Tour de France 2026 peloton

[ReturnofthePan]

Chains are being greased and oiled as I type. Crush barriers being erected. “Special” sauces are being prepared…. all for the biggest push bike race in the world.

Is the MN peloton pumping some air in our tyres?

Virtual Aussie in the only way to go, for both the full day and for the highlights.

A very worthy winner of today’s stage! Great result!

Did not see it. In France. Terrible picture in the hotel.

Great 'will they, won't they' finish, very happy with the result too!

My fantasy tour team did very well today, now only 22 points behind DH.

I’m catching up on the Ch 5 app and it’s ok, I am getting my fix. But I miss the music that signals it’s starting. I still miss Gary and Ned etc.

But, most of all, I miss the non race coverage. I know that sounds stupid, but I got into it watching with my parents who are total francophiles. For me it’s as much about the scenery, the route, the crowds, the helicopter shots of farmers decorating fields. I just loved all that.

We were usually in France for most of the Tour, in fact that's really how we got into it in the first place, but aren't able to this year.

I can't get over the fact that it's free to air on the other side of the world (the Aussie SBS coverage is very good) and we have to pay £30 a month to listen to Sean Kelly droning on.

I don’t “do” Tour de France or any cycling but the next year is actually going right past the front of my house and I’m actually quite excited about it!

Unless you're on a hill it can be a case of "blink and you miss it", but the publicity caravan can be good fun, especially for kids (young and old).

Enjoy.

Funny enough I’m right on the top of a cracking hill, after a series of hills! And I’m fine with blink and miss it, a F1 race struggles to hold my attention and I love that sport so over and done with in 5 -10 minutes is great.

T i z cycling is what you could Google for.

I cannot afford tnt prices in the UK and absolutely miss the Imlach decades years. Not sure I got used to the Miller/Boulting commentary, was still missing Sherwin & Liggett :)

Only just spotted this thread. We've been watching C5 coverage and then listening to Ned and David's podcast. Love the podcast, don't love Ch5. You are spot on about the studio graphics. It's all too far away. We often can't read the writing on the screen, which has been a bit of a bummer when it was stage results or top 10.

We're watching the Ch5 coverage but are definitely missing Gary and co. And although I enjoyed the familiarity of two Phil's, I really loved Ned and David. Thank goodness for their podcast! We've also watched Orla a few times in the past, and it's nice to hear Adam commentating (I'm not a Sean Kelly fan - why say something in 10 seconds when you can waffle for 2 minutes to say the same thing?).

How are others watching this year? Any VPN tips?

I have it as a ringtone. Had it for years.

Doh! Paul and Phil! How long has it been? 🤦‍♀️🤣. I'm blaming my age.

Oooh, I want that ringtone :)

No VPN required to watch Tiz.

<flumps down onto the sofa bright yellow magazine in hand and determination in her eyes>

Oof, good to be sitting down, sorry for the delay joining the peloton, I seem to have acquired a granddaughter quite far away and she needed my attention. Now I've ticked that off time for serious tour watching.

Pan, Pan, paaaaaaan, PAN! If I get say three 'when we were up the Alpe d'huez watching' comments how many 'when we were at cycling club with Josh''s do we get from our days at the cycling club his parents ran?

Right, serious catching up to do...

I watched highlights for the first few stages on channel 5 but ended up turning off the sound and now I can't face anymore. Normally I'm all for more women in sport including presenters but the main one on 5 is soooo irritating and sounds like she is reading a script. The commentators themselves take a long time to say very little. Frustrating. Fortunate enough to speak French so I have watched the brief highlights on TV 5 monde but will have to get a VPN to watch the France TV coverage for the Alp days or SBS in Australia. I am a few days behind and won't spoil for others but was v pleased by an unexpected jersey wearer for a bit. Rooting for Jonas but fully expecting Tadej to win overall. Hoping for some Ben Healy moments, he was great last year.

LOSTY!!!! I am loving you are here!
I can see you on the Alpe and counter you with a ride on Spech yesterday morning.
just loving you’re here.

The SBS coverage is pretty good, and they have some interesting riders on for analysing too. Their highlights programme is way better than the Channel 5 effort.

Also a Jonas/TVL fan, but can't see anyone beating Pog

Live I am watching cyclingnews and pcs live updates, along with S4C when it is on. In the evenings I am watching the tntsportscycling youtube channel. Three videos a day (short highlights, end of the race, and an analysis one) about 30 minutes in total. Then youtube often has some of the post race interviews up as well if you just search for the stage.

I quite like Matt Stephens and Orla Chennouai, and they have good guests.

Also I am top of the velogames league at the moment!!!

For example Jonathan Vaughters yesterday on how they talk a load of rubbish on race radio to try to mislead other teams when they know the team radio is being broadcast!

I was in Thonon-Les-Bains yesterday and today( for a little while) .The individual time trial is the 21st. Lots of lovely new tarmac.
Have not seen any of the event today apart from a Facebook post about a car accident and spectators being injured.

Pan! You are making me blush does this still work?

Have tried a few YouTube channels (feels like sacrilege!) whilst humming the correct music to myself. Not quite sure where I will land but tomorrow I will put some good research time in.

So far: Interesting just the first man over in the TTT, that was a change. Wonder if Josh will make it to the ITT, it's a long way in. Bling is still Blinging, I swear those earrings are even bigger than before, two broken wrists there, eek. And are we allowing Tadej a teenage hair moment then?