“This is bigger than pro cycling”: Fan petitions government to save free-to-air Tour de France coverage in UK, condemning paywall as “massive missed opportunity” to boost cycling numbers and combat congestion

A cycling fan has launched a petition to parliament calling for the Tour de France to be protected under UK broadcasting law, in a bid to ensure cycling’s biggest race remains free to air on British television.

The petition, launched this week by cycling YouTuber Peter Treadway, urges the government to reclassify the Tour de France as a ‘Category A’ sporting event, similar to the FA Cup final, Wimbledon, and the Grand National, meaning live coverage of the race must be made available on free-to-air channels in the UK.

The loss of the Tour de France on free-to-air TV from 2026, Treadway argues, will worsen the already declining fortunes of Britain’s domestic road racing scene, as well as reducing cycling’s visibility and participation levels, harming its ability to increase the nation’s physical and mental health, tackle congestion, and lower emissions.

2024 Tour de France peloton (credit: ASO/Charly Lopez)

In October, it was confirmed that the 2025 Tour de France will be the last to be broadcast on ITV – and hence free-to-air television in the UK – for the foreseeable future, after Warner Bros. Discovery announced that it had agreed a new exclusive rights deal for cycling’s biggest race.

The rights deal, which will run until at least 2030, will mean that the Tour de France will not be freely available in the UK for the first time since the 1980s, when Channel 4 began broadcasting its now iconic evening highlights programmes.

> “The Tour is the only race that matters. And that’s gone now”: Ned Boulting on the end of free-to-air Tour de France coverage in the UK and his “deep sense of loss”

That news – which ITV4 commentator Ned Boulting admitted would gravely harm the visibility of both the Tour and cycling in the eyes of the general public – was compounded by the announcement in January that Eurosport was set to close in the UK and cycling coverage moved to TNT Sports.

Cycling’s transfer to TNT Sports at the end of February now means that fans have to pay £30.99 a month to watch the sport, a subscription package 343 per cent more expensive than the previous £6.99 Eurosport fee, prompting many viewers to brand the decision “an abuse of monopoly” and “exploitation”.

Last month, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon, Ben Obese-Jecty, raised the issue in parliament during a Westminster Hall debate, arguing that the lack of accessible cycling coverage would “leave the new generation with no inspiration to take on two wheels” and fail to promote active travel.

However, in response, sports minister Stephanie Peacock said that debates concerning televisual broadcast deals were not a “matter for the government”.

> Edinburgh to host start of 2027 Tour de France: Tour director “optimistic” about free-to-air TV coverage of UK Grand Départ

But now, the Labour government could be forced to properly consider the future of cycling on British TV, after Peter Treadway’s petition called on it to protect the Tour de France’s status as a free-to-air sporting event, especially in the build-up to the race’s British Grand Départ in 2027.

At the launch of the Edinburgh Grand Départ last month, the race’s general director Christian Prudhomme said that he is “optimistic a deal” can be secured to ensure that the UK-based opening stages of both the men’s and women’s Tours will be available free-to-air, though talks are still ongoing and nothing has yet been confirmed.

In his petition, which requires 10,000 signatures before the government is forced to respond to it and 100,000 for it to be considered for debate in parliament, Treadway argued that the loss of free-to-air coverage of the Tour de France could have a detrimental effect on cycling participation levels in the UK.

2024 Tour de France peloton (ASO/Charly Lopez) (credit: road.cc)

“Cycling is one of the most accessible sports to take up but one of the least accessible to watch,” says Treadway. “And the Tour de France is the one of the world’s most-watched annual sporting events, inspiring some to take up cycling.

“British Cycling is in a dire state right now, with the UK’s last UCI Continental team, Saint Piran, recently closing down. We believe losing free coverage of this huge sporting event will worsen this, reducing visibility and participation in the UK. Cycling boosts health and sustainability – without free access, we think the next generation of British riders may never get inspired.

“If we want to inspire more people to ride, especially the next generation, we need to keep the biggest race in the sport freely available. Right now, we have a chance to change that before it’s too late.”

> “Can you imagine any retailer of any other product getting away with that?” Ex-UCI president Brian Cookson uses baked beans analogy to hit out at “outrageous and incompetent” Warner Bros. Discovery for “trying to kill cycling for British customers”

The petition calls for the Tour to be classified as a ‘Category A’ sporting event, ensuring it remains free to watch on UK television.

According to the Ofcom Code on Sports, Category A events are ones which must have live coverage made available to free-to-air channels, though they can also be broadcast on subscription-based channels.

Several football events, including the entirety of the men’s and women’s World Cups and the FA Cup final, the Grand National, the Rugby Union World Cup final, the Wimbledon tennis championships, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games all currently fall under this category.

2024 Tour de France peloton (ASO/Billy Ceusters) (credit: road.cc)

Speaking to road.cc on Thursday morning, Treadway says he hopes his petition will encourage the government to give the issue of cycling coverage in the UK “the attention it deserves”.

“The petition only went live a couple of days ago, and I’m in the process of approaching some current and former British WorldTour cyclists to ask for their support, so I’m hopeful that as awareness grows, we’ll see more voices join the conversation,” the YouTuber told road.cc.

“Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty also recently raised this issue in parliament, but the debate saw very limited attendance. By gathering sufficient signatures on this petition then, I hope to demonstrate the public’s strong interest in the matter and encourage the government to give it the attention it deserves.”

> How to watch cycling for less now it's moving to £30.99-a-month TNT Sports

Asked about how the loss of ITV’s coverage of the Tour will affect cycling, both in sporting and general terms in the UK, Treadway said: “My biggest concern is the barrier this creates for future fans of the sport. The Tour de France is such an inspiring event in cycling and is a huge gateway for people in the UK to fall in love with the sport.

“If live coverage is locked behind a paywall from next year, we risk losing a whole generation of new riders, just as the UK is set to host the Grand Départ in 2027. It’s a massive missed opportunity to boost participation and enthusiasm around cycling.”

“This is bigger than just cycling fandom though,” he continues. “Encouraging more people to take up cycling has huge benefits for society – improved physical and mental health, reduced congestion, lower emissions, and even economic benefits as more people choose bikes over cars for commuting.

“This also comes at a time when British cycling is already in decline. Despite the promises of a lasting cycling legacy after the 2012 Olympics and Britain’s dominance in the sport throughout the 2010s, participation rates have been falling rather than rising.”

> Cycling fans report Warner Bros. Discovery to market regulator for “abuse of monopoly” and “price gouging” after moving cycling behind £30.99-a-month paywall, as Tory MP slams “terrible decision”

Reflecting on TNT Sports’ £30.99 per month paywall for cycling coverage, Treadway added: “I started my YouTube channel in 2022 to share my love of cycling with others and have since dedicated it to breaking down the financial barriers of entry to the sport, by showing that you don’t need to spend thousands of pounds to get a great bike.

“The cost of cycling is already a major obstacle for many people, and now even watching the sport is becoming a financial burden. It’s frustrating that there’s no affordable way for people to experience the Tour de France, especially given the UK’s long-standing connection with the race.

“The fact that TNT Sports will be the only option for live coverage raises huge concerns about pricing now and in the future too. Not everyone can afford another subscription, and who knows how much of a further increase we’ll see going forward.

“This move means cycling will join the growing list of sports that are becoming less visible to the general public. Given the Tour de France’s status as the world’s biggest annual sporting event, it deserves the same level of protection as other global sporting coverage.”

> Has the UCI sold cycling’s soul to Warner Bros. Discovery?

Treadway also referred to the decision made this week by the UCI and Warner Bros. Discovery to reduce the traditional five-rider podium at mountain bike World Series XCO events to three, a controversial move which prompted 120 riders, including the likes of Tom Pidcock and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, to issue a joint statement condemning the change.

“It isn’t just the road cycling world where TNT Sports/WBD is stoking up frustration and anger amongst riders and fans alike,” Treadway noted.

“These kinds of changes show that TNT Sports/WBD have a complete lack of understanding of the culture and traditions of the sport, and it raises concerns about how cycling will be presented going forward.

“If this is what’s happening in mountain biking, what’s next for the Tour de France?”