This June, streaming platform Netflix will release a first-of-its-kind documentary series about the Tour de France. It will come out on 8 June at 08:00 in the UK. This equates to 03:00 US east coast time, midnight on the US west coast, and 17:00 in Sydney, Australia.
Titled 'Tour de France: Unchained', or 'Tour de France: Au cœur du peloton' ('Inside the peloton') in French, here's everything you need to know about it.
What is it?
Tour de France: Unchained is a new Netflix documentary series that tells the story of the 2022 Tour de France.
The news of its production came in March 2022, with camera crews then embedding within seven teams at the race. Created as part of a joint venture between Quadbox and Box to Box Films, the makers of F1: Drive to Survive, the series offers exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to the highs and lows of the Tour de France. France Télévisions also contributed to the production.
The series consists of eight episodes, each lasting around 40 minutes. Below is a chart of the episode titles, and which teams they are focused on.
| Episode number | Title | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Grand Départ | Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl |
| 2 | Welcome to Hell | Jumbo-Visma |
| 3 | The Weight of a Nation | AG2R Citroën / Groupama-FDJ |
| 4 | Attack Counter Attack | Jumbo-Visma |
| 5 | Breakneck Speed | Ineos Grenadiers / EF Education-EasyPost |
| 6 | Plan B | Alpecin-Deceuninck |
| 7 | Everything for the Podium | Ineos Grenadiers / Groupama-FDJ |
| 8 | Road to Paris | Jumbo-Visma |
What's it like?
Our very own Adam Becket has already reviewed it, concluding: "It's a thrilling watch for both those who know cycling, and those who are new to the sport. It might prove too general for the committed fan, but there is something for everyone."
"There are flaws, with the absence of Pogačar the biggest, and it appearing surface level at times," he writes. "However, professional cycling is a confusing sport, and Unchained does an excellent job of breaking down the barriers to entry to show just how enthralling it is."
Who's involved?
It was originally understood that eight teams had given exclusive access to Netflix camera crews for the series. These included: AG2R Citroën, Alpecin-Deceuninck, Bora-Hansgrohe, EF Education-EasyPost, Groupama-FDJ, Ineos Grenadiers, Jumbo-Visma and Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl.
Netflix’s Tour de France: Unchained landing page now says that only seven teams are involved, with Bora Hansgrohe no longer appearing to feature.
As part of the series, the teams’ managers have undergone sit-down interviews, much like those in the F1: Drive to Survive episodes. These include Groupama-FDJ's Marc Madiot and EF Education-EasyPost's Jonathan Vaughters.
A number of journalists, working across various outlets around the world, have also been interviewed for the series. Among them is Eurosport presenter Orla Chennaoui, who revealed her involvement on her Instagram page.
What do we already know about it?
The producers of the series have so far released three trailers.
The first was shown at the Mobile Live World Congress in Barcelona, Spain in March 2023 and showed on-bike footage, interviews with team managers and behind-the-scenes action.
In April 2023, the Tour de France, Netflix and the participating teams, shared a new, one-minute trailer (below), which included the docuseries’s official name, ‘Tour de France: Unchained’, and release date of 8 June.
A third trailer was released on 2 June, featuring interviews with Wout van Aert, Fabio Jakobsen and Thibaut Pinot.
Of course, the story of the race, won by Jumbo-Visma’s Jonas Vingegaard, will already be well known to cycling fans.
When will it be released?
The series will be available to stream on Netflix on 8 June. This coincides with the Critérium du Dauphiné, the key precursor stage race to the Tour.
Unchained will be available in 190 territories, and will be released at 08:00 in the UK. This equates to 03:00 US east coast time, midnight on the US west coast, and 17:00 in Sydney, Australia.
When the series is released, it will be shown here on Netflix's website.
How much did it cost?
According to reports, Netflix covered the production costs of €8 million to make the series, paying a total of €1 million to the different parties involved. The participating teams are understood to have been given around €62,000 each.
Will there be a second season?
Yes. Netflix's camera crews will embed once again within the peloton at the 2023 Tour de France for a second season of Unchained.
It is unknown at this stage which teams will be taking part.
Have Netflix produced Tour de France documentaries before?
Tour de France: Unchained is Netflix’s first official docuseries about the French Grand Tour.
The streaming platform has, however, produced three seasons of a fly-on-the-wall series about the Movistar team, titled ‘The Least Expected Day’, covering the squad’s 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Similar docuseries have been made about WorldTour teams Soudal Quick-Step, Jumbo-Visma and SD Worx for Amazon Prime.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Cycling keeps you fit but are you doing enough to stay healthy?
It’s possible to be very fit in one specific way, for example being fast on a bike, while being unhealthy in other ways
-
Dr Hutch: Motor-doping isn't rife, there's no way cyclists would use it discreetly enough
Some fans think that motor-doping is rife, but Cycling Weekly's columnist Dr Hutch is having none of it
-
'Fan photos have quadrupled' - has Netflix's Tour de France Unchained made riders more popular?
The show's stars have seen their profiles boosted by the new documentary
-
Demi Vollering and Jonas Vingegaard both finished in yellow - but the Tour de France Femmes winner took home less than a tenth of the prize money
To put it in Euro per Kilometer, the 2023 men's Tour paid €146.8 per km while the women earned €52.3 per km.
-
The talent is there: the Americans who impressed us in this year’s Tour de France
There were just six Americans among the 176-rider peloton but that didn't keep them from putting on a show.
-
Eritrean national champ debuts at Tour de France on a single speed bike with a purpose
Awet Aman, the Eritrean national road race champion, to ride stage 16 time trial route on single speed Qhubeka bike as part of ‘Qhubeka Day’ at French Grand Tour
-
Tour de France rest day tweets: Cosnefroy lets loose, Pogačar secures a rabbit, and Remco’s rainbow pizza
While the riders rest their legs, here are some of the best posts from the past week
-
Tour de France rest day tweets: Riders in pools, Lidl madness, and Movistar perfect a dance
It's time to pause at the world's biggest bike race, so here are some social media posts to look at instead
-
Who is Laurent Gina, the mysterious rider at the 2023 Tour de France?
The Frenchman is omnipresent at this year's race
-
‘They created a character’ - What riders really thought of Netflix's Tour de France: Unchained
There was a lot of tension in the series, but how real was it?
