It’s time again for cycling’s biggest competition. The wheels are officially spinning on the 111th Tour de France, which begins on Saturday, June 29. The bikes are hitting the pavement one week earlier than usual because of the 2024 Olympic Games. Let’s get up to speed on the history, course, and competition, then figure out how to tune in.

A brief history of the Tour de France

French cyclist and journalist Henri Desgrange created the event in 1903. L’Auto, Desgrange’s newspaper, sponsored the race. It has occurred annually except during World Wars I and II. Yes, it even happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, although it was postponed.

In 1910, the Tour spiced things up a bit by having riders tackle the mountain passes in the Pyrenees known as the “circle of death.” In 1919, the infamous yellow jersey was introduced, which signified who the current overall race leader is. More on that to come.

How the Tour de France works

The race is both a team sport and an individual one. Twenty-two teams made up of eight riders each compete over 2,235 miles. The event takes place over 21 days and is broken into 21 stages.

Riders complete a stage a day, with two rest days over the course of the competition. The biggest bragging rights go to the rider with the fastest time after all 21 stages, along with the yellow jersey and the Coupe Omnisports trophy.

There are other prizes along the way. The green jersey goes to the rider with the highest score; points are accumulated over the course of the race by finishing in the top 15 in a stage. This typically favors sprinters.

Meanwhile, the polka-dot jersey favors the climbers who are kings of the mountains. These riders earn points by being the first ones to reach the summit of categorized climbs.

The team with the best time dons yellow helmets.

Riders to watch at this year’s Tour de France

Two riders are competing to win their third Tour de France.

Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark won the last two years. In 2023, he bested the competition by seven and a half minutes. Unfortunately, he was injured in the Tour of the Basque Country in April and suffered a broken collar bone, broken ribs, and a punctured lung.

Vingegaard’s injuries might be an opening for Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia. He won in 2020 and 2021. In May, he won the Giro d’Italia, so he’s already on a roll.

What’s new with the Tour de France in 2024?

This year’s event begins in Florence, Italy, at 3 a.m. PT/6 a.m. ET. The beginning stages will travel the Apennine Mountains to Rimini featuring several uphill climbs. The route changes every year to keep things interesting.

Because of this summer’s Olympic Games, the Tour will end outside of Paris for the first time since 1975. Cyclists will cross the finish line in Nice on Sunday, July 21. This is also the first time since 1989 that the Tour will end with a timed trial.

How can I watch or stream Tour de France coverage live?

If you are a die-hard fan and want to catch every minute of the action, your best bet is to subscribe to Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service.

Coverage begins bright and early every race day from Saturday, June 29, through Sunday, July 21, between 6 and 7:30 a.m. ET.

If you are okay with just catching the highlights, you can watch NBC’s coverage. This will occur for Stage 8 on July 6 and Stage 14 on July 13 at 5 a.m PT/8 a.m. ET. Stage 20 will be replayed at 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET.

NBC can be accessed free with an over-the-air antenna and reception. You can also catch the network’s coverage with a live-TV streaming service.

DirecTV Stream offers a free five-day trial. Hulu with Live TV offers a free three-day trial. NBC is also available on YouTube TV.