Watch Tour de France live stream 2022: get the cycling online from anywhere – Stage 18 Lourdes to Hautacam, the final day in the mountains

(Image: © Getty Images / Tim de Waele)

It's getting mighty tense as the last few stages of the 2022 Tour de France roll by. Time is running out for defending champion Tadej Pogačar to scissor Jonas Vingegaard's two-minute lead and there are precious few UAE Team Emirates teammates left to rely on. Can the Slovenian pull something out of the bag? Will it all come down to a herculean time trial again? Here's how to watch the Tour de France 2022 and get a free live stream from anywhere.

Watch the Tour de France 2022

Dates: Friday, July 1 - Sunday, July 24 (stage times below)

FREE live streams: ITV (opens in new tab) / S4C (opens in new tab) (UK) | SBS (opens in new tab) (AU) | Rai Sport (opens in new tab) (ITA) | France TV Sport (opens in new tab) (FRA) | RTBF (opens in new tab) (BEL)

Global streams: Peacock TV (opens in new tab) or USA Network via Sling TV discount (opens in new tab) / FREE fuboTV trial (opens in new tab) (US) | FloBikes (opens in new tab) (CA) | Sky Sport (NZ)

Watch anywhere: try No. 1 overall VPN 100% risk-free (opens in new tab)

With no specialist climber domestiques left, Pogačar struggled to make up the minutes he lost in the Alps in the Pyrenees. While 1580m-high stage wins are impressive, they mean less when your GC rival finishes on your wheel. Vingegaard has been imperious since he picked up the yellow jersey with his breakaway win on Stage 11 and looks an excellent bet for the overall title.

Still just 23, Pogačar will pick up the white jersey, regardless. He's as nailed on for the youth title as Wout van Aert is for green. Cofidis's Simon Geschke is almost home and hosed as King of the Mountains.

But riders can crack on the Tour de France. Take you eyes off one for a moment and they're gone. Are things really as sorted as they seem, will we see some late drama and who will take the prestigious final stage win in Paris? Whether you're after a live stream or just the evening highlights, read on for everything you need to know on how to watch the Tour de France anywhere this July.

2022 Tour de France stages and dates

Stage 1 (ITT) - Friday, July 1 at 4pm CEST, 3pm BST, 10am ET
Stage 2 - Saturday, July 2 at 12.10pm CEST, 11.10pm BST, 7.10am ET
Stage 3 - Sunday, July 3 at 1.10pm CEST, 12.10pm BST, 7.10am ET
Rest - Monday, July 4

Click to see full Tour de France stages and dates

Stage 4 - Tuesday, July 5 at 1.15pm CEST, 12.15pm BST, 7.15am ET
Stage 5 - Wednesday, July 6 at 1.35pm CEST, 12.35pm BST, 7.35am ET
Stage 6 - Thursday, July 7 at 12.05m CEST, 11.05am BST, 6.05am ET
Stage 7 - Friday, July 8 at 1.05pm CEST, 12.05pm BST, 7.05am ET
Stage 8 - Saturday, July 9 at 1.05pm CEST, 12.05pm BST, 7.05am ET
Stage 9 - Sunday , July 10 at 12.30pm CEST, 11.30am BST, 6.30am ET
Rest - Monday, July 11
Stage 10 - Tuesday, July 12 at 1.30pm CEST, 12.30pm BST, 7.30am ET
Stage 11 - Wednesday, July 13 at 12.25pm CEST, 11.25am BST, 6.25am ET
Stage 12 - Thursday, July 14 at 1.05pm CEST, 12.05pm BST, 7.05am ET
Stage 13 - Friday, July 15 at 1.05pm CEST, 12.05pm BST, 7.05am ET
Stage 14 - Saturday, July 16 at 12.15pm CEST, 11.15am BST, 6.15am ET
Stage 15 - Sunday, July 17 at 1.05pm CEST, 12.05pm BST, 7.05am ET
Rest - Monday, July 18
Stage 16 - Tuesday, July 19 at 12.30pm CEST, 11.30am BST, 6.30am ET
Stage 17 - Wednesday, July 20 at 1.15pm CEST, 12.15pm BST, 7.15am ET
Stage 18 - Thursday, July 21 at 1.30pm CEST, 12.30pm BST, 7.30am ET
Stage 19 - Friday, July 22 at 1.05pm CEST, 12.05am BST, 7.05am ET
Stage 20 (ITT) - Saturday, July 23 at 1.05pm CEST, 12.05pm BST, 7.05am ET
Stage 21 - Sunday, July 24 at 4.30pm CEST, 3.30pm BST, 10.30am ET

How to watch a FREE Tour de France live stream online

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 ITV Hub streaming service (opens in new tab) / S4C and S4C on BBC iPlayer (opens in new tab)

France - France TV Sport (opens in new tab)

Belgium - RTBF (opens in new tab)

Italy - Rai Sport (opens in new tab)

Australia - SBS (opens in new tab)

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 download a VPN to watch a free Tour de France live stream (opens in new tab) and re-connect to your home streaming coverage.

How to watch Tour de France 2022 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

ExpressVPN is the world's top VPN right now (opens in new tab)
We've tested dozens of VPNs and think ExpressVPN is quite simply the best (opens in new tab). Quick, secure, and intuitive to use, Express will have you streaming the latest blockbuster movies and binge-worthy TV in no time. Plus, its supported by dozens of devices, including Smart TVs, Fire TV Stick, PC, Mac, iPhone, Android phone, iPads, tablets, and many more.

You can try it for free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Better yet, if you decide to subscribe to ExpressVPN (opens in new tab) and opt for their annual plan, you'll get 49% off the usual price as well as 3-months extra FREE – pretty amazing value really.

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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 ITV Hub 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. (opens in new tab)

That means you can fire up a free Tour de France live stream on ITV Hub (opens in new tab), 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 2022 Tour de France

Welsh-language coverage of the Tour de France is available from S4C (opens in new tab), 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 (opens in new tab) so you can continue accessing UK streaming services from anywhere.

How to watch Tour de France 2022: live stream cycling FREE in Australia

Cycling fans Down Under can also watch every stage of the Tour de France for free on SBS (opens in new tab). 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 (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab) and you can watch the race as if you were back at home on your laptop, mobile or other TV streaming device.

How to watch 2022 Tour de France: live stream in the US without cable

Every stage of the 2022 Tour de France is being shown on both USA Network and Peacock TV (opens in new tab) in the US.

Peacock costs just $4.99 a month (opens in new tab) 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.

OTT streaming service Sling TV is reasonably priced and includes USA Network as part of its Sling Blue (opens in new tab) package. The usual cost is $35 a month, but if you're new to the service you can get your first month half-price (opens in new tab).

Another over-the-top streaming service that includes USA Network is FuboTV (opens in new tab). It's a much more comprehensive cable replacement, and carries more than 100 channels including Fox, CBS and ESPN.

Prices start at $64.99 a month after a FREE FuboTV trial (opens in new tab).

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 (opens in new tab).

Related: how to watch Peacock from outside the US

How to watch 2022 Tour de France: live stream cycling in Canada

How to watch 2022 Tour de France: live stream cycling in New Zealand

How does the Tour de France work?

The Tour de France is the oldest - and, depending on who you ask, the most difficult and prestigious - of cycling's three Grand Tours, the other two being the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España.

This year's race is the 109th edition of the Tour, which is affectionately known as La Grande Boucle (the big loop), and unlike last year's event, which was fully contained within the borders of La République, this year's edition starts in Denmark and nips in and out of Belgium and Switzerland too.

The Tour de France is split into into 21 stages, each of which is completed every day - and there are three days set aside for the riders to rest. Stage 1 takes place on July 1 and Stage 21 is scheduled for July 24, with the breaks in the action set for July 4, July 11 and July 18 (all Mondays).

Two of the stages are individual time trials (Stages 1 and 20), during which each of the riders will race to set the fastest time, without their teammates helping out by creating slipstreams.

At the end of each daily stage, the rider who crosses the finish line first is crowned the 'Stage Winner', while the cyclist with the quickest overall time from the very start of the first day of the race gets to wear the iconic Yellow Jersey.

The overall winner of the Tour de France is the rider with the quickest time for all the stages put together. That means a rider can win the Tour de France without actually winning a single stage, as Chris Froome did in 2017.

There are several secondary competitions and prizes at stake too, including the points classification (leader indicated by a green jersey), mountains classification (polka dot jersey), young rider classification (white jersey), team classification (numbers on a yellow background rather than white), and combativity award (red bib).

How long is the 2022 Tour de France?

The 2022 Tour de France covers approximately 3,328km (2,068 miles). There are six flat stages, three hilly stages, 10 mountain stages (four of which are described as "medium" mountain stages), two individual time trials, and three rest days. For the third consecutive year, there's no team time trial.

2022 Tour de France route

The opening stage, known as the 'Grand Départ', of the 2022 Tour de France will take place in Copenhagen on July 1, while the the 21st and final stage sets off from the Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, and finishes in traditional style with a sprint down the Champs-Élysées in Paris on July 24.

At 220km (140 miles), the hilly Stage 6 from Binche to Longwy on July 7 is the race's longest stage, while the Stage 1 individual time trial on July 1 is the shortest, at 13km (8.1 miles).

Take a look at the full details of the 2022 Tour de France route, map and stages (opens in new tab).

Tour de France winners

1903 - Maurice Garin
1904 - Henri Cornet
1905 - Louis Trousselier
1906 - René Pottier
1907 - Lucien Petit-Breton
1908 - Lucien Petit-Breton
1909 - François Faber
1910 - Octave Lapize
1911 - Gustave Garrigou
1912 - Odile Defraye
1913 - Philippe Thys
1914 - Philippe Thys
1919 - Firmin Lambot
1920 - Philippe Thys
1921 - Léon Scieur
1922 - Firmin Lambot
1923 - Henri Pélissier
1924 - Ottavio Bottecchia
1925 - Ottavio Bottecchia
1926 - Lucien Buysse
1927 - Nicolas Frantz
1928 - Nicolas Frantz
1929 - Maurice De Waele
1930 - André Leducq
1931 - Antonin Magne
1932 - André Leducq
1933 - Georges Speicher
1934 - Antonin Magne
1935 - Romain Maes
1936 - Sylvère Maes
1937 - Roger Lapébie
1938 - Gino Bartali
1939 - Sylvère Maes
1947 - Jean Robic
1948 - Gino Bartali
1949 - Fausto Coppi
1950 - Ferdinand Kübler
1951 - Hugo Koblet
1952 - Fausto Coppi
1953 - Louison Bobet
1954 - Louison Bobet
1955 - Louison Bobet
1956 - Roger Walkowiak
1957 - Jacques Anquetil
1958 - Charly Gaul
1959 - Federico Bahamontes
1960 - Gastone Nencini
1961 - Jacques Anquetil
1962 - Jacques Anquetil
1963 - Jacques Anquetil
1964 - Jacques Anquetil
1965 - Felice Gimondi
1966 - Lucien Aimar
1967 - Roger Pingeon
1968 - Jan Janssen
1969 - Eddy Merckx
1970 - Eddy Merckx
1971 - Eddy Merckx
1972 - Eddy Merckx
1973 - Luis Ocaña
1974 - Eddy Merckx
1975 - Bernard Thévenet
1976 - Lucien Van Impe
1977 - Bernard Thévenet
1978 - Bernard Hinault
1979 - Bernard Hinaultdagger
1980 - Joop Zoetemelk
1981 - Bernard Hinault
1982 - Bernard Hinault
1983 - Laurent Fignon
1984 - Laurent Fignon
1985 - Bernard Hinault
1986 - Greg LeMond
1987 - Stephen Roche
1988 - Pedro Delgado
1989 - Greg LeMond
1990 - Greg LeMond
1991 - Miguel Indurain
1992 - Miguel Indurain
1993 - Miguel Indurain
1994 - Miguel Indurain
1995 - Miguel Indurain
1996 - Bjarne Riis
1997 - Jan Ullrich
1998 - Marco Pantani
1999 - Lance Armstrong*
2000 - Lance Armstrong*
2001 - Lance Armstrong*
2002 - Lance Armstrong*
2003 - Lance Armstrong*
2004 - Lance Armstrong*
2005 - Lance Armstrong*
2006 - Óscar Pereiro
2007 - Alberto Contador
2008 - Carlos Sastre
2009 - Alberto Contador
2010 - Andy Schleck
2011 - Cadel Evans
2012 - Bradley Wiggins
2013 - Chris Froome
2014 - Vincenzo Nibali
2015 - Chris Froome
2016 - Chris Froome
2017 - Chris Froome
2018 - Geraint Thomas
2019 - Egan Bernal
2020 - Tadej Pogačar
2021 - Tadej Pogačar

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