How to Watch Tour de France 2021 Live Online
Le Grande Boucle anyone? If you’re familiar with the term, you’re a true cycling fan. Let’s sum it up. We’re talking about Tour de France 2021, which will commence from 26 June to 18 July 2021. However, although the race is popular around the globe, unfortunately, not everyone can watch Tour de France online in their country due to geo-restrictions. Despite such hitches, we happen to know a workaround to the issue. If you’re stuck without a way to watch the race live online, follow our guide and learn how to stream Tour de France 2021 anywhere.
Tour de France Streaming Channels
Tour de France has become very popular over the years. In fact, the event is considered to be the most prestigious cycling race in the world. How else can we explain it reaching more than 15 million spectators and 1 billion+ television viewers all over the world?
That aside, we have to ask: How are these viewers watching the race? Due to how grand the Tour de France is, a lot of big broadcasters are interested in purchasing the right to air it live.
So, before we head to the “how you can watch it” part, here are the 2021 Tour de France live streaming channels:
- ITV (UK)
- SBS (Australia)
- France TV (France)
- Sky Sport (New Zealand)
- Rai Play (Italy, Free)
- NBC Sports (USA)
- RTVE (Spain, Free)
- TV2 Play (Denmark)
- SuperSport (South Africa)
- DAZN (Japan)
- FloBikes (Canada)
- NBC Sports (USA)
- beIN Sport (The Middle East)
- Eurosport (Pan Europe)
The streaming channels above are geo-restricted to their own countries. In other words, they only operate inside these regions.
If you approach the service from a different country, it will block your access on the spot. You see, streaming services can determine your location by examining your IP address. But don’t worry, we’re going to fix this issue later on in this article.
First Step – Create your free ITV Account
If you want to unblock geo-restricted channels, you must use a VPN. To help you out, even more, I’m going to show you exactly how to do so. But we need an example, no? Why not make use of a free channel like ITV.
If you’re going to access any of these channels anyways, it better be a free one. Therefore, here’s how to create a free ITV account:
- Go to ITV’s official website.
- On the main page, click on the“Sign In”.
- After that, you’ll find two options. The obvious choice would be “Sign Up”.
- On the next page, you’ll be asked for your credentials. Enter whatever is required. As for Postcode, use this without quotations “WC1X 0AA”.
- Now, agree to ITV’s terms and conditions.
- Finally, select “Submit”.
Alright, so you have created an account. Wait for an email asking for confirmation. Follow the link in that email and you’ll successfully activate your free ITV account. But there’s more. Remember, having an account doesn’t give you access to the channel’s content. If you’re abroad, you will still get this geo-error message:
“We’re sorry. ITV Hub is only available to viewers in the UK.”
All that is about to change once you scroll down a bit further.
Watch Tour de France 2021 Live Online using VPN
I’ve tried to watch the race before and I had the same problem as you do now. However, I found a way to circumvent geo-restrictions. Before we begin, let me tell you what a VPN is.
A VPN is an internet tool that secures your data and hides your identity online. When you connect to a server, you’ll obtain an IP address valid in the country where the server is available. And that’s all you need.
If you connect to a UK server, you’ll appear as if you’re in the United Kingdom. That way, you get access to ITV no matter where you physically are.
Here’s how you can stream Tour de France on ITV anywhere:
- To kick it off, you need to subscribe to a credible VPN service. Based on reviews and personal experience, I recommend ExpressVPN.
- Download and install their VPN application on the device you wish to stream Tour de France on. You’ll find apps available on macOS, Windows PC, iPhone, iPad, as well as FireStick.
- Activate the VPN application and search for a UK server.
- Once you find one, hit connect.
- Now, launch ITV‘s website or use their dedicated application.
- Finally, stream the 2021 Tour de France from anywhere in the world on ITV.
If ITV isn’t your choice, you can follow the same process according to the channel’s location. You can access the likes of L’equipe, SBS, and Sportsnet if you connect to French, Australian, and Canadian servers respectively.
Now, let’s take a look at the best VPNs to watch Tour de France 2021 live online.
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How to Stream Live Free with Smart DNS
Alternatively, you can use Smart DNS proxy to unblock geo-restricted channels outside their area of coverage. Smart DNS reroutes the URLs that showcase your current location only. As a result, your IP address remains the same and no data encryption occurs. Of course, this one has a downside as it doesn’t protect you when you’re browsing the web.
However, with your IP intact, you get to keep your local channels fully functional even when you’re watching restricted channels from abroad.
You can watch the 2021 Tour de France live by following these steps:
- In my years as a reviewer, one Smart DNS service has caught my attention so far. That’ll be Unlocator.
- Sign up for their service and benefit from their 7-day free trial.
- After that, configure Smart DNS by following the Setup Guides presented on the website based on the platform you’re operating.
- Your final step would be to launch ITV or any other channel that you’ve chosen.
- Oh, one more thing, enjoy Tour de France anywhere.
If we were to speak about the best Smart DNS services to use, Unlocator would be at the top of the food chain. You get a 7-day free trial to test out their service. Not to mention that you’ll also be able to unlock more than 250 channels around the world. What more could a streamer ask for?
What You Need to Know About the Race
Here’s everything you need before you start watching the race live online:
Teams
These are the teams participating in the 2021 edition of Tour de France:
- AG2R Citroën Team
- Astana–Premier Tech
- Bora–Hansgrohe
- Cofidis
- Team DSM
- Deceuninck–Quick-Step
- EF Education–Nippo
- Groupama–FDJ
- Ineos Grenadiers
- Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux
- Israel Start-Up Nation
- Lotto–Soudal
- Movistar Team
- Team Bahrain Victorious
- Team BikeExchange
- Team Jumbo–Visma
- Team Qhubeka Assos
- Trek–Segafredo
- UAE Team Emirates
The UCI Tour Teams include Alpecin–Fenix, Arkéa–Samsic, B&B Hotels p/b KTM, and Total Direct Énergie.
Schedule
Below the full schedule of the 2021 Tour de France:
June 26
-
Brest to Landerneau
June 27
- Perros-Guirec to Mûr-de-Bretagne (Guerlédan)
June 28
-
Lorient to Pontivy
June 29
-
Redon to Fougères
June 30
- Changé to Laval
July 1
- Tours to Châteauroux
July 2
- Vierzon to Le Creusot
July 3
- Oyonnax to Le Grand-Bornand
July 4
- Cluses to Tignes
July 6
- Albertville to Valence
July 7
-
Sorgues to Malaucène
July 8
-
Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Nîmes
July 9
-
Nîmes to Carcassonne
July 10
-
Carcassonne to Quillan
July 11
-
Céret to Andorra la Vella (Andorra)
July 13
- El Pas de la Casa (Andorra) to Saint-Gaudens
July 14
- Muret to Saint-Lary-Soulan (Col de Portet)
July 15
-
Pau to Luz Ardiden
July 16
-
Mourenx to Libourne
July 17
-
Libourne to Saint-Émilion
July 18
-
Chatou to Paris (Champs-Élysées)
Le Tour de France 2021 Route Map
Want to see how the road goes in this cycling race? Check out the map below:
The Official Preview
Here’s a quick look at what the route looks like:
How to Watch Tour de France 2021 Free Live Online?
Just like the guide above stated, there is no shortage of free official Tour de France streaming channels. Just in case you live in a region where these channels are geo-blocked, all you need is a geo-spoofing service such as ExpressVPN, BulletVPN, or Unlocator. Let me know which one you decided to go with and if it met your expectations come July 6th in the comment section below.
I have my VPN on and based in UK . I have an account with ITV….When I try to get the ITV app for my Android tablet I get a not available in your country …I am in Canada and want to watch the tour de France !! What do I do ??
Hello Kenn. You need to change your Google Play Store region to UK first. See this guide for more info: https://thevpn.guru/change-google-play-store-region-country-vpn-help
Ok,
I am making progress! I discovered ITV tdf episodes do have Chromecast icon! I start watching using the ITV app on my iPhone which I downloaded from the UK App Store via my VPN set to London. I tap the Chromecast icon. The ITV logo and colored dots appear on my TV! But I get an error message (‘oops something went wrong’) when I press play to start the video. I’m guessing it is because the wifi running the Chromecast is not seeing the VPN (Chromecast directions say that the Chromecast/TV and the device you are casting from must be on the same wifi.) So, now that I know ITV DOES have Chromecast, how do I make my Chromecast connect to my VPN? (I subscribe to PIA VPN). I’m a novice so as clear and basic an explanation as you might be able to provide me on this would be appreciated. Thanks!!
I can stream tdf on my phone using a VPN & ITV but I would like to cast it to my tv. To do this I need the ITV app which I cannot download from the UK App Store without a UK issued credit card. Is there an inexpensive app I can buy on the US App Store that will allow me to cast the tour to my TV? Thanks.
Hi Laura. You can actually create a free UK Apple ID without the need for a credit card. Just follow this guide https://thevpn.guru/change-itunes-app-store-region-usa-iphone-ipad-download-apps-no-credit-card
Thanks Charles. That example was to change to US App Store but I assume the steps are the same to change to the UK store. Is there a way to do this without a Mac or a PC? Currently I only have access to my iPad & iPhone. Thanks again.
Yes, use the same steps but choose UK as your new location. Try using your iPad’s browser to complete the process. Visit https://appleid.apple.com/account to get started.
I’m striking out. I (think) I followed the steps, successfully set up a new Apple ID to use in the UK App Store, but when I tried to download the ITV app, got an error message ‘The Apple ID is only valid for purchases in the US iTunes store’. Thinking maybe iTunes knows my ‘new UK’ email address is really a US address?
Have you signed in using the new Apple ID?
Yes, but because I stupidly used my US iTunes account alias Apple ID as the ‘new’ Apple ID on the UK iTunes store, Apple kicked me out of the U.K. Store and sent me back to the US Store. Once I figured that out I was about to set up an entirely new (3rd) Apple ID to use on the UK store but then I read the ITV app doesn’t work with Chromecast, is that true?
Yeah, I am afraid it’s true.