The Olympics could also be nearing its closing days, however the summer time of sports activities is way from over, with the girls’s largest tour arising on Monday, August 12.
Regardless of its younger age, the ladies’s Tour de France, formally referred to as the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, has rapidly turn out to be one of many highlights of the ladies’s biking calendar.
This yr’s occasion will see 154 riders journey throughout three international locations, tackling eight phases totalling 950 kilometres ( 590 miles) and 13,566 metres (44,507 toes) of elevation within the quest for the enduring Maillot Jaune.
This yr’s occasion options the race’s first overseas Grand Départ, with the primary three phases happening within the Netherlands. From there, the race heads south to Belgium earlier than lastly arriving in France on stage 5. In France, the race will wind up and over three mountain areas — Vosges, Jura and Alps — and can finish atop of one of the iconic climbs in all of biking: the Alpe d’Huez.
Whereas the last word winner of the yellow jersey must present substantial climbing prowess, the great thing about this multi-stage occasion is that each sort of rider will get an opportunity to showcase her strengths.
This yr’s occasion options 3 flat phases the place the sprinters can shine, 2 hilly phases for the all-rounders and a pair of mountain phases for the mountain goats. There’s additionally a person time trial for the quickest amongst them within the race in opposition to the clock.
The star-studded discipline of contenders will actually be the world’s finest, with Olympians, world champions, nationwide champions, residing legends and the celebrities of tomorrow amongst them.
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In 2022, Annemiek van Vleuten turned the first official feminine Tour de France yellow jersey wearer in 33 years. One other Dutchwoman, Demi Vollering, claimed the jersey in 2023 and can return within the hopes of defending it. Can she do it?
The competitors is bound to be fierce, with final two-time third-place finisher Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) trying to transfer up on the rostrum. Different favourites for the Common Classification embrace Lidl-Trek’s Elisa Longo Borghini and Shirin van Anrooij, Juliette Labous (Staff DSM), Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance coverage-Soudal) and Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM).
For stage wins, search for inspiring performances by the likes of Olympic medalists Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease A Bike), Grace Brown ( FDJ-Suez) and Chloe Dygert (Canyon-SRAM), sprinter Lorene Wiebes (SD-Workx), and climbing specialists Mavi Garcia (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) and Liane Lippert (Movistar).
The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift provides a singular mix of high-stakes competitors, inspiring teamwork, tactical battles, courageous performances, triumph and heartbreak — all with a shocking backdrop. Do not miss a single minute of the motion with our TV viewing and on-line streaming information under.
Race Schedule
TV streaming schedules weren’t accessible on the time of publishing. Protection often begins round two hours into the race.
Stage 1: Monday, August 12 – Rotterdam to The Hague – 123km, flat
Begins: 12:15pm CEST, 6:15am EDT, 11:15am BST, 8:15pm AEST
Anticipated end: 3:55pm CEST, 9:33am EDT, 2:33pm BST, 11:33pm AEST
Stage 2: Tuesday, August 13 – Stage 2: Dordrecht to Rotterdam – 69.7km, flat
Begins 9:50am CEST, 3:50am EDT, 8:50am BST, 5:50pm AEST
Anticipated end: 11:35am CEST, 5:35am EDT,10:35am BST, 7:35pm AEST
Stage 3: Tuesday, August 13 – Stage 3: Rotterdam to Rotterdam – 6.3km, flat
Begin: 3:10pm CEST, 9:10am EDT, 2:10pm BST, 11:10pm AEST
Anticipated end: 5:10pm CEST, 11:10am EDT, 4:10pm BST, 1:10am AEST
Stage 4: Wednesday, August 14 – Stage 4: Valkenburg to Liège – 122.7km, flat
Begins: 12:25pm CEST, 6:25pm EDT, 11:25am BST, 8:25pm AEST
Anticipated end: 3:49pm CEST, 9:49pm EDT, 2:49pm BST, 10:49pm AEST
Stage 5: Thursday, August 15 – Stage 5: Bastogne to Amnéville – 152.5km, flat
Begins: 11:55am CEST, 5:55am EDT, 10:55am BST, 7:55am AEST
Anticipated end: 3:48pm CEST, 9:48am EDT, 2:48pm BST, 11:48am AEST
Stage 6: Friday, August 16 – Stage 6: Remiremont to Morteau – 159.2, hilly
Begins: 11:30am CEST, 5:30am EDT, 10:30am BST, 7:30pm AEST
Anticipated end: 3:45pm CEST, 9:45am EDT, 2:45am BST, 11:45pm AEST
Stage 7: Saturday, August 17 – Stage 7: Champagnole to Le Grand-Bornand – 166.4km, mountainous
Begins: 10:30am CEST, 4:30am EDT, 9:30am BST, 6:30pm AEST
Anticipated end: 3:27pm CEST, 9:27am EDT, 2:27am BST, 11:27pm AEST
Stage 8: Sunday, August 18 – Stage 8: Le Grand-Bornand to Alpe D’Huez – 149.9km, mountainous
Begins: 1:40pm CEST, 7:40am EDT, 12:40pm BST, 9:40pm AEST
Anticipated end: 4:38pm CEST, 12:38pm EDT, 3:38pm BST, 2:38am AEST
Official broadcasters
The official TV broadcasters are FranceTV and Eurovision Sport. Their photographs are then licensed to 150 channels worldwide to be proven in 5 continents and 190 international locations.
Within the US
Within the U.S., the broadcasting rights are held by NBC. The race can be broadcast stay on NBC, in addition to on the community’s streaming service and app, Peacock TV.
Peacock TV is a paid service with a subscription beginning at $4.99 per 30 days. For those who’re new to Peacock, there is a seven-day free trial that ought to final you for the entire Tour.
In Canada
Biking followers in Canada can catch the motion on the FloBikes streaming service.
An annual subscription is required, which prices $12.99/month.
Within the UK
Within the U.Ok., the Tour de France Femmes can be broadcast stay on TV on Eurosport and Discovery+.
Once more, a subscription is required. Usually, a Discovery+ subscription, which incorporates Eurosport’s biking protection, begins at £59.99 per yr, however there’s at the moment a Particular Olympics deal, which prices £3.99 per 30 days by way of the tip of 2024.
In Europe
Because the official broadcaster of the race, France TV may have all of the French-language protection.
Different European channels to hold the race embrace NOS within the Netherlands, VRT/Sporza and RTBF in Belgium, ARD in Germany, RTVE in Spain, TV2 in Norway and DKTV2 in Denmark.*
*Geo-restrictions might apply.
In Australia & New Zealand
In Australia, the race protection is offered by nationwide broadcaster SBS. In New Zealand, Sky Sports activities will provide stay protection.
On Social Media
The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift has garnered a formidable social media over the previous three years with hundreds of thousands of individuals opting to tune in by way of TikTok, X, Fb and Strava.
The organisation has additionally been producing its personal net collection titled Femmes du Tour. This mini docuseries introduces followers to among the Tour’s contenders. This season’s episodes function Shirin van Anrooij, Léa Curinier, Amber Kraak, Sarah Gigante, Ella Wyllie, Cédrine Kerbaol, Niamh Fisher-Black and final yr’s winner Demi Vollering.
The earlier two seasons of the collection are additionally for replay accessible on YouTube.
VPN choices
In case you are outdoors of your property nation and attempt to entry your ordinary stay streaming companies to look at the motion, it’s possible you’ll discover your entry to be geo-restricted.
On this case, a VPN service will come in useful, permitting your pc to faux it is again house and allow you to log into your streaming accounts to catch the entire racing motion.
Our colleagues at TechRadar completely examined a number of VPN companies and advocate NordVPN:
