How to watch Tour de France 2021 online

On the 26th of June, 23 teams started Tour de France 2021 at Brest and are on their way to Landerneau. While the race has fans worldwide, the Tour de France stream won't be available in all countries. However, we have the perfect solution for you – a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

While mainly used for security and privacy, VPNs unblock all regions the competition is streamed in. This means that you can watch Tour de France 2021 at home even if it's unavailable in your country.

Below is everything you need to know about watching the Tour de France 2021 online with a VPN, regardless of your location and the device you want to watch it on.

How to watch Tour de France online with a VPN: a quick guide

To watch the Tour de France 2021 online without a cable using a VPN, you have to go through the following steps:

1. Get a VPN. Some of the best results I got were with NordVPN, now 72% OFF!
2. Connect to a VPN server in a country that is an official broadcaster.
3. Connect to a streaming service. We recommend NBC Sports for US viewers or ITV for the UK.
4. Enjoy watching!

Visit NordVPN

Why do you need a VPN to stream Tour de France

The 2021 TDF has a list of official broadcasters that have exclusive streaming rights. As a result, no other streaming service will show the event. So your only option is to access a streaming service that is one of the competition’s official broadcasters.

However, that poses another problem. What if all the official broadcasters are not accessible in your region? Well, that’s how a VPN can help – it bypasses geo-blocking and lets you choose any channel from the list. By installing and using a VPN, you make it seem that you’re from the UK or another region where the blackouts are non-existent.

Top streaming services to watch Tour de France 2021 online

You can watch the TDF 2021 on France TV, ITV, NBC Sports Gold, and many other streaming services. Some of them are listed down below:

• Hulu + Live TV – $64.99/month
• Fubo TV – $64.99/month
• Sling TV – $30/month
• YouTube TV – $64.99/month
• AT&T TV Now (formerly DirectTV) – $59.99/month
• FloBikes – $12.99/month

What happens when none of the streaming services above are available in your country? You find a premium Tour de France VPN and switch to a location where the race is available.

Here are a few streaming services that broadcast the event and our recommended VPNs to unblock them.

• ESPN – while only American viewers can access this service, NordVPN will unblock it for everyone.
• Hulu + Live TV – this service is exclusive to the United States, and not all VPNs can unblock it. ExpressVPN can, though.
• YouTube TV – this is not a difficult streaming service to unblock, which is why you can use a cheaper VPN, such as Surfshark.

Related articles:

• Watch ITV in the USA
• How to watch ESPN from anywhere
• Best VPNs for Hulu

While the streaming services you see above come with a free trial that lasts a week, keep in mind that the tournament has 21 stages happening in 23 days. The free trial won’t be enough, so be prepared to open your wallet.

Word of caution: do not access websites that stream the tournament for free. When something’s too good to be true, it usually is. Illegal streamers typically require your personal information, and you don’t know where it’s going to end up. It’s best if you visit the event’s official website and check the Official Broadcasters menu in the top-left corner.

How to stream Tour de France 2021 from your country

Watching the Tour de France 2021 can be different from one country to the other. So, if you go on vacation or travel abroad for work during that time, you may hit a geo-blocking wall. With a VPN, however, you can easily break it down.

Below, you’ll find instructions on watching the competition online with a VPN in Canada, the US, and the UK.

Stream Tour de France in Canada

The official Tour de France 2021 broadcaster in Canada is FloBikes. All you have to do is get a subscription for $12.99/month. It allows you to stream on one device. For an additional $5, you can stream on four different devices.

Here is what you have to do if you travel outside of Canada and still want to watch the competition:

1. Download and install a VPN on your laptop, phone, or tablet. Our pick is NordVPN, now 72% off.
2. Connect to a Canadian server.
3. Open FloBikes and enjoy!

Stream Tour de France in the US

Tour de France 2021 is available on NBC Sports in the US, which is included in different streaming services, such as Hulu +Live TV or YouTube TV. Both Hulu and YouTube charge $64.99/month for a subscription. If you’re looking for cheaper alternatives, NBC is also available on Sling TV’s Blue, the most affordable package. It costs only $30/month.

When you travel to a country whose access to the competition is restricted, you can still watch TDF 2021. Here’s how:

1. Download and install a VPN on whatever device you have with you (laptop, phone, tablet). We had great results with NordVPN.
2. Connect to a US server.
3. Open the US streaming service and watch the competition from abroad.

Stream Tour de France in the UK

In the UK, the official Tour de France broadcaster is ITV. If you don’t already have an ITV Hub+ subscription, know that it costs only £3.99/month. Just sign up, sit back, and enjoy the race.

If during the competition you’re not in the UK, you can still watch Tour de France 2021 on ITV. Here’s what you have to do:

1. Download and install a VPN on your device. We suggest NordVPN.
2. Connect to a UK server.
3. Open ITV in your browser or via the mobile app and enjoy the tournament.

Watch Tour de France 2021 without cable from anywhere

If you’re from a country other than the ones listed above, check if the TDF 2021 is broadcasted in your region. If not, you can use a VPN and access a streaming service that broadcasts the event. For example, it can be ESPN or NBC Sports.

How to watch Tour de France on your device

If you live in a country where Tour de France is not restricted, things are easy as long as you have a subscription to the right streaming service. However, if you live elsewhere, a VPN can solve the geo-blocking problem.

Check our recommended VPNs for various devices:

Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)

• Best VPNs for Windows
• Best VPNs for macOS
• Best VPNs for Linux

Mobile (Android, iPhone)

• Best VPNs for iOS
• Best VPNs for Android

Streaming

• Best VPNs for Kodi
• Best VPNs for Fire Stick
• Best VPNs for Roku

Smart TV

• Best VPNs for Smart TV

The steps for streaming TDF 2021 on the most common devices are provided below.

Watch the Tour de France race on PC

Whether you want to watch TDF online on Windows or Mac, the steps are pretty much the same.

1. Download and install a VPN on your computer. Our recommendation is NordVPN.
2. Connect to a VPN server in a country that streams the event.
3. Log in to the streaming service that you have subscribed to and enjoy!

Watch the Tour de France stream on your phone

To watch Tour de France 2021 on your phone, use a VPN for Android and iOS devices. The steps are similar for both platforms:

1. Download a VPN and install it on your phone. For Android and iOS users, we recommend NordVPN.
2. Choose an IP address from a country that streams the cycling event.
3. Connect to your preferred streaming service and enjoy!

Watch Tour de France stream on Kodi

Kodi is a free media player you can use to watch the TDF 2021 without cable on your smart TV. It has add-ons for approximately 30 streaming services, including some that stream the cycling competition. Here’s how to bypass the geo-restrictions:

1. Download and install a VPN on your router or computer. We recommend NordVPN for Kodi users.
2. Connect to a server in a country where Tour de France is available.
3. Go to Kodi’s repository and search for your preferred streaming service’s add-on.
4. Install the add-on on Kodi.
5. Connect Kodi to the router or computer on which you installed the VPN.
6. Open the add-on and log in. If you don’t have an account, create one first.
7. Enjoy the competition!

Watch Tour de France stream on Roku

Here’s what you have to do to watch the Tour de France 2021 on your Roku device:

1. Download and install a VPN on your router or computer that can create a hotspot. Once again, we recommend NordVPN for Roku users.
2. Connect to a US server.
3. Go to Roku Channel Store. Download and install NBC Sports.
4. Insert your NBC login credentials.
5. Connect your Roku device to the router or laptop on which you installed the VPN.
6. Watch TDF 2021 on Roku!

Watch the Tour de France stream on smart TV

In case you want to watch the tournament on your smart TV, be it an LG, Samsung, or any other brand, here are the steps you must follow:

1. Change the region of your smart TV to an area where the TDF 2021 is available. For instructions on how to do that, check the brand’s website.
2. Download and install a VPN on your router. NordVPN is our favorite.
3. Connect your smart TV to the router.
4. In the smart TV’s app store, look for an app that streams Tour de France. Download and install it.
5. Sign in to your streaming service. Create an account first if you don’t have one.
6. Enjoy the event on your smart TV.

Note: when you want to use a VPN for streaming purposes only, you can use the Smart DNS feature. The connection will be faster because your traffic won't be encrypted. Additionally, Smart DNS lets you use a VPN on unsupported devices, such as game consoles.

How to choose a VPN to watch Tour de France online

Choosing a VPN to watch the Tour de France is easy as long as you are aware of what to look for.  Here are the primary factors to consider:

• Paid vs. free VPN – a free VPN will most likely sell your data online, and your connection will be slow. Therefore, always go for paid VPNs.
• No-logs policy – ensuring anonymity is crucial when it comes to VPNs.
• The more servers, the better – usually, the server fleet size impacts how fast your connection will be. Also, check whether the VPN has servers in your desired country.

Our Top 3 VPNs for watching Tour de France:

1. NordVPN – top-rated VPN with over 5,200 servers and the fastest speeds.
2. Surfshark – has over 3,200 servers and offers top performance for a small price.
3. ExpressVPN – easy-to-use VPN with 3,000+ servers and Smart DNS feature.

Tour de France overview

Tour de France 2021 started on the 26^th of June in Brest and ends on the 18^th of July in Champs-Élysées, Paris. Twenty-three teams will go through 21 stages to win one of the longest tours in history that spans over 3,383 kilometers (2102 mi).

2021 Tour de France schedule

Here is the Tour de France schedule for all stages with dates and distances.

Stage	Date	Course	Distance
1	June 26	Brest to Landerneau	198 km (123 mi)
2	June 27	Perros-Guirec to Mûr-de-Bretagne (Guerlédan)	183.5 km (114.0 mi)
3	June 28	Lorient to Pontivy	183 km (114 mi)
4	June 29	Redon to Fougères	150.5 km (93.5 mi)
5	June 30	Changé to Laval	27.2 km (16.9 mi)
6	July 1	Tours to Châteauroux	161 km (100 mi)
7	July 2	Vierzon to Le Creusot	249.5 km (155.0 mi)
8	July 3	Oyonnax to Le Grand-Bornand	151 km (94 mi)
9	July 4-5	Cluses to Tignes / Tignes	145 km (90 mi)
10	July 6	Albertville to Valence	191 km (119 mi)
11	July 7	Sorgues to Malaucène	199 km (124 mi)
12	July 8	Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Nîmes	159.5 km (99.1 mi)
13	July 9	Nîmes to Carcassonne	220 km (140 mi)
14	July 10	Carcassonne to Quillan	184 km (114 mi)
15	July 11-12	Céret to Andorra la Vella (Andorra) / Andorra la Vella (Andorra)	191.5 km (119.0 mi)
16	July 13	El Pas de la Casa (Andorra) to Saint-Gaudens	169 km (105 mi)
17	July 14	Muret to Saint-Lary-Soulan (Col de Portet)	178.5 km (110.9 mi)
18	July 15	Pau to Luz Ardiden	130 km (81 mi)
19	July 16	Mourenx to Libourne	207 km (129 mi)
20	July 17	Libourne to Saint-Émilion	30.8 km (19.1 mi)
21	July 18	Chatou to Paris (Champs-Élysées)	108.5 km (67.4 mi)

Top 10 Tour de France contenders

In 2020, the event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That didn’t stop Tadej Pogačar from occupying the first position in the competition. This year, the Top 10 contenders to the title are:

1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)
2. Primoz Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)
3. Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious)
4. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo)
5. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ)
6. Steven Kruijswijk (Jumbo-Visma)
7. Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic)
8. Vincenzo Nibali (Trek-Segafredo)
9. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis)
10. Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers)

Let us know who you think will take home the trophy this year.

For more news and updates about the event, check out the official website or Twitter account. And, if you tried watching Tour de France in the past with a VPN and things didn’t go as planned, let us know in the comments. We might help you avoid the issue this year.

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