The 2021 Tour de France will begin on June 26 and finish on July 18. 184 riders will compete in the 3,417.5 km (2,124 mile) race. If you’ve been looking forward to this event, you may have wondered how you can watch it live online. If so, we’ve got you covered.
Note that we’re only recommending official sources for watching the 2021 Tour de France. You’ll find unauthorized streams to be low resolution and riddled with issues such as lag and buffering. Besides, there are plenty of high-quality official sources for watching. As such, there’s just no need to risk missing out due to a dodgy stream.
Unfortunately, most of the platforms showing the Tour de France are region-locked. This means that you’ll need a VPN to watch on your usual platforms if you’re abroad at the moment.
How to watch Tour de France 2021 online with a VPN
It’s really quite easy to bypass geo-restrictions using a Virtual Private Network, or VPN. These services provide you with an encrypted connection to a server located in a country where streams are available. Not only can you then unblock video, but you also get the added benefit of secure online browsing and anonymity.
Here’s how to live stream Tour de France 2021 using a VPN:
- Sign up for a VPN. We recommend NordVPN although Surfshark and ExpressVPN and great alternatives.
- Download and install your provider’s VPN app on the device where you plan to watch the race.
- Open the VPN app and connect to a server in the country of the streaming platform you’re trying to access.
- Now you can go to the streaming platform in question. Open the live video stream and start watching the Tour de France from abroad!
- If you’re still unable to unblock the live stream, try clearing your browser’s cookies and cache then reload the page.
Just in case, we recommend you test out your VPN with your preferred streaming sources ahead of time. If you encounter any issues, consult your VPN’s customer support.
GET A 30-DAY FREE TRIAL OF NORDVPN
NordVPN is offering a fully-featured risk-free 30 day trial if you sign up at this page. You can use the VPN rated #1 for live sports streaming with no restrictions for a month - ideal for watching the first half of the 2021 Tour de France.
There are no hidden terms - just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn't right for you and you'll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.
How to watch Tour de France 2021 live online
If you want to watch the 2021 Tour de France live online, there are plenty of options and some of them are even free. Take a look below to find out which networks are showing the tournament where you are:
USA
There’s only one place to stream the Tour de France in the US: Peacock. This isn’t free, though; the Peacock streaming service costs $4.99 USD per month. If you’re only looking to watch this year’s Tour de France, remember to cancel before then, as the subscription is set to automatically renew.
Peacock is region-locked, so you’ll need a VPN to get a US IP address and then you can watch outside of the US. NordVPN successfully unblocks Peacock and even includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. This allows you to try it out for yourself risk-free and, if you change your mind, get a full refund with no questions asked.
Canada
FloBikes is the exclusive Tour de France broadcaster in Canada, and as it has the rights to all ASO events, it looks to be the new home of cycling in the country. This service costs $12.50 CAD per month and doesn’t offer a trial period. Happily, viewers can switch between English and French commentary at will.
FloBikes is geo-blocked and only available in Canada. This means you’ll need a VPN server in Canada to access it abroad.
UK
If you’re a UK resident, you can watch Tour de France for free since every race will be broadcast live on ITV. As such, you’ll be able to stream the tournament online via ITV Hub. To find out when races are broadcast, check the ITV TV Guide. Cycling fans in Wales can watch live via S4C.
The UK government also states that you need a TV License in order to view live content through the web. ITV doesn’t verify that you have a TV License, however, you do need to enter a UK postal code (any will work) in order to create an account and watch live online. Of course, watching abroad requires a UK IP address.
Australia
Every moment of the 2021 Tour de France can be watched on SBS. This broadcaster’s online platform, SBS On Demand, will allow you to view the races free of charge and, contrary to its name, offers a free live stream. You will have to create an account beforehand, though.
SBS is geo-blocked, so you’ll have to be in Australia or connected to an Australian VPN server to watch anything.
Free Tour de France streams in other languages
Not satisfied with just the English streaming options? There are several other networks around the world providing free live streaming options. You can access these via a VPN as well.
- Germany: ARD
- Switzerland: SRF (German), RSI (Italian), RTS (French), RTR (Romansh)
- Belgium: RTBF (French), VRT (Dutch)
- Spain: RTVE
- Italy: RaiPlay
How to watch Tour De France 2021 on Kodi
If you want to watch the Tour de France on your television using a TV device, you probably can’t or don’t want to use a web browser. So here is how to use Kodi to watch the Tour de France, using Kodi addons from the official repository.
Zattoo Box
The Zattoo Box Kodi addon will allow you to see all of Zattoo’s programming through the convenient Kodi interface. To install it, just click addons → download → video addons → Zattoo Box → install. After it finishes installing, right-click the addon and select information, then configure to find the login info menu. Put in your username and password and you’ll be ready to start watching.
RTS or SRF
The Swiss networks RTS and SRF can be viewed live through Kodi. You can find addons dedicated to both of these services in the Official Kodi Addon Repository. Both are free to install and use.
Irish TV Player
Ireland’s TG4 will have coverage of the Tour de France. You can watch TG4 live through Kodi using the Irish TV Player Kodi addon. This addon is available through the Official Kodi Addon Repository.
