When does the Tour de France start? Stage 1 location, time, TV coverage to watch 2023 race

With the calendar set to turn to July, the marquee event on the world cycling calendar is set to take center stage. 

The Tour de France, the sport’s most prestigious race, will play out across 21 stages spread over 23 days, beginning in Spain before winding its way through the Pyrenees and the Alps and finally to the frenzied sprint finish on the Champs Elysees. 

A total of 176 riders will start the race, but many of them won’t make it all the way through to the finish and only a select few will be in contention to take the yellow jersey home from Paris. 

Jonas Vingegaard won his first Grand Tour here a year ago after finishing as runner-up to Tadej Pogacar in 2021. Those two are heavy favorites to challenge for the general classification victory again this year, though a dark horse could always sneak in. 

Beyond them, the star attraction figures to be the legendary sprinter Mark Cavendish, who is back after missing last year’s Tour. The 38-year-old has 34 Tour de France stage wins, tied with the immortal Eddy Merckx for the most ever, and all eyes will be on him for the flat stages with sprint finishes. 

MORE: Watch the Tour de France live with Fubo (free trial)

So when does the action get underway? The Sporting News has the details: 

When does the Tour de France start? 

Tour de France start date: Saturday, July 1
Stage 1 start time: 6:30 a.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. local time
Approximate finish time: 11:15 a.m. ET / 5:15 p.m. local time

The 2023 Tour de France begins with Stage 1 on Saturday, July 1. The field will roll out of the center of Bilbao beginning at around 6:30 a.m. ET, and the leaders are expected to cross the finish line about four and a half hours later. 

Where is Stage 1 of the Tour de France in 2023?

As has become the norm in recent years, it will take place outside the Tour’s namesake country. This year’s Grand Depart will be in Bilbao, Spain, with the opening stage starting and finishing in the Basque city and the 181.1km (113.1 mile) route traversing the nearby hills and the coastline along the Bay of Biscay. 

MORE: Tour de France 2023 favorites, betting tips

How to watch Tour de France Stage 1 in 2023

TV channel: NBC, USA
Live stream: Peacock, Fubo

As always, viewers in the United States can watch the Tour de France on NBC Sports’ various networks. Full coverage of Stage 1 and every other stage will be available on Peacock, the company’s streaming service. 

NBC will pick up coverage of Stage 1 on its main network at 8 a.m. ET and show a replay on USA Network at 2 a.m. ET Sunday. Coverage that airs on NBC and USA can be streamed via Fubo, which offers a free trial.

Time (ET)
TV/Streaming

6:30 a.m.
Peacock

8 a.m.
NBC, Fubo

2 a.m. (replay)
USA, Fubo

MORE: Tour de France 2023 prize money

Tour de France 2023 schedule

The 2023 Tour de France will consist of 21 stages. There are two rest days built into the schedule for the race that begins on July 1 and wraps up on July 23. 

It will be an early morning for those in the United States who want to watch live coverage of the event — or a late night if you opt for replay broadcast on cable. For most of the replays, viewers hoping to watch will have to wait until 2 a.m. ET the following morning to see how the action unfolded. 

Stage
Date
Length
Location
Coverage (ET)
TV/Streaming (ET)

1
July 1
182 km (113.1 miles)
Bilbao to Bilbao (hilly)
6:30 a.m. 
Peacock (6:30 a.m.) / Peacock, NBC (8 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

2
July 2
209 km (129.9 miles)
Vitoria-Gasteiz to Saint-Sébastien (hilly)
6:05 a.m. 
Peacock (6:05 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

3
July 3
187.4 km (116.5 miles)
Amorebieta-Etxano to Bayonne (flat)
6:50 a.m.
Peacock (6:50 a.m.) / Peacock, USA Network (8 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

4
July 4
182 km (113.1 miles)
Dax to Nogaro (flat)
7 a.m.
Peacock (7 a.m.) / Peacock, USA Network (8 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

5
July 5
163 km (101.3 miles)
Pau to Laruns (mountain)
6:55 a.m.
Peacock (6:55 a.m.) / Peacock, USA Network (8 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

6
July 6
145 km (90.1 miles)
Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque (mountain)
7 a.m. 
Peacock (7 a.m.) / Peacock, USA Network (8 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

7
July 7
170 km (105.6 miles)
Mont-de-Marsan to Bordeaux (flat)
7:10 a.m.
Peacock (7 a.m.) / Peacock, USA Network (8 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

8
July 8
201 km (124.9 miles)
Libourne to Limoges (hilly)
6:20 a.m. 
Peacock (6:20 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

9
July 9
182.5 km (113.4 miles)
Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat to Puy de Dôme (mountain)
7:05 a.m. 
Peacock (7:05 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

Rest Day
July 10
—
—
—
—

10
July 11
167.5 km (104.1 miles)
Vulcania to Issoire (hilly)
6:55 a.m.
Peacock (6:55 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

11
July 12
180 km (111.9 miles)
Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins (flat)
6:55 a.m.
Peacock (6:55 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

12
July 13
169 km (105 miles)
Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais (hilly)
6:55 a.m.
Peacock (6:55 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

13
July 14
138 km (85.8 miles)
Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne to Grand Colombier (mountain)
7:30 a.m.
Peacock (7:30 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

14
July 15
152 km (94.5 miles)
Annemasse to Morzine Les Portes du Soleil (mountain)
6:55 a.m.
Peacock (6:55 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

15
July 16
179 km (111.2 miles)
Les Gets Les Portes du Soleil to Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc (mountain)
6:55 a.m.
Peacock (6:55 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

Rest Day
July 17
—
—
—
—

16
July 18
22.4 km (13.9 miles)
Passy to Combloux (individual time trial)
6:50 a.m.
Peacock (6:50 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

17
July 19
166 km (103.2 miles)
Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc to Courchevel (mountain)
6:05 a.m.
Peacock (6:05 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

18
July 20
185 km (115 miles)
Moûtiers to Bourg-en-Bresse (hilly)
6:55 a.m.
Peacock (6:55 a.m.) / USA Network* (8 a.m. on 7/21)

19
July 21
173 km (107.5 miles)
Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny (flat)
7:05 a.m.
Peacock (7:05 a.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

20
July 22
133.5 km (83 miles)
Belfort to Le Markstein Fellering (mountain)
7:30 a.m. 
Peacock (7:30 a.m.) / USA Network (2 a.m.)

21
July 23
115.5 km (71.7 miles)
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris Champs-Élysées (flat)
10:10 a.m.
Peacock (10:10 a.m.) / NBC* (5 p.m.) / USA Network* (2 a.m.)

* – encore presentation

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