How to watch Tour de France: live stream stages 16, 17 and 18
Watch Tour de France Stages 16, 17 and 18 live streams
Stages 16, 17 and 18 live stream: preview
Sensational, unprecedented, unbelievable even. No one, not a single person predicted the outcome of the Stage 16 time trial, it blew the race apart like an atom bomb.
The hilly course was always going to favour lighter riders with the long climb at the end but this didn’t stop the time trial specialists from going as hard as they could to try and take the win. First Remi Cavagna (Soudal–Quick-Step) and then Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) set the fastest times and took their place in the hot seat, waiting for the favourites to complete their rides.
Once Pogacar and Vingegaard set off all eyes were on them and separated after two weeks by just 10 seconds a close affair was expected. A close affair is not what we got though. After just four kilometres Vingegaard had already built a 16 second lead over his rival, a gap so large it had all the commentators questioning the time keeping. By the end, by the time Jonas Vingegaard crossed the line he had taken a gargantuan 1.38 out of Pogacar, who in turn took 1.13 out of third placed Wout Van Aert. Over just 22.4 kilometres this was simply mind blowing.
This all but seals the overall win for Vingegaard unless something equally dramatic happens over the remaining five stages and after this result, don’t count it out.
Stage 17 and it’s out of the frying pan and straight back into the fire with yet another giant mountain stage crossing the Col des Saisies, the gorgeous Cormet de Roselend and finishing in the ski town of Courchevel.
Before reaching Courchevel, though, the race has to cross the summit of the gargantuan 28km Cote de la Loze. Peaking at 2,304m, the summit is the high point of this year’s race and where the ‘Souvenir Henri Desgrange’ is awarded to the first rider over the top. The finish line isn’t though on top of the mountain but 6km down the other side, so expect a breathless descent to decide the winner.
Stage 18 and "thank heavens" say the sprinters as the race finally returns to the flat land so those who have survived get a chance to return to the front of the race rather than just trying to survive at the back.
Travelling from Moutiers to Bourg-en-Bresse, this transition stage takes the race towards the final phase and another step towards Paris. There is zero chance of a break away escaping far up the road as the sprinters teams will do everything in their power to control the pace right from the start.
The battle intensifies, then, with a time trial, a mountain stage and then something for the sprinters. You'd be mad not to tune in.
Below we've everything you need on how to watch the Tour de France 2023 from anywhere.
How to watch a FREE Tour de France live stream
One of the best things about the Tour de France is that it's completely free to watch in lots of countries around the world. For example:
UK – ITV4 and ITVX streaming service / S4C and S4C on BBC iPlayer
France – France TV Sport
Belgium – RTBF
Italy – Rai Sport
Australia – SBS
If you're from any of the countries listed above but you're abroad right now, don't worry about missing out on that free coverage. All you need to do is subscribe to a VPN to watch a free Tour de France live stream and re-connect to your home streaming coverage.
How to watch Tour de France 2023 from outside your country
If you're keen to watch the Tour de France but you're away from home and the coverage is geo-blocked, then you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised by how simple it is to do.
Use a VPN to get a Tour de France live stream from anywhere.
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Once you have it, all you need to do is turn on your VPN, select a server location back in your country, and then go to the broadcaster's website/app and watch as if you were back at home.
Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three...
1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN.
2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location.
3. Go to the broadcaster's live stream - so if you're from the UK, just head to ITVX and watch the cycling as if you were back at home!
How to watch a free Tour de France live stream in the UK
ITV always goes all-out with its coverage of the Tour de France, and cycling fans can watch every stage of the race for free on ITV4 in the UK.
Use a VPN to watch a Tour de France free live stream from abroad.
That means you can fire up a free Tour de France live stream on ITVX, which has an excellent app that's available on nearly everything that plugs in these days - just give it a search on your device, phone or console of choice.
More ways to watch the 2023 Tour de France:
Welsh-language coverage of the Tour de France is available from S4C, which is available to stream for FREE in Wales via BBC iPlayer.
And if you already subscribe to it, live Tour de France coverage is also available via the GCN+ Race Pass, which costs £6.99 per month or £39.99 per year and offers ad-free live coverage of loads of cycling events throughout the year.
If you’re out of the UK but still want to watch, make sure you install a VPN so you can continue accessing UK streaming services from anywhere.
How to watch Tour de France 2023: live stream cycling FREE in Australia
Cycling fans Down Under can also watch every stage of the Tour de France for free on SBS. The only catch is those brutal broadcast timings.
If you stay up late enough to tune in, you can also live stream Tour de France coverage on the free-to-use SBS On Demand platform.
As well as apps for Android and iOS, you can access SBS On Demand on Android TV, Amazon Fire TV stick, Apple TV and most smart TVs.
Outside Australia? Don't worry if you're out of the country and want to catch that free SBS live stream – just grab a VPN and you can watch the race as if you were back at home on your laptop, mobile or other TV streaming device.
USA: How to watch Tour de France live stream 2023 without cable
Every stage of the 2023 Tour de France is being shown on both USA Network and Peacock TV in the US.
Peacock costs just $4.99 a month for an ad-supported version of the service that also offers live coverage of every big WWE event, the NFL, Premiership Rugby, plus plenty more live sports. You also have the option of paying $10 a month for commercial-free coverage.
For those looking for USA Network, OTT streaming service Sling TV is a good option. You'll need its Sling Blue package which starts at $40 but, if you're new to the service, you can get your first month half-price.
Another over-the-top streaming service that includes USA Network is FuboTV. It's a much more comprehensive cable replacement, and carries more than 100 channels including Fox, CBS and ESPN.
Prices start at $74.99 a month after a FREE FuboTV trial.
If you subscribe to Sling, Peacock, or any other US streaming service and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN as outlined below - of the many options, we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best.
Related: how to watch Peacock from outside the US
How to watch 2023 Tour de France: live stream cycling in Canada
FloBikes is the place to watch live Tour de France coverage in Canada.
A subscription costs US$150 per year (roughly CA$190), which works out at US$12.50 per month (roughly CA$16).
Not in Canada to catch that FloBikes stream? Use a VPN to make sure you don't miss a moment.
How to watch 2023 Tour de France: live stream cycling in New Zealand
Sky Sport is the place to watch the 2023 Tour de France in New Zealand, though be warned that most of the action takes place in the dead of night.
If you're willing to stay late enough to tune in, Sky Sport subscribers can watch every stage online using the country's Sky Go service, while cord-cutters and anyone else can try the Sky Sport Now streaming-only platform. A pass costs $19.99 per week or $39.99 per month. The monthly package comes with a 7-day free trial.
Away from home? Use a VPN to watch a Tour de France live stream from abroad.
