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The Tour de France is set to make its eagerly-awaited return this weekend, with some of the world's most talented cyclists taking center stage. Known as the pinnacle of cycling, Tour de France is an annual multiple-stage bicycle race held in France. It is one of the three Grand Tours, along with the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana.
The Tour de France was first held all the way back in 1903, and there have been a total of 107 editions since then, making this year's race the 108th edition of the event.
The Tour de France consists of 21 day-long stages happening over 23 days, much like the other Grand Tours. Some of the world's most popular riders from all over the world compete in this prestigious race as they fight for the famous yellow jacket.
The Tour de France is considered one of the hardest tours in cycling, and the winners often end up becoming legends in their field - so the next three weeks will no doubt be a treat for all cycling fans. Ahead of the Tour de France's start, we have all the information you need on how to watch it live from anywhere in the world without cable.
The 2021 Tour de France debuts on July 26, 2021, and will be streamed live in the United States on the NBC network.
It has a busy schedule with non-stop cycling spread over 23 days. The cyclists involved will cover a total distance of 3,417.5Â km or 2,124Â mi, and the event will take them from Brest to Paris.
This year's Tour de France will see its longest stage since 2000, with 249 km on Stage 7. This year's event also features ten new sites and two individual time trials, as well as 8 flat, 5 hilly, and 6 mountain stages. There will also be two rest days for the riders involved. The 2021 Tour de France will end on July 18. Below we have the complete schedule and route for all the stages of the 2021 Tour de France.
With the Tour de France being one of the most important races in the cycling calendar, some of the world's best and most renowned cyclists participate in the event. And this year's event will be no different, as a total of 184 of the world's most talented cyclists will take part as they look to cement their names in history.
Leading the way will be reigning champion Tadej Pogacar, who won last year's Tour de France in stunning fashion. He is still only 22 and could become one of the all-time great cyclists if he continues the steep rise his potential suggests. He will be racing for the UAE-Team Emirates and will have an even stronger team around him this year.
Primoz Roglic came close to winning the Tour de France last year, and he will no doubt want to taste success this time around. He won the Vuelta a Espana last year and will be hoping to win the Tour de France with Team Jumbo-Visma.
2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas returns to action this year with the Ineos Grenadiers. The veteran will certainly be aiming to fight it out for the yellow jacket. Ineos Grenadiers teammates Tao Geoghegan Hart and Richard Carapaz, and Richie Porte could also be in contention.
Veteran rider and world-renowned cyclist Mark Cavendish has enjoyed quite a resurgence in recent months. He could certainly be one to watch this year. Team Bike-Exchange's Simon Yates is another idea who could contest for stage victories. Also returning to action will be Chris Froome, who has won the Tour de France four times. However, the Briton will be racing in support of Michael Woods for Israel Start-Up Nation this time around.
If you are traveling away from the country or live elsewhere, you may need to find a solution since NBC's coverage will be geo-blocked.
The solution to that is getting a VPN, which would make it seem as if you are in the United States. A virtual location would allow you to watch the Tour de France without any trouble or restrictions.
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If you live in the United States, you can stream or watch all 21 stages of the event from start to finish on the NBC Network. Coverage will be available on-demand on the Peacock streaming service, as well as the NBCSN.
But another way to watch the Tour de France and other sporting events online is with the help of a streaming service since many are broadcasting events from all over the world. The biggest advantage here is that you can enjoy watching your favorite sporting events wherever you may be and on your desired devices since you no longer need to rush home to watch your favorite sports live on TV. Below are some of the streaming services you can use to watch the 2021 Tour de France live.
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At the top of our list we have fuboTV, which is a great platform for all sports fans since it has dozens of dedicated channels that will make it a must-have.
FuboTV contains three bundle packs: Starter ($64.99/month), Pro ($64.99/month), and Elite ($79.99/month). NBCSN is available as part of all three packs, so you can select the one that meets your needs. For more information on fuboTV, you can read our review here.
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Sling TV is another great option for those looking for a streaming service that allows them to customize their channels as per their requirements. It is also easy to use and has become increasingly popular in recent years.
Sling TV has three available bundles that you can choose from: Blue ($35/month), Orange ($35/month), and Orange + Blue ($50/month), and they come with different perks. NBCSN is available in the Blue and the Orange + Blue packs. There are several other great advantages of Sling TV, and you can find out more about it by reading our review here.
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If you need another alternative, then look no further than Hulu + Live TV to watch the 2021 Tour de France. It was initially launched as an on-demand video platform to broadcast TV shows and movies, but now it also has its Live TV service that includes some of the world's most popular channels.
A monthly Hulu + Live TV subscription will cost you $64.99, which is a great deal considering you get two platforms in one for a relatively good price. NBCSN is included in the list of available channels on Hulu. There are a total of 60+ channels on the list. For more information, read our review of Hulu + Live TV.
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Another option is YouTube TV, which is another excellent platform that allows users to watch some of their favorite TV channels. It only offers one bundle that features over 85 channels, but the list includes NBC Sports, so you will be able to get unrestricted access to the Tour de France and other sporting events. YouTube TV has a monthly subscription fee of $64.99, and you can read more about the premium channels and other perks in our YouTube TV review.