How to Watch the Santos Women's Tour Down Under 2026 Live – Free streams and  TV coverage of the WorldTour opener

How to Watch the Santos Women's Tour Down Under 2026 Live – Free streams and TV coverage of the WorldTour opener

The 2026 Santos Women's Tour Down Under takes place from January 17, marking a pivotal moment in the UCI Women’s WorldTour opener. With free-to-air coverage in Australia and subscription services globally, here is how to access live streams and secure broadcasts from any location.

3 min read

The Santos Tour Down Under 2026 brings leading WorldTour riders to South Australia from January 17 to 19. As the first event of the UCI Women's WorldTour (2.WWT) calendar, it will be a fascinating test for the season's general classification contenders. Whether you're at home or abroad, here's how to watch live – with all official TV channels, legitimate free streams, and information on how to keep access to your home subscription securely through a VPN while travelling.

Santos Tour Down Under Stage Race Times

Saturday 17 January 2026 • Willunga → Willunga

Velora
Race Start
LocalUTC+10:30
11:10
Your TimeUTC
00:40
Est Finish
LocalUTC+10:30
15:02
Your TimeUTC
04:32

Stage 2 - Sunday 18 January 2026 • Magill → Paracombe

  • Race Start: 11:10
  • Est Finish: 14:49

Stage 3 - Monday 19 January 2026 • Norwood → Campbelltown

  • Race Start : 11:10
  • Est Finish: 15:04

Race Favourites

With the traditional Willunga finish replaced by a double Corkscrew ascent, the 2026 route suits consistent climbers like Neve Bradbury and Gaia Realini. Defending champion Noemi Rüegg leads EF Education-Oatly, while local favourites Amanda Spratt and new Australian champion Mackenzie Coupland are set to challenge in the summer heat.

Read our full preview for a full deep dive into the Women's Tour Down Under favourites.

How to watch Santos Tour Down Under

Broadcasting for the 2026 race is split between free-to-air networks in the host nation and subscription-based sports streamers internationally.

Live Streaming Coverage by Region

Velora
Australia
Broadcaster
Seven Network (7plus)
Cost
Free
United Kingdom
Broadcaster
Discovery+ / TNT Sports
Cost
£30.99/mo
United States
Broadcaster
FloBikes
Cost
$29.99/mo
United States
Broadcaster
Peacock
Cost
$7.99/mo
Canada
Broadcaster
FloBikes
Cost
$29.99/mo
Belgium
Broadcaster
RTBF
Cost
Free
France
Broadcaster
France TV
Cost
Free
Netherlands
Broadcaster
Discovery+
Cost
€5.99/mo
Italy
Broadcaster
Eurosport
Cost
Varies

Legal Free Streams

Velora tip: Many countries offer free-to-air official coverage. Certain national broadcasters show the race live for free — entirely legally:

  • Australia: 7plus (Seven Network) – Streams all stages live and free.
  • Belgium: RTBF Auvio / Sporza – Frequent broadcasters of WWT events.

You can access your usual services abroad via a trusted VPN, in line with your provider's terms of service and local regulations. If you're abroad, you can connect via VPN to your home country to access these official feeds from overseas.

Using a VPN Legally While Travelling

Broadcasters often limit streams to home viewers. If you're travelling, a VPN lets you securely connect to your home network — so you can keep watching your existing paid or free account from abroad.

Velora Choice: NordVPN

Velora

Use a secure VPN connection to watch cycling on your existing subscription services or free streams while you’re away from home. Always follow local laws and your provider’s terms of use.

Velora Team Choice

Our editorial team uses NordVPN by choice, we all purchased it independently to watch cycling races wherever we are.

  • 8,400+ VPN servers covering 167+ locations
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  • Use NordVPN on up to 10 devices
We may earn a commission from links on this page.

How to do it:

  1. Download Nord VPN – a VPN service suitable for streaming while travelling.
  2. Connect to your home country (e.g., Australia for 7plus or UK for Discovery+).
  3. Open your usual broadcaster's site or app and start watching.

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.

Santos Tour Down Under overview

The Santos Tour Down Under is a major cycling event in the Southern Hemisphere. As a 2.WWT event, it offers early-season points for the WorldTour rankings. The race is known for its intense heat and rolling terrain, often favouring versatile riders who can survive short, sharp climbs and contest reduced bunch sprints.

Quick Recap

  • Watch live via official broadcasters (7plus, Discovery+, Peacock, etc.)
  • Access free and legal coverage via Seven Network, France TV, and RTBF
  • Travelling abroad? A VPN can help you keep access to your home subscription
  • Avoid illegal or pirate streams — they're unsafe and breach copyright

Broadcast schedules and platforms can change, so check local listings closer to race day for the latest information.

Velora Choice: NordVPN

Velora

Use a secure VPN connection to watch cycling on your existing subscription services or free streams while you’re away from home. Always follow local laws and your provider’s terms of use.

Get NordVPN - Special Offer
We may earn a commission from links on this page.

FAQ

Velora only promotes VPN use to maintain access to legitimate, paid, or free-to-air services while abroad.

Cover image credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com

Peter

Peter is the editor of Velora and oversees Velora’s editorial strategy and content standards, bringing nearly 20 years of cycling journalism to the site. He was editor of Cyclingnews from 2022, introducing its digital membership strategy and expanding its content pillars. Before that he was digital editor at Rouleur and Cyclist, having joined Cyclist in 2012 after freelance work for titles including The Times and The Telegraph. He has reported from Grand Tours and WorldTour races, and previously represented Great Britain as a rower.

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