The Lloyds Tour of Britain Men 2026 brings a strong field to England and Scotland from Wednesday 2 September to Sunday 6 September, starting in Lincoln and finishing in Earlston in the Scottish Borders. It follows the Tour of Britain Women, but a more selective route means this edition should offer more than a straightforward sprint contest.
Whether you're at home or abroad, here's how to watch live, with all official TV channels, legitimate free streams, and a simple way to keep access to your home subscription securely through a VPN while travelling.
For UK viewers, stages 1 to 4 are live on ITV4, ITVX, HBO Max, TNT Sports and the race’s official YouTube channel, while the final stage on Sunday 6 September is live on ITVX but not ITV4. If you normally watch on the ITV4 channel, you will need the ITVX app or website for the finale.
Race schedule
Wednesday 2 September 2026 • Lincoln → Lincoln
Stage 2 - Thursday 3 September 2026 • Boston → Skegness
- Start (Boston): 10:45
- Est. Finish (Skegness): 15:07
Stage 3 - Friday 4 September 2026 • Hull → Beverley
- Start (Hull): 10:45
- Est. Finish (Beverley): 15:20
Stage 4 - Saturday 5 September 2026 • Helmsley → Leyburn
- Start (Helmsley): 11:15
- Est. Finish (Leyburn): 15:20
Stage 5 - Sunday 6 September 2026 • Earlston → Earlston
- Start (Earlston): 11:15
- Est. Finish (Earlston): 14:58
The route in brief
The race covers five stages between Lincoln and the Scottish Borders. Stage 1 finishes on a Lincoln circuit with repeated ascents of the cobbled Michaelgate, a 0.4km climb averaging 9.3%, which makes the opening day a likely first test for the general classification. Stage 2, from Boston to Skegness, is the clearest bunch-sprint opportunity on the route, though exposed coastal roads could split things. Stage 3 is the longest day at 194.1km, crossing the East Yorkshire coast before a finishing circuit in Beverley, where Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) won in 2023.
Stage 4 is the decisive one on paper: 165.8km from Helmsley to Leyburn with 2,699m of climbing and exposed moorland over Greenhow, Kidstones, Redmire and Grinton Moor. Leyburn hosts a modern Tour of Britain finish for the first time. Redmire and Grinton Moor come in the final 50km, while a steep climb in Harmby with 2km to go could also be decisive. The Earlston finale packs 2,236m of climbing into 156.1km, taking in Redstone Rig, Duddy Bank and Hardens Hill in the Lammermuirs before two finishing circuits. It could end in a sprint, but it has enough terrain to complicate the overall contest.
Who is racing
The provisional startlist is packed to the rafters with very big names who did not attend La Vuelta but still have an appetite some hard racing before the World Championships, including freshly crowned XCC mountain bike world champion Tom Pidcock, plus other stars such as Filippo Ganna, Tim Wellens, Jasper Stuyven, Benoît Cosnefroy and Matteo Trentin. The headline sprint contest is Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) against Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM Team). Merlier makes his Tour of Britain debut, while Kooij arrives with seven career stage wins in the race, three short of Mark Cavendish's record of 10, a rivalry we covered in detail last week.
"This will be my first time racing in the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men and I'm looking forward to it," Merlier said. "The stages look well suited for sprinters, and as a team we will be aiming to make the most of the opportunities and put on a good show for the fans."
How to watch the Tour of Britain Men 2026
All five stages are live on TNT Sports, HBO Max and the race's free official YouTube channel, alongside the ITV coverage in the UK. Full details are in the table below.
How to watch
| Region | Broadcaster | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | ITV4 & ITVX (stages 1-4), ITVX only (stage 5) | Free | Daily highlights on ITV4 and ITVX |
United Kingdom | TNT Sports / HBO Max | £30.99/mo | All five stages live |
Australia | SBS On Demand | Free | All five stages live and on catch-up |
Belgium | Eurosport / HBO Max | Subscription | Live coverage of all stages |
Netherlands | Eurosport / HBO Max | Subscription | Live coverage of all stages |
Italy | Eurosport / HBO Max | Subscription | Live coverage of all stages |
France | Official Tour of Britain YouTube channel | Free | Eurosport/HBO Max deal excludes France; check local listings |
United States | Official Tour of Britain YouTube channel | Free | No confirmed US rights holder; check availability |
Canada | Official Tour of Britain YouTube channel | Free | No confirmed Canadian rights holder; check availability |
Legal free streams
Velora tip: several official broadcasters show the race live for free:
- ITV4 and ITVX (UK) – stages 1 to 4 on both, stage 5 on ITVX only
- SBS On Demand (Australia) – all five stages live, streaming from 7:25pm AEST on stages 1 to 3 and 7:55pm AEST at the weekend
- The official Lloyds Tour of Britain YouTube channel – all five stages live, subject to availability in your territory
If you're abroad, you can connect via VPN to your home country to access these official, legal feeds, just as if you were at home.
Using a VPN legally while travelling
Broadcasters often limit streams to home viewers. If you're travelling, a VPN lets you connect to a server in your home country, which may allow you to keep watching your usual paid or free service, subject to the broadcaster's terms.
How to do it:
- Download NordVPN – our recommended VPN for streaming while travelling.
- Connect to your home country (e.g., UK for ITVX or Australia for SBS On Demand).
- Open your usual broadcaster's site or app and start watching safely.
Velora never endorses bypassing broadcast rights. A VPN should only be used to access official services, whether paid or free-to-air, while abroad.
Always use legitimate platforms. Unofficial streams often breach copyright and expose viewers to malware or fake ads.
Quick recap
- Stages 1-4 live on ITV4 and ITVX in the UK; stage 5 on ITVX only
- All five stages live on TNT Sports, HBO Max and the free official YouTube channel
- Free live coverage on SBS On Demand in Australia
- Travelling abroad? Use a VPN to keep access to your home subscription safely
- Avoid illegal streams; they're unsafe and breach copyright
Velora only promotes VPN use to maintain access to legitimate, paid, or free-to-air services while abroad.
