The world's most famous road cycling event is back for its 110th year. This year's Tour de France is bringing us a handful of new stage changes, with a dozen new stage towns and only one individual time trial rather than two. Everything kick offs at the beginning of July in Bilbao (Spain)(opens in a new tab), and you can watch the events unfold right from the comfort of your couch.
Here's everything you need to know to tune in to this year's event.
When is the 2023 Tour de France?
The riders will embark on the first stage of the Tour de France on July 1 and complete one stage per day over the span of three weeks (with two rest days on July 10 and July 17). The race will finish, as it has since 1975, on the street of Champs-Élysées in Paris on July 23.
Can you watch the 2023 Tour de France for free?
U.S.-based cycling fans can watch every stage of the Tour de France for free through a few different global streaming platforms. All you need is a VPN and a teensy bit of computer skills.
The three main free live streams include France-based France TV(opens in a new tab) (French commentary), Belgium-based RTBF(opens in a new tab) (French commentary), and UK-based ITVX(opens in a new tab) (English commentary). Because these streaming services are based in other countries, you'll need to login through a VPN in order to access them for free in the U.S. It's not as complicated as it sounds, though. It breaks down into just three basic steps:
Download and sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN of your choosing (check out our top picks below).
Log into the VPN and choose a server based in France, Belgium, or the UK (depending on the stream you prefer from above).
Head over to France TV(opens in a new tab), RTBF(opens in a new tab), or ITVX(opens in a new tab) on your browser and enjoy your free stream.
While these streams are all free to watch, you will have to pay a small fee for the VPN itself to access them. So, technically, when all is said and done, it's not completely free (is anything?). But the good news is VPNs are very affordable and can serve you longterm. They also tend to offer money-back guarantees, free trials, and significant discounts.
Which VPN is best for streaming the Tour de France?
When it comes to selecting a VPN, especially if you're new to the VPN world, things can get a little tricky. There are, quite frankly, just too many options. You'll want to look at the terms and conditions, the speed, performance, and price, and perhaps most importantly for streaming purposes, the server locations. To make your life a little easier (and save you loads of time sorting through VPNs), we've done the grunt work for you and rounded up our top picks.
Here are our favorite VPNs for streaming the Tour de France live.
Best overall: ExpressVPN(opens in a new tab)
Mashable contributor Branford Shaw took ExpressVPN(opens in a new tab) for a test drive and said that it is "totally worth the cost." He notes that it's "easy to use, it works well, and there's ample support available whenever you need it." All of these perks fare well for newbies. Not to mention, it offers over 3,000 servers across the globe, including in Belgium, France, and the UK, making it a breeze to stream the Tour de France 2023. It regularly tops our lists of the best VPNs and it's currently offering one year plus three months for just $6.67/month — that's 49% off its usual cost.
Read our full review of ExpressVPN.
Most affordable: CyberGhost VPN(opens in a new tab)
For those looking for a cheap VPN that's easy to use, CyberGhost(opens in a new tab) is one of our favorites due to its low cost, dedicated streaming servers, huge network, and annual Transparency Reports(opens in a new tab). It offers over 200 servers in Belgium, nearly 900 in France, and 755 in the UK. So, you have a massive selection for streaming the Tour de France live. And perhaps our favorite thing about CyberGhost is there are no hidden fees. As Mashable shopping reporter Haley Henschel noted, "The rate you see at signup is the rate you'll pay forever."
Read our full review of CyberGhost VPN.
Best premium pick: NordVPN(opens in a new tab)
An industry leader with advanced security features, NordVPN(opens in a new tab) regularly makes best VPN lists. It's probably not the top pick for newbies, but it's definitely worth mentioning if you've got a little more computer know-how. It offers split tunneling, multi-hop connection, and built-in malware protection. Not to mention, a huge network of over 5,000 servers in 60 different countries, including Belgium, France, and the UK. It's currently just $3.29/month for two years plus three months, but if you add on features, it can get expensive fairly quick.
Read our full review of NordVPN.
Honorable mention: Proton VPN(opens in a new tab)
Proton VPN has you covered to stream RTBF, ITVX, or France TV with plenty of servers in the UK, France, and Belgium. It may not be the biggest or most powerful VPN on the list, but it's worth mentioning for its commitment to consumer privacy, 30-day money-back guarantee, transparent company policies, and relatively low price. Currently, it's running a deal for just $4.99/month for two years.
Read (opens in a new tab)our full review of ProtonVPN.
Other ways to watch the 2023 Tour de France
VPNs may not be the best option for everyone. If you're looking for something simpler, Peacock will be streaming ever stage of the Tour de France via its Premium subscription. You can also subscribe to a cord-cutting service like Sling or YouTube TV to tune into NBC networks live. These services tend to cost a lot more than a basic streaming service, but offer you a longterm live TV viewing option.
If you just want to watch the Tour de France and then go back to a screen-free existence, grab a month's subscription to Peacock, then cancel before your next payment. Prefer a longterm streaming solution for other live sporting events? A cord-cutting live TV streaming service like YouTube TV is your best bet. Regularly want to tune into live events in other countries and regions? A VPN will certainly serve you well.
Here are the best streaming deals for watching the 2023 Tour de France in the U.S.
Best overall: Peacock Premium(opens in a new tab)
A subscription to Peacock(opens in a new tab) is your best option for watching every stage of the Tour de France on your own terms. It's the exclusive streaming home(opens in a new tab) for the Tour and offers live and on-demand access to all of the stages. You'll also be able to access daily pre- and post-race studio coverage, race highlights, and rider interviews. The best part? You can sign up for a single month and cancel if you wish — it'll only cost you $4.99 if you don't mind ads.
For a better deal and footage of other cycling events, including Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Critérium du Dauphiné, Vuelta a España, and Paris Tours, you can sign up for an entire year of Peacock Premium for only $19.99 with the code N2TEWDZZ at the time of writing. That's a $30 discount for your first year — the price will jump back up to $49.99 when your subscription renews, unless you cancel first.
Best cable alternative: Sling Blue(opens in a new tab)
Sling isn't the most well-rounded cord-cutting option, but it's definitely the most affordable. And if you choose the Blue plan(opens in a new tab), you'll get access to NBC networks (NBC, NBC Sports, USA), which will be airing the Tour de France live. Wait until the first stage kicks off on July 1 to sign up and you'll pay just $20 to watch every stage. Cancel before your month is up to avoid charges the next month when they jump back up to $40/month. And since most stages start hella early in the day in the U.S., you'll also get 50 hours of DVR storage to record the races from start to finish and watch when it makes sense to you.
Runner up cable alternative: YouTube TV(opens in a new tab)
While it's not as affordable as Sling, YouTube TV(opens in a new tab) offers a massive channel catalog, a generous 10-day trial period, and a $8/month discount for your first three months. You can also cancel at any time. To watch the entire Tour de France, you'll end up having to pay $64.99 for a whole month. With that price, however, you'll also get access to over 100 other free channels, exclusive sports features, unlimited DVR space, and three simultaneous streams. It's one of the most well-rounded cord-cutting options around and regularly tops our list of favorites.
Honorable mentions:
FuboTV(opens in a new tab) — 7-day free trial, then $74.99/month
Hulu + Live TV(opens in a new tab) — $69.99/month
DirecTV Stream(opens in a new tab) — starting at $64.99/month
