Free TV deal struck for Edinburgh Tour de France Grand Départ

It has been feared that the whole race was going behind a paywall after ITV’s contract to cover the Tour ended last year. However, the opening three stages in the UK will now at least be available to all viewers on 5. There will also be a daily highlights programme on 5 at 7pm.

Scotland is hosting the Grand Départ in 2027 for the first time, with the opening stage beginning in Edinburgh and ending in Carlisle on July 2 next year. There will be two further stages in the UK before the riders head to France. Stage two, on July 3, is from Keswick to Liverpool, and stage three, the following day, is Welshpool to Cardiff.

Terrestrial broadcaster 5 will also show the Grand Départ of the 2027 women’s race, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, from Leeds to Manchester on July 30, and stage two, from Manchester to Sheffield, only July 31, and stage three, in London, on August 1.

From Edinburgh to the Borders

“We want to bring the 2027 Grands Départs to as wide an audience as possible, so it is fantastic news that fans can look forward to following this year’s edition with free-to-air coverage to build their excitement for what to expect when the Grand Départ arrives in Britain in 2027,” said Paul Bush, the Grand Départ GB managing director.

Next year’s men’s Grand Départ begins in Edinburgh then goes through Midlothian and the Scottish Borders, and includes a king of the mountains climb in the Eildon Hills which is being dubbed ‘the Côte de Melrose’. The race will then proceed along the Scotland-England border along Liddesdale, briefly going into Dumfries & Galloway before crossing into Cumberland and finishing in Carlisle.

The Tour de France has been shown live on ­British ­terrestrial television since the 1980s but ITV’s contract expired last year. The broadcaster covered the race for 25 years after taking over from Channel 4 in 2001.

Daily highlights show

TNT Sports, a pay television network, will cover the Tour live from this summer but 5’s deal means they will have a daily highlights show over the next three years. It will be presented by sports journalist Rebecca Charlton. 5 will also broadcast daily free-to-air highlights in the UK of the Vuelta a España (2026-2028) and Giro d’Italia (2027-2029).

5, formerly Channel 5, is also showing highlights of this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, which is being broadcast live on TNT Sports.

“The Grand Tours are the most prestigious cycling events in the world, watched and adored by millions, and we are delighted that 5 will be their new free-to-air home in the UK,” said Reemah Sakaan, president of 5. “Our daily highlights show for the Tour de France will be available to everyone at 7pm each evening this July and we’ll also have daily highlights through both the Vuelta a Espana and the Giro d’Italia for the next three years, plus next year we’ll have live coverage of the Tour de France’s historic return to the UK.

“The Tour de France kicks off an incredible summer of sport on 5, adding to the rapidly expanding range of premium sport we have for people to watch, including the best of the action from the Commonwealth Games this summer.”