This year’s Tour de France is here, and three weeks' worth of action is upon us. With GC battles set to begin from the very start, thanks to the hilly opening stages in the Basque region, it is expected to be another gripping edition as the riders battle it out for the prestigious yellow jersey.
This year’s route is focused on the mountains, taking in the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Jura, and the Vosges via the Massif Central. There is also a record-breaking 30 classified climbs, including the legendary Col du Tourmalet, Col d’Aspin, and Col de la Loze. A climber’s paradise, the route only features one 22km time trial and includes no cobblestones (as we saw in the 2022 Tour de France), dirt road stage, or team time trial.
Anything can happen in three weeks of racing, and whoever arrives in Paris donning the yellow jersey will have a career-defining moment as they win the biggest race in the sport. Last year’s winner Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) will be back to defend his title. But two-time winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) is determined to have the yellow jersey back on his shoulders.
However there are also other riders looking to achieve their own Tour goals, namely Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan), who is hunting a stage win. It is not just any stage win though – it's a stage win that’ll see him become the all-time record holder for the most stage wins at the Tour, sitting above the legendary Eddy Merckx.
With all this on the cards, cycling fans will be keen not to miss a moment, and there are places where you can catch every single second of the Tour on a subscription, as well as free-to-air coverage.
How to watch the 2023 Tour de France in the UK
The Tour de France will be live-streamed for free in the UK on Eurosport, ITV4 and Welsh channel S4C, with a highlights show in the evening rounding up the day's action. However, be warned, when watching via these channels, be prepared for advertisements throughout.
If you want to watch every pedal stroke, you can get uninterrupted viewing of each stage on either GCN+, Discovery+ or the Eurosport website. All of them show coverage from the neutral zone to the finish line, has a discussion show before and after, and are available on a multitude of devices, meaning you can watch at home or on the go.
The main difference between Discovery+ and Eurosport versus GCN+ is that subscription to the former two will include access to other live sports, whereas GCN+ will give you access to every cycling race it has rights for, as well as a host of documentaries and films exclusively available on the platform.
Discovery+ and Eurosport Player cost £59.99 on an annual basis or £6.99 per month, and GCN+ costs £39.99 for an annual subscription or £6.99 per month. Top tip, if you are a Sky Q, Sky Stream, or Sky Glass customer in the UK, you now get Discovery+ as part of your TV package for no extra cost.
How to watch the 2023 Tour de France in the USA and Canada
Viewers across the pond will be able to live stream the Tour on NBC, USA Network or via Peacock's premium platform. While on NBC and USA Network, fans will be able to watch for free, Peacock is where those watching in the USA or Canada will be able to watch the most coverage, live and on-demand, starting from $4.99 a month.
Alternatively, like those in the UK, American viewers will be able to subscribe to GCN+, where the platform will be broadcasting each stage live with no interruptions.
How to watch the 2023 Tour de France in Australia
For those living in Australia, the Tour de France coverage is exclusively free-to-air, meaning everyone can watch the action from the world's biggest bike races.
SBS holds the rights Down Under and shows start-to-finish coverage of each stage. The SBS On Demand service also provides free hour-long and two-hour-long highlights shows as well as some extras from around the race you can enjoy completely free.
