The 2021 Road World Championships in Flanders are a highly anticipated spectacle, as cycling returns to one of its heartlands - here’s how you can watch the racing from your country.
As a celebration of all things cycling, the World Championships sees prestigious rainbows handed out from junior up to elite level, across both time trials and road races.
After the scaled back Worlds in Imola last year, which featured no junior or under-23 races due to the pandemic, the UCI has brought the event back at full force this season, culminating with the main events, the elite women’s elite women’s road races.
Taking place on Saturday (September 24) for the women and Sunday (September 25) for the men, the road races are guaranteed to be brutal and thrilling in equal measure.
Here’s how you can watch all the action:
How to watch the 2021 Road World Championships in the UK
One of the biggest cycling events on the calendar, the Worlds gets plenty of attention from British broadcasters.
This year you will be able to watch via the usual cycling broadcasters GCN+ and Eurosport, but the BBC will also be showing the racing live and for free on both days with uninterrupted coverage options also available.
On the BBC, you can watch the women’s road race uninterrupted from 11.10am until 4.15pm on the Red Button, the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
The action will then be live on BBC Two from 2pm until 4.15pm.
For the men’s race, the BBC will show uninterrupted racing from 9.15am to 5pm on the Red Button, iPlayer and BBC Sport. Television coverage will be on BBC Two from 4.40pm to 5pm.
On GCN+, you can watch ad-free coverage of the women’s race from 11.15am until 4.05pm, with the men’s event on Sunday from 9.20am until 4.20pm.
For Eurosport viewers, the women’s road race will be on from 11am until 4.30pm on the Eurosport Player app and the same time on Eurosport One. The men’s race is then on from 9am until 4.45pm both on the app and Eurosport One on Sunday.
To gain access to Eurosport coverage you can subscribe to the Eurosport Player app for £39.99 a year or £6.99 per month.
Access to GCN+ costs £39.99 a year.
If you’re not in the country for the World Championships 2021, no worries – you can just download and install a VPN and use location inside the United Kingdom to watch the broadcast live as if you were back home. Full instructions below.
HOW TO LIVE STREAM THE 2021 World Championships FROM OUTSIDE YOUR COUNTRY
If you’re heading out of the country during the World Championships 2021 - whether that be inside the UK or anywhere else - access to your chosen home broadcaster could be restricted by location.
Luckily there is a way you can keep watching anyway – downloading and installing a VPN, which allows you to trick your computer into thinking it’s back at home. This allows you to find your native broadcaster coverage without having to resort to an illegal stream, as long as you stick to the terms and conditions set out by the broadcaster.
Setting up a VPN is simple – just download, install, open the app and select your location.
Try out ExpressVPN for its speed, security and simplicity to use. We also like that it’s compatible with so many devices and streaming services (e.g. Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, PS4, etc).
There are other great options out there of course, but Express VPN gives you the added benefit of a 30-day money back guarantee and three months free with a yearly plan.
How to watch the World Championships in the USA and Canada
For cycling fans in the US and Canada, you can watch the World Championships road races on FloBikes.
Coverage starts with the women’s race from 6am EDT until 11.05am on Saturday, followed by the men’s race from 4.05am until 11.20am EDT on Sunday.
You’ll need a subscription to view on Flobikes and plans start from $12.50 a month.
