Pro CyclingUpdated May 15, 2026
The Cheapest Way to Watch the Tour de France and Pro Cycling in 2026
Every legal way to watch the 2026 Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España and the wider pro cycling calendar — free options on French TV, plus the cheapest streaming options worldwide.
By Matchcast Editorial · Published
Broadcasters
7
Free options
Yes
Coverage
Global
Pro cycling 2026 — Grand Tours and Monuments
Professional cycling has three Grand Tours per year: the Giro d'Italia (May, 21 stages), the Tour de France (July, 21 stages) and the Vuelta a España (August-September, 21 stages). Plus five Monuments — Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardia — and a calendar of WorldTour stage races and one-day classics.
The Tour de France is the marquee event with the largest global TV audience. Each stage runs 4-7 hours of live coverage during the afternoon. Three weeks of daily coverage means cycling has more live broadcast hours per Grand Tour than almost any other sporting event.
France — France Télévisions free, every stage
France 2 and France 3 carry every stage of the Tour de France live and free in France, with comprehensive English-language commentary alternative on the streaming app. France 2 also carries every Monument and major French stage race free.
For the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España, Eurosport via Discovery+ Premium at €30.99/month is required.
For French viewers, the Tour de France is essentially free — one of the best free sports coverage arrangements in modern media.
United Kingdom — ITVX free for Tour de France, Discovery+ for everything else
ITV4 and ITVX carry the Tour de France free in the UK — every stage live and free with comprehensive English commentary.
For the Giro and Vuelta, Discovery+ Premium at £30.99/month (which includes Eurosport) is the only UK option.
For UK cycling fans, the cheapest "watch every Grand Tour" path is ITVX (free, Tour de France only) plus Discovery+ Premium for the months covering the Giro and Vuelta.
United States — Peacock and FloBikes
Peacock at $7.99/month carries the Tour de France in the United States with NBC Sports commentary. The Disney Bundle does not include cycling.
FloBikes at $30/month carries the Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España, Spring Classics and most non-Tour de France major races — comprehensive but expensive.
For a US cycling fan, Peacock for the Tour de France month plus FloBikes for the Giro and Vuelta months is the best combination.
Australia, worldwide and the GCN+ legacy
Australia: SBS broadcasts every stage of the Tour de France free in Australia, with Eurosport / Discovery+ Premium at A$15/month for the Giro and Vuelta.
Germany: ARD/ZDF broadcasts the Tour de France free in alternating years.
Netherlands: NOS broadcasts the Tour de France free.
Belgium: VRT and RTBF broadcast the Tour de France free.
The GCN+ streaming service that previously carried global cycling rights closed in 2023 and was absorbed into Discovery+ / Eurosport. For cycling fans, the new path globally is Discovery+ Premium / Max with B/R Sports — depending on country.
Worldwide for hardcore fans, FloBikes at $30/month is the most comprehensive product — every WorldTour race plus most second-tier races.
Cheapest legal cycling paths globally
Cheapest legitimate cycling routes globally:
- France: France Télévisions (free) for Tour de France + Discovery+ Premium for the rest.
- UK: ITVX (free) for Tour de France + Discovery+ Premium for Giro/Vuelta.
- Australia: SBS (free) for Tour de France + Discovery+ Premium for the rest.
- US: Peacock $7.99/mo for Tour de France + FloBikes $30/month for Giro/Vuelta/Classics.
- Germany / Netherlands / Belgium: Free public broadcaster coverage of Tour de France + Discovery+ Premium for everything else.
The Tour de France itself is essentially free in most major Western European markets and Australia — a remarkable contrast to most other major sporting events. The cheapest approach for casual fans worldwide is to focus on the Tour de France free coverage and ignore the Giro/Vuelta (or watch highlights).
Pro Cycling Broadcasters
- VisitFrance Télévisions (France)FreeFree over-the-air
Every stage of every major French race + Tour de France.
- VisitITVX (UK)FreeFree (ad-supported)
Every Tour de France stage live in the UK.
- VisitSBS (Australia)FreeFree over-the-air
Every Tour de France stage live in Australia.
- VisitNOS (Netherlands)FreeFree over-the-air
Every Tour de France stage live in the Netherlands.
- VisitPeacock (US)Streaming$7.99/mo
Tour de France coverage in the US.
- VisitDiscovery+ Premium / Eurosport (UK/EU/AU)Streaming£30.99/mo (UK), A$15/mo (AU)
Giro, Vuelta, Monuments and most non-Tour races.
- VisitFloBikes (US/Canada)Streaming$30/mo
Most comprehensive cycling product. Giro, Vuelta, Spring Classics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Tour de France really free to watch in Europe?
Yes — France Télévisions, ITV, SBS Australia, NOS Netherlands, VRT/RTBF Belgium and ARD/ZDF Germany all broadcast every Tour de France stage live and free. This makes the Tour de France one of the most accessible major sports broadcasts globally.
What is the cheapest way to watch the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España?
In Europe, Discovery+ Premium / Eurosport at £30.99/month (UK) or €30.99/month (EU). In the US, FloBikes at $30/month is the only consistent option. Subscribing for just the months containing the races and cancelling afterwards keeps cost down.
Why does ITV stop carrying the Giro and Vuelta?
ITV historically carried the Tour de France due to the broad public interest in that specific race. The Giro and Vuelta have smaller English-speaking audiences and the rights have been concentrated with Eurosport for many years.
Can I watch cycling for free in the US?
Live, no — Peacock at $7.99/month is the cheapest legal Tour de France option in the US. Highlights are widely available free on the official Tour de France YouTube channel.
Can I use a VPN to watch cycling free?
A VPN connecting to France, the UK, Australia, Netherlands or Belgium gives free access to the comprehensive Tour de France coverage on those countries' public broadcasters. The Giro and Vuelta require a paid subscription almost everywhere.