Tour de France: Unchained, explained: Cycling documentary headlines Netflix

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Tour de France Wout van Aert
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The Tour de France is one of the world's most famous sporting events but not much is known about what happens behind the scenes.

However, there is a Netflix documentary - produced by the same team from the highly-rated Formula 1: Drive to Survive series - that will whet your cycling appetite.

The Sporting News explains how you can watch the series and details about the documentary.

MORE: When does Tour de France 2024 start?

What is the Tour de France: Unchained documentary?

First released in June 2023 prior to that year's Tour de France race, the first season of the documentary followed selected riders and their team through the 2022 Tour de France.

The first season featured eight of the 22 cycling teams participating across eight episodes that were each approximately 40 minutes in length.

Winner of the 2021 Tour de France Tadej Pogacar was not in the first season after his team UAE Team Emirates opted out of the production.

Is there a second season of Tour de France: Unchained?

Yes, a second season of Tour de France: Unchained was released on June 11, 2024 - in the lead-up to the 2024 Tour de France.

Once again, the series documented the previous year's race - the 2023 Tour de France - and features eight episodes of approximately 40 minutes in length.

This time around, 2021 winner Pogacar does participate in the series, as does sprint king veteran Mark Cavendish.

How to watch Tour de France: Unchained?

The only way to watch Tour de France: Unchained is via streaming service Netflix.

Netflix is available in over 190 countries worldwide.

To check how much a Netflix subscription is in your region, click here.

When is the Tour de France 2024? Start date, finish

This year's Tour de France will begin on Saturday, June 29.

The 111th edition of the famous cycling event will set off from the Italian city of Florence, and come to a close on Sunday, July 21 in Nice.

Tour de France 2024 route

As mentioned above, the 'Grand Départ' will be in Florence, with the first three stages taking place entirely in Italy.

Riders will make their way into France during Stage 4, where they will stay for the remainder of the tour.

The first individual time trial is scheduled seven days in as competitors set off from the Burgundy town of Nuits-Saint-Georges.

A hilly route is lined up for Stage 9 but the first rest day of the tour is planned for the day after.

With the riders (hopefully) rejuvenated, they will begin making their way down the country, starting from Orléans. 

The first of six mountain stages will then test the teams, followed by two flat stages on the way to Pau.

However, they will be hit with a pair of mountain routes, before the second and final rest day.

By this point, the pack will likely be strung out, with the true contenders remaining, as the action continues along the south coast and back into the Alps of France.

Two final mountain stages will await the riders before the final stage – an individual time trial – from Monaco to Nice, where the winner will be crowned.

The race will not conclude in Paris like is tradition, due to the upcoming Olympic Games.

The full route can be viewed here.

Author(s)
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Kieran Francis is a senior editor at Sporting News Australia.
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