How to Live Stream the 2019 Tour De France

(Image credit: Jean Catuffe / Getty Images)

Colombia's Egan Bernal is expected to roll into (and out of) today's final stage of the Tour de France with the win. But we don't just skip sporting events when there's a presumed winner. We stay til the end. 

For bicyclists around the world, or simply those who enjoy a major sporting event, the Tour de France is also an opportunity to see how some of the best athletes in the world can succeed in such an arduous task.

But actually finding the Tour de France on television or a streaming service might not be as simple as you think. And if you want to catch every minute, it might not be as simple as watching some other major sporting events.

Here’s a look at how to watch the event when you’re home or mobile:

Where can I live stream the 2019 Tour de France in the US?

Believe it or not, Americans don't have the easy-breezy way to watch the 2019 Tour de France they're used to, as the event won't be on NBC. Instead, you need to be paying for a decent cable or satellite package, or live-streaming TV service, to catch it on NBC Sports. 

NBC Sports is on Sling TV's Blue package ($25 per month), Hulu + Live TV ($45 per month), YouTube TV ($50 per month), DirecTV Now ($50 per month) and PS Vue's Core package ($55 per month) and FuboTV ($55 per month).

Where can I live stream the 2019 Tour de France outside of the US?

In the UK, the Tour de France is streaming on iTV4, which is free with ads or £3.99 per month via iTV Hub+. In France, it's on France TV Sport, and in other parts of Europe, it's on Eurosport.

What is the 2019 Tour de France schedule?

Today is the final day of the Tour de France, which kicked off around 8 a.m. Eastern time this morning. 

Stage 21: July 28 at 7:55 a.m. ET

How do I use a VPN to watch the Tour de France?

If you're traveling outside the country during the Tour de France, you'll still be able to watch it. A virtual private network, or VPN, can help you connect to your desired streaming service through a U.S. server and watch the draft as if you were at home.

We've evaluated many VPN services, and our top pick is ExpressVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds. It's also affordable at $12.95 per month. (Signing up for longer periods of six months or a year reduces the cost even more.)

Here are three VPN options worth considering, should you need them during the 2019 Tour De France.

ExpressVPN: Our favorite VPN service, ExpressVPN costs as little as $6.77 per month if you sign up for a one-year contract, and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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ExpressVPN

NordVPN: Cheap and secure, NordVPN is just $2.99/month for a three-year contract, while a month of service costs $11.95. NordVPN uses 2048-bit encryption, and makes it easy to use streaming services.

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NordVPN

TunnelBear: Performance is just average, but this is one of the simpler VPNs out there, and at $9.99 for one month of service, TunnelBear is a lower-cost option if you just want to use the VPN during the Tour de France.

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TunnelBear

Are there other ways to live stream the Tour de France without a cable or satellite subscription?

Believe it or not, the best way to watch this year’s Tour de France is via streaming. That’s because of NBC Sports Gold's cycling pass, available for a one-time $55 purchase. With that, you’ll get the opportunity to watch every single part of the Tour de France for free with no fears of commercials. You can also see rider profiles, see where every is ranking at any given moment, and more.

Aside from that, you can go to NBCSports.com and watch the event live in the browser. If you’d instead prefer to watch the tournament from an Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, and so many others, simply download the NBC Sports app and you’ll be good to go.

Don Reisinger is CEO and founder of D2 Tech Agency. A communications strategist, consultant, and copywriter, Don has also written for many leading technology and business publications including CNET, Fortune Magazine, The New York Times, Forbes, Computerworld, Digital Trends, TechCrunch and Slashgear. He has also written for Tom's Guide for many years, contributing hundreds of articles on everything from phones to games to streaming and smart home.