Tour of Britain 2021 live stream: how to watch all cycling stages online from anywhere

By Aatif Sulleyman
published

Cavendish and Alaphilippe lead a star cast from Penzance to Aberdeen

Riders taking part in the Tour of Britain
(Image credit: Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck – Quick-Step), Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo – Visma) and Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) are some of the star names on show at the 17th Tour of Britain, which takes the peloton on a 1,310km journey from Penzance to Aberdeen via Wales and the north of England. Join us for a spin as we explain how to get a 2021 Tour of Britain live stream and watch UCI WorldTour cycling online from anywhere. We also have info on this year's Tour of Britain stage times.

Tour of Britain live stream 2021

Dates: Sunday, September 5 - Sunday, September 12 (stage times below)

FREE live stream: ITV Hub (opens in new tab) (UK)

Global live streams: Eurosport (opens in new tab) / Discovery+ (opens in new tab) / GCN+ (opens in new tab) (UK) | GCN+ (opens in new tab) (US, CA, AU)

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

The race has returned with fresh vigour after its cancellation last year, with the route providing plenty of firsts, including debuts for Cornwall, Hawick and Aberdeen, and Wales hosts two complete stages for the first time too.

And the first of these is particularly exciting: a rare team time trial. We haven't been able to watch many of these lately, and the 18.2-kilometre route from Llandeilo to the National Botanic Garden of Wales is just the second TTT to feature in the modern Tour of Britain.

The Queen stage follows, taking the riders up past Coed y Brenin Forest Park and Snowdonia National Park, all the way to the summit of the Great Orme in Llandudno, a brutal climb that rewards its conquerors with stunning views of the north coast of Wales.  

Read on for everything you need to know to watch a 2021 Tour of Britain live stream from anywhere.

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How to watch a FREE Tour of Britain live stream in the UK

ITV Hub (opens in new tab)

Every stage of the race is being shown in the UK on ITV4, which means anyone can watch a Tour of Britain live stream using the channel's ITV Hub (opens in new tab) platform. Just make sure you have a valid UK TV license, of course.

For added on-the-go viewing convenience, ITV Hub has an excellent app that's available on nearly anything that plugs in these days - just give it a search on your choice of mobiles, tablets, set-top boxes, select smart TVs, consoles and more.

Most of the stages begin between 10.30am and 11am BST, but you can scroll down for the full schedule.

In truth, cycling fans based in the UK are spoilt for choice, with the race also set to be shown by Eurosport, GCN+, and Discovery+.

Of course, it's pointless paying when you can tune in on ITV4 for free, but it's worth remembering that Eurosport, GCN+, and Discovery+ all show loads of races throughout the year.

A subscription to Eurosport (opens in new tab) costs £6.99 per month or £39.99 for a whole year; the GCN+ (opens in new tab) streaming service also costs £6.99 per month or £39.99 per year; and the Discovery+ (opens in new tab) Entertainment and Sport package costs £6.99 per month or £59.99 per year.

If you’re out of the UK but still want to tune in, make sure you install a VPN (opens in new tab) so you can continue accessing UK streaming services from anywhere.

How to watch Tour of Britain 2021 from outside your country

If you're keen to watch the Tour of Britain 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 how simple it is to do.

Use a VPN to get a Tour of Britain 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.

2021 Tour of Britain schedule and start times

  • Stage 1 - Sunday, September 5 at 11am BST, 6am ET, 8pm AEST
  • Stage 2 - Monday, September 6 at 11am BST, 6am ET, 8pm AEST
  • Stage 3 (TTT) - Tuesday, September 7 at 1.05pm BST, 8.05am ET, 10.05pm AEST
  • Stage 4 - Wednesday, September 8 at 10.30am BST, 5.30am ET, 7.30pm AEST
  • Stage 5 - Thursday, September 9 at 11.30am BST, 6.30am ET, 8.30pm AEST
  • Stage 6 - Friday, September 10 at 10.45am BST, 5.45am ET, 7.45pm AEST
  • Stage 7 - Saturday, September 11 at 10.45am BST, 5.45am ET, 7.45pm AEST
  • Stage 8 - Sunday, September 12 at 10.30am BST, 5.30am ET, 7.30pm AEST

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How to watch Tour of Britain 2021: US cycling live stream details

GCN+ (opens in new tab)

US-based cycling fans can live stream the Tour of Britain with a GCN+ (opens in new tab) subscription, which costs $8.99 per month or $49.99 annually.

Start times vary, but you'll need to prepare for some sleepy nights, as most of the stages begin at 6am ET / 3am PT or earlier. You can find the schedule higher up the page.

And if you're currently out of the US but want to watch the race, then don't forget to explore the VPN route (opens in new tab) set out above.

australia flag

How to watch Tour of Britain 2021: live stream cycling in Australia

GCN+ (opens in new tab)

You can tune into the Tour of Britain Down Under with a GCN+ (opens in new tab) subscription, which costs $12.99 per month or $64.99 annually.

Start times vary, but most of the stages get underway at around 7.30pm AEST. You can find the schedule above.

If you're not currently in Oz, you can download a VPN (opens in new tab) to tune into your home coverage of the race from anywhere. 

canada flag

How to watch the 2021 Tour of Britain: live stream cycling in Canada

GCN+ (opens in new tab)

You know the score by now. Canadians can also tune into the Tour of Britain live via GCN+ (opens in new tab), which costs $11.99 per month or $59.99 annually.

Start times vary, but you'll need to prepare for some sleepy nights, as most of the stages begin at 6am ET / 3am PT or earlier. You can find the Tour of Britain schedule nearer the top of this article.

Not in Canada to catch that GCN+ stream? Well you know the answer by now... using a VPN (opens in new tab) is the way to make sure you don't miss a moment. 

Aatif Sulleyman
Aatif Sulleyman

Aatif is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in the UK. He’s written about technology, science and politics for publications including Gizmodo, The Independent, Trusted Reviews and Newsweek, but focuses on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: sport and penny-pinching.

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