July felt strangely empty without it, but August and September have got the goods: the postponed 107th Tour de France will air live, free and in HD, exclusively on SBS from Saturday 29 August to Sunday 20 September.
Starting in Nice this year, and ending as always in Paris, the 2020 Tour promises to be better than ever, with an unconventional and mountainous route. It will feature eight mountain stages with four summit finishes, nine flat stages, three hilly stages, and one individual time trial on the penultimate day. The race will traverse a total of six regions, 32 departments and cover five mountain ranges – the Alps, Massif Central, Pyrenees, Jura and Vosges.
SBS has been the home of the Tour de France for 30 years. To our dedicated viewers, we’re so pleased to be bringing you our extensive coverage of this beloved event.
Broadcast times vary, with most stages starting at 8.30pm AEST (see the full schedule below).
Tune into daily Morning Updates from 7.00am on SBS, stage replays on SBS and SBS VICELAND, and evening highlights on SBS. Every stage will stream live at SBS On Demand and the Cycling Central website. Cycling Central will also feature news, opinion, stats, highlights and video on demand.
Watch the trailer here:
The commentary team
For the first time, the commentary team will be covering the event from the SBS studio with esteemed cycling journalist Michael Tomalaris at the helm. Michael has covered the race since 1996, with 2020 marking his 25th year. He’ll be joined by co-host and former Giro d’Italia stage winner David McKenzie.
Calling every stage from start to finish are former road cyclist and triple winner of the Tour de France’s green jersey Robbie McEwen, and Matthew Keenan who’s known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of world cycling. World record-breaking cyclist Dr. Bridie O’Donnell will join the team for the first time to provide in-depth analysis throughout the race.
“The Tour means so much to so many people for different reasons. Sure, it’s a sporting event first and foremost, but throw in the magnificent scenery, the fascinating history, the journey through different regions and the cuisine offerings, and the Tour is an escape for SBS viewers tuning in on the other side of globe,” said Michael. “It’s a cultural journey without having to leave your lounge room.”
The cyclists
Some cyclists have already confirmed their intention to ride in the 2020 Tour de France, including defending champion Egan Bernal, 2018 winner Geraint Thomas and four-time winner Chris Froome. Aussie contenders expected to ride include Richie Porte, Caleb Ewan, Simon Clarke, Heinrich Haussler and Alex Edmondson.
The ŠKODA Tour Tracker app
The ŠKODA Tour Tracker app will return in 2020, streaming live pictures and allowing viewers to see real-time data, stage profiles and catch-up video to complement the full Tour de France coverage and deliver a fully comprehensive offering.
The Zwift SBS Tour de France podcast
The Zwift SBS Tour de France podcast also returns, hosted by SBS French Radio’s Christophe Mallet and David McKenzie, with special guests. The daily podcast features updates on the race, as well as the fascinating characters and distinctly ‘French’ things that make this cycling race one of the world’s biggest annual sporting events.
The new bite-sized food series Plat du Tour
Renowned French chef Guillaume Brahimi will host the brand-new bite-sized food series Plat du Tour during SBS’s coverage of the race. Plat du Tour takes over from Taste le Tour that wrapped in 2019 after 15 seasons with Gabriel Gaté.
Filmed around NSW, Guillaume is thrilled to host a series celebrating French cuisine. “I’ve been cooking for nearly forty years and I still love it more than ever,” said Guillaume. With a focus on the rustic, homespun skills of the French cook, the series will feature 21 recipes from regions of France that correlate to the different stages of the Tour. Look out for classic favourites including Ratatouille and tapenade, Mussels marinières and fries, and Bouillabaisse with rouille.
After the race is over, you can catch episodes of Plat du Tour on SBS Food.
Watch the trailer here:
The full broadcast schedule
Pop this link into your favourites. It has all the details on how to watch the 2020 Tour de France.
| STAGE | DATE | START TIME (AEST) | START TIME (AWST) |
| 1 | Saturday 29 August | 9.00pm SBS | 7:00pm SBS VICELAND9:00pm SBS |
| 2 | Sunday 30 August | 8.30pm SBS | 6:30pm SBS VICELAND8:30pm SBS |
| 3 | Monday 31 August | 9.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND9:30pm SBS |
| 4 | Tuesday 1 September | 9.30pm SBS VICELAND10:30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND10:30pm SBS |
| 5 | Wednesday 2 September | 9.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND9:30pm SBS |
| 6 | Thursday 3 September | 9.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND9:30pm SBS |
| 7 | Friday 4 September | 9.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND9:30pm SBS |
| 8 | Saturday 5 September | 9.00pm SBS | 7:00pm SBS VICELAND9:00pm SBS |
| 9 | Sunday 6 September | 8.30pm SBS | 6:30pm SBS VICELAND8:30pm SBS |
| REST DAY | Monday 7 September | ||
| 10 | Tuesday 8 September | 9.30pm SBS VICELAND10.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND10:30pm SBS |
| 11 | Wednesday 9 September | 9.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND9:30pm SBS |
| 12 | Thursday 10 September | 9.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND9:30pm SBS |
| 13 | Friday 11 September | 9.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND9:30pm SBS |
| 14 | Saturday 12 September | 8.30pm SBS | 6:30pm SBS VICELAND8:30pm SBS |
| 15 | Sunday 13 September | 8.30pm SBS | 6:30pm SBS VICELAND8:30pm SBS |
| REST DAY | Monday 14 September | ||
| 16 | Tuesday 15 September | 9.30pm SBS VICELAND10:30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND10:30pm SBS |
| 17 | Wednesday 16 September | 9.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND9:30pm SBS |
| 18 | Thursday 17 September | 9.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND9:30pm SBS |
| 19 | Friday 18 September | 9.30pm SBS | 7:30pm SBS VICELAND9:30pm SBS |
| 20 | Saturday 19 September | 8.30pm SBS | 6:30pm SBS VICELAND8:30pm SBS |
| 21 | Sunday 20 September | 11.00pm SBS | 9:00pm SBS VICELAND11:00pm SBS |
