MEDIA RELEASE 27 May 21 The Tour de France returns next month LIVE, FREE and in HD – exclusive to SBS from 26 June to 18 July Bite-sized food series Plat du Tour also returns, hosted by renowned French chef Guillaume Brahimi • Interviews available • Watch the promo for the Tour de France HERE • Watch the promo for Plat du Tour HERE SBS has been the home of the Tour de France for over 30 years and cycling fans can rejoice as the international sporting event returns next month. The 2021 Tour de France will be available live, free and in HD, exclusive to SBS from Saturday 26 June to Sunday 18 July. From Brest to Paris, the 108th Tour de France will feature eight flat stages, five hilly stages, and two individual time trial stages. The race will traverse a total of nine regions, 31 departments and cover six mountain stages with three finishes at altitude. The eighth stage, from Vierzon to Le Creusot, will navigate 248kms and will be longest Tour de France stage since the year 2000. SBS will again provide extensive coverage of the Tour de France. Broadcast times vary, with most stages starting at 8:30pm AEST (full schedule below). Then, tune into SBS daily for Morning Updates from 7.00am and stage replays from 11.00am. Every stage of the Tour de France will stream live on SBS On Demand and the Cycling Central website. Cycling Central will feature news, opinion, stats, highlights and video on demand. The SBS commentary team will once again cover the event live from SBS’s studios with esteemed cycling journalist Michael Tomalaris at the helm. He’ll be joined by co-host and former Giro d'Italia stage winner David McKenzie. Calling every stage from start to finish is 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 return to the Tour de France team for the second time to provide in-depth analysis throughout the race. SBS will launch a brand-new live preview show called Bonjour Le Tour, hosted by former cycling champion Kate Bates with SBS French Radio’s Christophe Mallet. The show will present key highlights from each stage, as well as showcase the regions of France that will feature in the upcoming stage. Bonjour Le Tour will celebrate all the iconic cultural moments that only the Tour can deliver, broadcasting on SBS from 5.00pm – 6.00pm on weekdays, and 5.30pm – 6.30pm on weekends. Special Broadcasting Service 14 Herbert Street, Artarmon, NSW, 2064, Australia sbs.com.au Tel: +61 2 9430 2828 SBS Director of Sport, Ken Shipp said: “SBS is firmly established as the home of first class cycling coverage. It’s at the heart of what we do with 300 hours of cycling content across the network each year, including the La Vuelta, and the Giro d'Italia. We are excited to once again bring one of the largest and most prestigious sporting events in the world to life. I'm incredibly proud of the dedication and round-the-clock work from the SBS on-air and production team who bring the Tour de France to Australian viewers every year, and we are delighted to continue offering the visual feast that this wonderful challenge brings until 2030.” Four-time winner Chris Froome will be back this year, as well as 2018 winner Geraint Thomas, and defending champion Tadej Pogacar. Aussie contenders expected to ride include Richie Porte, who finished the 2020 Tour de France in third place, and Caleb Ewan. The ŠKODA Tour Tracker app will return in 2021, 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 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 biggest sporting events in the world. SBS’s food accompaniment Plat du Tour returns for a second year, airing during SBS’s coverage of the Tour de France. Hosted by renowned French chef Guillaume Brahimi, Plat du Tour took over from the long-running Taste le Tour that wrapped in 2019 after 15 seasons with Gabriel Gaté. Plat du Tour champions the rustic, homespun skills of the French cook. Guillaume Brahimi will take viewers on a tour of great French cooking, and the series will feature 21 recipes that originate from different regions of France and correlate to the different Tour de France stages. Recipes include Paris Brest, Buckwheat Galette and the Tarte Aux Poireaux. After the 2021 Tour de France is complete, Plat du Tour segments will air as special episodes on SBS Food. Plat du Tour is produced by Blink TV for SBS. For more information and interviews, please contact: Eva Pitarides, Senior Communications Specialist 0403 142 465 | [email protected] Jessica Seaborn, Communications Specialist 0432 257 924 | [email protected] NOTES TO EDITORS: SBS TOUR DE FRANCE FULL BROADCAST SCHEDULE STAGE DATE START TIME (AEST) START TIME (AWST) 1 Saturday 26 June 7:30pm on SBS 5:30pm on SBS VICELAND 7:30pm on SBS 2 Sunday 27 June 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS Special Broadcasting Service 14 Herbert Street, Artarmon, NSW, 2064, Australia sbs.com.au Tel: +61 2 9430 2828 3 Monday 28 June 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS 4 Tuesday 29 June 9:30pm on SBS 7:30pm on SBS VICELAND 9:30pm on SBS 5 Wednesday 30 June 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELNAD 8:30pm on SBS 6 Thursday 1 July 9:30pm on SBS 7:30pm on SBS VICELAND 9:30pm on SBS 7 Friday 2 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS 8 Saturday 3 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS 9 Sunday 4 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS REST DAY Monday 5 July 10 Tuesday 6 July 8:30pm on SBS 8:30pm on SBS VICELAND 10:30pm on SBS 11 Wednesday 7 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS 12 Thursday 8 July 9:30pm on SBS 7:30pm on SBS VICELNAD 9:30pm on SBS 13 Friday 9 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS 14 Saturday 10 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS 15 Sunday 11 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS REST DAY Monday 12 July 16 Tuesday 13 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS 17 Wednesday 14 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS 18 Thursday 15 July 9:30pm on SBS 7:30pm on SBS VICELAND 9:30pm on SBS 19 Friday 16 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS 20 Saturday 17 July 8:30pm on SBS 6:30pm on SBS VICELAND 8:30pm on SBS 21 Sunday 18 July 11:00pm on SBS 8:30pm on SBS VICELAND 10:30pm on SBS SBS COMMENTARY TEAM BIOS MICHAEL TOMALARIS - HOST The SBS authority on all things cycling, award-winning journalist Michael Tomalaris is the face of the Tour de France. Michael’s contribution to the coverage of cycling was recognised in 2011 when he won the Australian Sports Commission Media Award for Best Coverage of Sport by an Individual (Broadcast Media). Michael has reported on the world’s biggest cycling events including the Giro Special Broadcasting Service 14 Herbert Street, Artarmon, NSW, 2064, Australia sbs.com.au Tel: +61 2 9430 2828 d’Italia, Vuelta a Espana and the Tour Down Under. Michael is known for his supreme knowledge of cycling, expert analysis, and infectious passion he brings to his commentary and reporting of the sport. 2021 is Michael’s 26th year covering the Tour de France for SBS. DAVID MCKENZIE - HOST David McKenzie brings nine years’ experience as a professional cyclist to SBS, providing in-depth analysis of the race, the riders and everything viewers need to know about road racing. Starting his career on the track, David made his first appearance for Australia at just 16. He joined his first professional cycling team in 1997 after a stint at the Australian Institute of Sport and in 1998 won the Australian National Road Championship. On the pro-cycling circuit David has competed in Australia and throughout Europe for various teams, winning stages at a number of events including the Giro d’Italia, Tour of Japan and Tour Down Under. ROBBIE MCEWEN – COMMENTATOR Robbie McEwen joined the SBS Cycling team in 2015. A former Australian BMX champion, McEwen switched to road racing in 1990 at 18. He raced as a professional from 1996 until 2012. He last rode for Australian team Orica-GreenEDGE on the UCI World Tour. In 2002 McEwen became the first Australian to win the green jersey overall Points (or Sprint) Classification of the Tour de France.