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Le Tour 2026
 

Le Tour 2026

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It's there on channel5.com, I can see it was on at 7, but unlike other shows which can be watched on demand (if say, you wanted to watch Richard Madelely in the world's mega-prisons - yes, that's a real program, not a Partridge concept) it just says "Next on - tomorrow 7pm". Watched the highlights on YouTube in the end - if you just watch TNT's it would appear there's only two teams in the whole race.


 
Posted : 04/07/2026 10:32 pm
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Posted by: thenorthwind

if you just watch TNT's it would appear there's only two teams in the whole race.

They confusingly have a 'Final Kms' vid and a more balanced highlights package. It's here:


 
Posted : 04/07/2026 10:51 pm
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Northwind, is it now called My5?

Just called '5' now isn't it?

It's looking like Hightlights are available 'live' but not on catch up.  Everything else on the schedule today can be 'watch from start' except for any sport coverage - cricket is the same - watch button greyed out

 

https://www.channel5.com/tvguide/5


 
Posted : 04/07/2026 11:17 pm
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The S4C coverage was pretty poor, hardly showed any cycling, all filler. C5 highlights show was perfectly good, although I missed the expert panel discussion that ITV had afterwards.


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 9:02 am
 nbt
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Posted by: maccruiskeen

Everything else on the schedule today can be 'watch from start' except for any sport coverage - cricket is the same - watch button greyed out

"Watch from start" now showing for me, maybe it's a timing thing.

 

Excellent race, highlights acceptable but not as good as itv4 with ned and co. Agreed, shame there's no post race expert analysis 

Vingegaard in yellow 

Pogacar in polka dots after that sprint up Montjuic

Bernal in green, fastest at half way

Ayuso in white

Netcompany Ineos lead the team standings 

 

Roll on the real road racing

168km (i think) today from Tarragona back up to Barcelona finishing with the Montjuic circuit. Good day for a puncheur...


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 10:04 am
 nbt
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Posted by: notmyrealname

SBS Australia is your friend.

Cant see an app for SBS in the firestick, do you cast from a device?

 


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 10:41 am
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Inrng seems to be betting everything on Pogacar for today with MvdP as the only other major contender.

I'd really like to see Pidcock get the stage win. 

https://inrng.com/2026/07/tour-de-france-stage-2/#more-47886


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 10:49 am
 nbt
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SBS website seems to block connections made when using a VPN. Grrr


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 10:52 am
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It took me ages to get SBS with a VPN working back in April for the classics. I think I needed a paid for version and to select an Australian network....but it took ages and seemed to start working more by luck than anything.

I'm in Barcelona for the race as a treat for my 40th.....we were on the lead in to Montujic yesterday and were surprised by how quiet it was.... literally just 1 deep for large parts of the course. Hoping to head up there again today, so wondering if it'll be as easy to find a spot?

Not been to Spain in 25 years, food a booze is so cheap innit!

Not even going to attempt posting a picture/video on here (first time I've posted at all in an age) but yeah, it was a hell of a day yesterday!


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 11:01 am
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Apologies if already discussed but not sure how much I like the new TTT first rider across the line timing. It seems daft to create such big rider gaps from Stage 1. Not expecting riders like Bernal etc to win Yellow, however, it always helps having the potential threat of riders attacking for yellow. The revised TTT timing has just allowed Vingo and Pog to get anice headstart on everyone - it just concentrates even further a two horse race from the beginning.


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 11:04 am
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I think the format sucks. I’d take it on second or third across the line if it needed a little revision, and all the team get the same time. We’ve looked at mixed team time trials, and I would take the time on first woman across the line (not third of five or more).  It’s a TEAM TT not a deliver the GC rider to the finish TT. 


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 11:18 am
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Posted by: thenorthwind

Or are we going to have to watch it in real time like it's 2003 again?

Nope. Just set your VHS recorder like it's 1983 again.

 


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 12:30 pm
 beej
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SBS working fine on NordVPN. 


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 12:44 pm
welshfarmer reacted
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Yep. Warching it live on sbs via Nord as i type


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 12:58 pm
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Also agree the TTT format sucked. 


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 1:00 pm
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Posted by: TiRed

I think the format sucks. I’d take it on second or third across the line if it needed a little revision, and all the team get the same time. We’ve looked at mixed team time trials, and I would take the time on first woman across the line (not third of five or more).  It’s a TEAM TT not a deliver the GC rider to the finish TT. 

They've meddled around with TTT more or less every time they've done it because none of the formats really work.

If you take it on the 5th rider, it leaves a GC hopeful very much at risk from a big crash where only half the team finish or where the team are shit. Classic example being Chris Boardman (way back!) when he lost yellow because the entire GAN team were rubbish at TTing.

Run it as a big team leadout and you run the risk that your team smash themselves into the ground early and you potentially lose your 2nd GC option if they're too far down the rankings.

If you give all the team the same time (even taking it on the 5th rider), you can use a tactic whereby a couple of super fast guys do the majority of the work, the whole team win the stage; meantime your big GC hope is sitting there way back spinning along not wasting any effort.

TTTs look great - watching a well-organised team changing through and off is poetry in motion and you get to use fancy drone follow shots, it's a brilliant way of showcasing the whole team for the sponsors.

Unfortunately, all the formats you can reasonably use are shit*.

 

*that's rather strong admittedly, but they all have significant disadvantages that teams will exploit.


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 2:07 pm
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Posted by: crazy-legs

TTTs look great - watching a well-organised team changing through and off is poetry in motion and you get to use fancy drone follow shots

Agree here, and I'd usually watch about 10 mins of this then look up the results for the old style TTTs. Ifound it hard to parse the racing/tactics in the trad TTT because everyone kind of looks the same and you have to be really paying attention to spot the differences in tactics etc. I think the new format is great because all the tactics are plain to see and you get a sense of who's going well from the GC contenders. I'm a big fan of seeing the team mates collapse on their skis at the end of their last hero turns.

Anyway, looks like a good finale today. I'm interested to see how Pidcock fares on those wee climbs.


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 2:54 pm
 beej
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I enjoyed the stage today, and I think I've got 5 of the top 10 in my velogames team.

Rumours tomorrow may be cancelled due to wildfires.


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 5:16 pm
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We watched from the end of the AvParal-lel at the 90 degree bend. It was a good spot as they went past 3 times and had to slow enough to actually pick riders out. Watching the team cars take the corner I'd not have wanted to be on the outside of the bend. Race was in bits after the first lap, I guess by then most riders had done their job for the day. 


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 5:27 pm
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I was at the top of the final climb at the cable car station. The atmosphere was incredible, crowd so knowledgeable. Riders wheelieing past once their job was done.


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 6:12 pm
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Great stage today

Spoiler

Isaac del Tour-o more like


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 6:25 pm
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We were there on the final climb..... opposite the **** who opened a yellow smoke bomb on the second lap FFS.

 

Other than that (he got arrested) it was an amazing experience. Met Fred Wrights dad after the stage outside the team is, absolutely lovely bloke.


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 6:35 pm
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Posted by: Tom-B

Other than that (he got arrested) it was an amazing experience. Met Fred Wrights dad after the stage outside the team is, absolutely lovely bloke.

Philip - he's an actor, he's been in Eastenders, Casualty, The Bill, lots of those sort of TV drama things. He's often the races with Fred. 


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 7:44 pm
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Hmm I think it might work - watching Channel 5 highlights then straight into the love of cycling podcast. The 5 coverage isn’t bad ( except that blonde woman at the start and end but she can be muted as there is zero info from her anyway) 

Still not the same and shame Lizzie is leaving the podcast till Paris as she really adds to it.

But anyway…Pog, other than a crash the guy is surely invincible 


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 8:06 pm
 gray
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Just watched the Channel 5 highlights with my (12 year old) daughter. Was explaining quite a bit of what was going on and who is who etc. She's now decided that she likes that Del Toro chap because he was so pleased that he won., but she agrees that Tadpole Focaccia will probably win overall. 🙂


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 8:13 pm
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Posted by: gray

but she agrees that Tadpole Focaccia will probably win overall. 🙂

🤣

Better than Sean Kelly's pronunciation. Taddy Pogger-char


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 8:22 pm
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Seems Channel 5 highlights are available on catch-up, but only from the day after. Not much use, unless you miss a day. Also, you can't pause it when streaming it "live"... so it's watch at 7 or miss it. Coverage isn't bad, ads as tedious as expected, though agree with @winston: the studio woman's intonation is incredibly grating.


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 8:24 pm
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Posted by: crazy-legs

Better than Sean Kelly's pronunciation. Taddy Pogger-char

Didn't he sing Fairytale of New York?


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 8:25 pm
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Posted by: crazy-legs

Better than Sean Kelly's pronunciation.

Who is this Vinny Geordie? Is there a rider from Newcastle in the GC?


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 8:37 pm
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Pidcock finished 10th today, 3" off the same time as the winner. I didn't see him but he was obviously in that bunch of favourites as the cameraman panned around not knowing which rider to follow in the few seconds!

No news yet on tomorrow's stage but a lot of rumours that it could be cancelled or curtailed due to wildfires.


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 8:57 pm
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I enjoyed watching Hannah Walker on channel 5 (a local lass to us) giving a round up of today's race. Looking forward to listening to her over the coming weeks as she's very knowledgeable, let's hope she can cram as much information in as possible to the few minutes allotted to her.


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 9:17 pm
 beej
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No news yet on tomorrow's stage but a lot of rumours that it could be cancelled or curtailed due to wildfires.

Guardian reporting it'll happen, but no caravan or spectators in last 40km.

 


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 9:48 pm
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Posted by: beej

No news yet on tomorrow's stage but a lot of rumours that it could be cancelled or curtailed due to wildfires.

Guardian reporting it'll happen, but no caravan or spectators in last 40km.

 

Hopefully the riders don't have to ride thru too much smoke....

 


 
Posted : 05/07/2026 10:19 pm
 DrJ
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Posted by: winston

But anyway…Pog, other than a crash the guy is surely invincible 

Hope I’m wrong but it looks like the Pogacar Procession has started. 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 8:21 am
 DrJ
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Did I understand correctly- Del Toro had a mechanical, the UAE car passed him and the Visma car gave him a bike? That’s why we love cycling. Until Trump gets involved anyway. 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 8:37 am
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Posted by: DrJ

Hope I’m wrong but it looks like the Pogacar Procession has started

Joonas (and much of the top 10 contenders) didn't seem to have much trouble, and it's a lot of effort to put out for some bonus seconds 

 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 8:47 am
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Del Toro had a mechanical, the UAE car passed him and the Visma car gave him a bike

 

’fraid not. It was UAE’s second support car who gave him the bike. 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 8:49 am
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Posted by: Bunnyhop

I enjoyed watching Hannah Walker on channel 5 (a local lass to us) giving a round up of today's race. Looking forward to listening to her over the coming weeks as she's very knowledgeable, let's hope she can cram as much information in as possible to the few minutes allotted to her.

Was she the one doing the piece to camera from the finish area, talking about Pog with the Mexican flag? She was good.

 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 8:51 am
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Posted by: imnotverygood

’fraid not. It was UAE’s second support car who gave him the bike. 

Aah. Ok. 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 9:33 am
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Spoiler
Spoiler, Monday 6th
Please God don't let this just turn into another Pogacar procession...


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 7:39 pm
 DrJ
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Posted by: imnotverygood

Del Toro had a mechanical, the UAE car passed him and the Visma car gave him a bike

 

’fraid not. It was UAE’s second support car who gave him the bike. 

more details:

During Stage 2 of the 2026 Tour de France, Isaac del Toro suffered a mechanical problem (his chain dropped and the bike’s electronic shifting went into a protective “crash mode”) with around 60 km remaining. As he waited for assistance, both of his own UAE Team Emirates-XRG team cars drove past without stopping, apparently because they didn’t see him in time.  

The second car from Team Visma | Lease a Bike was directly behind. Rather than drive on, Visma’s team director stopped the car and sent a mechanic over to help Del Toro get his bike working again—even though he rides for their biggest rival. The mechanic managed to free the bike and get him rolling despite the two teams using different component systems.  

 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 8:00 pm
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Posted by: DrJ

As he waited for assistance, both of his own UAE Team Emirates-XRG team cars drove past without stopping, apparently because they didn’t see him in time.  

The UAE mechanic later picked up a hefty fine for trying to ride IdT's bike back down the course to find him.


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 8:15 pm
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Posted by: crazy-legs

Posted by: DrJ

As he waited for assistance, both of his own UAE Team Emirates-XRG team cars drove past without stopping, apparently because they didn’t see him in time.  

The UAE mechanic later picked up a hefty fine for trying to ride IdT's bike back down the course to find him.

 

This is genuinely amazing! Haha

 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 11:00 pm
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