How to watch Tour de France 2025 on ITVX from anywhere: Stream iconic cycling race from abroad at no cost

If you're following the Tour de France, you'll know the opening week has delivered some spectacular drama with Belgian cyclist Jasper Philipsen suffering a devastating crash, forcing him to abandon the race — and intensifying the sprinters' battle for the green jersey, with Tim Merlier capitalising by claiming victory in Dunkirk that same day.

The hotly anticipated duel between Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard continues to captivate fans as the two riders battle for cycling's most prestigious prize. Pogačar demonstrated his championship credentials by securing stage four's victory in Rouen, establishing early dominance in the general classification.

The Slovenian currently leads the yellow jersey standings, though Vingegaard remains within striking distance as both prepare for crucial mountain stages ahead. Remco Evenepoel faces an uphill battle after losing 58 seconds in the opening stages, whilst Carlos Rodriguez sits over two minutes behind. The first major test arrived with Wednesday's 33-kilometre time trial in Caen, where Evenepoel sought to exploit his specialist skills to recover lost ground.

Tour de France will end on Sunday July 27 with the final stage taking place on the iconic Champs-Élysées in Paris.

How to watch Tour de France 2025 coverage outside of the UK

British broadcaster ITV has comprehensive coverage across terrestrial channels and its streaming service ITVX, offering access to all 21 stages without charge for UK residents. Journalist and broadcaster Gary Imlach fronts the coverage, while Ned Boulting handles commentary alongside former professional road racing cyclist, David Millar.

Coverage on ITV usually starts between 11am – 11:45am BST, continuing into early evening with all stages of the race shown in real-time. ITV also includes post-race interviews with stage winners plus detailed breakdowns of each day's developments. Extended highlights programmes air on ITV4 for those missing live action.

ITV has held rights to the Tour de France for over two decades, first broadcasting the iconic cycling race in 2001.

However, that all changes next year, when TNT Sports will take over the exclusive UK broadcast rights from 2026 onwards. It will be available via its paid-for channels as well as its streaming service, incorporated within Discovery+.

If you're a keen Tour de France fan, and want to make the most of having every stage available to stream for free (outside of the £174.50 TV licence fee required when streaming live broadcasts, of course) it's worth downloading ITVX on every device to watch every second of the action.

You can access ITVX across a wide ecosystem: smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, set-top boxes, gaming consoles, streaming dongles like the Fire TV Stick and Roku, and desktop PCs.

But if you're planning any time away this summer — you'll struggle to catch every stage on ITVX.

That's because the British broadaster's streaming service is geo-restricted to the UK, blocking those abroad who don't pay the annual TV licence from streaming the latest dramas, factual series, comedies, reality shows, and more. Instead, ITV output appears on channels like BritBox or Netflix.

ITVX allows paid subscribers to download shows before you set-off to watch when outside of the UK, but while this solution works fine when binge-watching a series like Mr Bates vs The Post Office on ITVX, this approach doesn't solve the problem with geo-blocks when watching live events, like the Tour de France.

Virtual Private Networks, more commonly known as VPNs, allow you to bypass these restrictions by routing all of your internet traffic via VPN servers located in the UK, making it appear like your device is still located within Britain.

ExpressVPN provides the most reliable solution for accessing ITVX when outside of the UK, thanks to its bumper selection of VPN server locations across 105 countries ensuring consistent streaming speeds. It offers multiple VPN servers within the UK, so there's plenty of choice if one becomes congested with traffic during peak times.

You can connect to a UK server via ExpressVPN's wide array of apps, including dedicated sofware for Windows, Mac, Linux, as well as mobile platforms like iPhone, iPad, Android, and streaming devices, like Fire TV Stick and Apple TV.

The service offers fast transfer speeds with unlimited bandwidth, preventing buffering during crucial tournament moments. ExpressVPN's TrustedServer technology and strict no-logs policy ensure your streaming remains private and secure on public Wi-Fi networks whilst abroad.

Installation takes just minutes — simply download the ExpressVPN app, connect to a VPN server based in the UK, then access BBC iPlayer or ITVX as normal. The service includes 8 simultaneous connections, allowing you to stream on multiple devices simultaneously. ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support through live chat, ensuring you're covered throughout the tournament period.

New to VPNs?

Setting up your new connection to stream ITVX via ExpressVPN takes three simple steps — install the VPN app on your chosen device, select a VPN server in the country you'd like to "relocate" your device to, open ITVX, and start streaming as if you were sat on the sofa at home.

ExpressVPN supports simultaneous connections on eight devices, covering smartphones, tablets, laptops and smart televisions. Remember this method exclusively serves UK TV licence holders temporarily abroad, not for circumventing regional broadcasting rights from other countries.

ExpressVPN's technical capabilities make it particularly suited for your streaming needs during the Tour de France. That's because the streaming service operates on a 10-Gbps network infrastructure, eliminating buffering issues during crucial race moments.

Other key features of the VPN include:

• Military-grade encryption for your data as it's transferred via an internet connection
• Strict no-logs policy, so ExpressVPN never keeps a record of your online activity
• Split-tunnelling allows you to be selective about the online traffic that's routed via the VPN server
• Automatic kill switch preventing accidental exposure if there's an issue with your internet connection
• Headquarters in British Virgin Islands, so it operates outside of the Five Eyes jurisdiction

You'll also benefit from dedicated streaming optimisation for major platforms, including ITVX. Round-the-clock customer support remains available should technical difficulties arise during a key mountain stages or sprint finishes.

Alternative broadcasting arrangements exist globally, with free coverage available through SBS in Australia, France.TV in France, and various public broadcasters across Europe. Canadian viewers require FloBikes subscriptions while those in the United States will be able to access all of the action via Peacock's comprehensive streaming package.

The race continues through challenging mountain stages including Mont Ventoux on July 22 and the gruelling Col de la Loze on July 24. Two time trials feature prominently, with Friday's Peyragudes mountain test potentially decisive for overall classification.

UK residents should note VPN usage remains strictly for accessing home services whilst temporarily overseas. The technology protects your privacy through encrypted connections, preventing ISP monitoring and ensuring secure streaming on public WiFi networks during your travels. With just six days remaining until the Paris finale, you'll witness every pivotal moment through ITVX's final Tour broadcast before next year's paywall arrives.

Benefits of ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is particularly well-suited for streaming as it boasts VPN server locations in 105 countries providing access to global coverage. It offers ultra-fast speeds on a 10-Gbps network, essential for high-quality streaming without buffering.

With military-grade encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and features like split tunneling and a kill switch, your online activity stays private.

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Based in the British Virgin Islands — outside Five Eyes jurisdiction — it avoids mandatory data retention laws, which means that even if the company was collecting data (it's not), law enforcement from the UK and US would be unable to compel ExpressVPN to hand over any information about its subscribers.

ExpressVPN supports a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs, and routers. There's no limit on the number of ExpressVPN apps that you can download on your devices, and with a single subscription, you can connect to the VPN on eight gadgets at once.

It also has a dedicated team that optimises the service for major streaming platforms. Round-the-clock customer support is available if you encounter any issues during race weekend.

ExpressVPN isn't the cheapest VPN. However, its 30-day money-back guarantee makes it a risk-free choice for privacy-conscious users and frequent streamers.

It should also give new customers the confidence to subscribe to one of its longer contracts, which unlock the biggest discounts.

What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is software that protects and anonymises everything you do online. VPNs can conceal your online activities by routing traffic through an entrypted tunnel that connects to secure servers worldwide.

The most reliable VPNs employ the same encryption standard as governments in the United Kingdom and the United States, ensuring that even your Internet Service Provider (ISP) connected to Wi-Fi cannot record the websites you visit, the duration of your sessions on each site, or your current location. This protection extends to advertisers, trackers, and hackers, preventing them from monitoring your online behaviour.

Furthermore, personal information entered into online forms and sensitive data transmitted to and from your device will be safeguarded from hackers using strong encryption provided by a VPN.

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