option in the United Kingdom. That way, you get a UK-based IP address which will let you access the UK’s ITV service.

ExpressVPN app connecting to the UK

Watch the Tour using ExpressVPN.

4. Enjoy the Tour

And, that is pretty much it. Now you’re connected use the ITVX app or visit the ITVX website and enjoy watching the Tour on their ITV4 channel.

When is the Tour de France taking place?

The 2023 Tour de France starts on Saturday, July 1st and ends on July 23rd.

That leaves you with more than enough time to find a proper VPN, test it, and get ready to watch the event.

30-day money back guarantee

What’s the Tour Route?

As you undoubtedly know, the route is long, and it consists of 21 different stages.

The Tour de France starts in Spain, and the Tour will end in Paris.

Without question the mountain stages of the tour are some of the most spectacular.

The Tour de France route is specially made to be a challenge, and even the climbers will have to work for it.

Man cycling illustration

The stages will only see two rest days, on July 10th and July 17th. Every other day will see a harsh battle against the road, the summer heat, as well as the intense competition.

All culminating in a finish at the iconic Avenue des Champs-Elysées.

You would do well not to miss it, and thanks to ITV and VPN – you can watch every minute of the Tour.

What teams are taking part?

The 2023 Tour de France sees the participation of 22 teams, comprised of 18 UCI WorldTeams and 4 UCI ProTeams, showcasing a variety of cycling talent from around the globe​​.

Among the UCI WorldTeams, Ineos Grenadiers, a British team with a reputation for producing winners, is a major participant. Another notable WorldTeam is the Movistar Team from Spain, known for their consistent performances in Grand Tours.

Team Jumbo-Visma from the Netherlands, a team that has been a serious contender in recent years, also participates. The AG2R Citroën Team from France, a team with a strong national following and a history of success, is another significant participant​​.

From the UCI ProTeams, the Israel–Premier Tech, and the Lotto–Dstny are participating. They were the highest-placed ProTeams in 2022. Additionally, Team TotalEnergies and Uno-X Pro Cycling Team were selected to participate by the Amaury Sport Organisation, the organisers of the Tour de France​​.

These teams will compete fiercely over the course of the race, aiming to secure the prestigious yellow jersey.

Who to look out for?

Keep an eye out for these riders in the 2023 Tour de France:

  • Ben O’Connor from AG2R-Citroën, who is determined to repeat his 2021 success​.
  • Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck, who has had an impressive year and is expected to put on a thrilling performance​.
  • Mark Cavendish from Astana Qazaqstan, one of the greatest sprinters of all time, is aiming for another Tour stage win​.
  • Mikel Landa of Bahrain Victorious, an enigmatic Basque climber who could potentially make it into the top five​.
  • Jai Hindley from Bora-Hansgrohe, who has shown promising form recently and could perform well in the demanding Tour environment​.
  • Guillaume Martin of Cofidis, a cerebral climber who might be able to scrape into the top 10 overall​.

Summary

This year’s Tour de France is about to start, and the excitement is starting to build among the cycling fans around the world.

Unfortunately, not a lot of people will be able to freely watch the Tour de France live, at least not without some help.

For this, you should sign up for a VPN service like ExpressVPN, download their app and connect to the United Kingdom.

You can then live stream the entire cycling event in any country.

 

Ready to watch? Try our recommended VPN service provider.

  • Watch every stage
  • Live stream in any country
  • Easy and quick to set-up

Illustration © N.l | Dreamstime.com

Author: Ali Raza

Ali is a journalist with a keen interest in VPN usage. He is an expert in the field and has been covering VPN related topics for VPNCompare and numerous well-respected publications for many years.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *