La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es marks the first of the three major stage races of the women’s WorldTour calendar.
Taking place in Spain over seven days, this year’s edition of the race is the event’s 12th and based largely in the hills of Galicia in the country’s far north-west, with a thrilling denouement on the super-tough Angliru climb in the Asturias on the final day.
Quick guide to watching the Vuelta Femenina
- UK: TNT Sports / HBO Max (£30.99/mon)
- US: Peacock (from $10.99/mon)
- Canada: Flobikes ($39.99/mon)
- Australia: SBS (Free)
- Free live streams: SBS (Australia), Auvio (Belgium), RTVE (Spain)
- Anywhere: Watch your local stream from anywhere with NordVPN
Can I watch the Vuelta Femenina for free?
Fans in Australia, the race’s home country of Spain, and Belgium, can watch the Vuelta Femenina for free thanks to broadcasters in their regions.
In Australia, the race will be shown on TV and online by SBS, the country’s public service broadcaster.
Viewers in the host country of Spain can watch on the public broadcaster RTVE’s streaming platform, RTVE Play.
In Belgium, the race is available to watch on RTBF’s streaming platform, Auvio and Sporza.
Coverage is geo-restricted, so if you’re not in any of these countries right now, and these channels are your usual port of call, you’ll need a VPN to get your usual coverage while abroad – more on that below.
How to watch the Vuelta Femenina while abroad
Most streaming platforms have geo-restrictions these days, which means they only work in certain countries. But being locked out of the races is a thing of the past thanks to a VPN.
A Virtual Private Network is a piece of internet security software that can alter your device’s location, so you can unblock your usual streaming services, even when you’re abroad.
Want to know more? We have an explainer on the benefits, costs, and considerations of using a VPN…
– Should I use a VPN to watch cycling?
What to expect at the Vuelta Femenina
The Vuelta Femenina is the women’s equivalent of the men’s Vuelta a España, and carries Grand Tour prestige in the calendar.
Held across seven days, it is the third longest race on the women’s WorldTour – beaten only by the eight-day Giro d’Italian Women, and the nine-day Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Once again, the race is contained entirely in the north of Spain, where the country’s most daunting mountains loom, including the fearsome Angliru.
Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez), who has won the previous two editions, returns to the race to attempt the hat-trick. Once again, the Dutch rider will face competition from Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike), as well as Urška Žigart (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Mavi García (Jayco AlUla) for the GC.
How to watch the Vuelta Femenina in the UK
In the UK, the race will be shown on TNT Sports, Warner Bros. Discovery’s premium sports channel.
The event can also be streamed online and on mobile devices on HBO Max, with a monthly package priced at £30.99 a month. You can pay just £25.99/month if you sign-up for a 12-month deal.
How to watch the Vuelta Femenina in the US and Canada
For North American viewers, this year’s coverage of the Vuelta Femenina is divided across Peacock and FloBikes.
Peacock, which is the streaming platform of NBC, has the rights to show show the race in the U.S. Subscriptions begin at $10.99 a month for plans with live sport. You will also be able to watch the Tour de France on the platform.
Flobikes is in charge of broadcasting the Vuelta Femenina in Canada. Subscriptions cost CA$39.99 a month, with big savings for long-term plans. The Flobikes TV app is available on Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and Apple TV, as well as on iOS and Android.
What time is the Vuelta Femenina on? Schedule
The broadcast times for the Vuelta Femenina in the UK differ from stage to stage. The coverage runs on TNT Sports and HBO Max between the following times (BST):
Stage one, 3 May – 11:45 – 13:20
Stage two, 4 May – 14:30 – 16:45
Stage three, 5 May – 14:30 – 16:45
Stage four, 6 May – 14:30 – 16:45
Stage five, 7 May – 14:30 – 16:45
Stage six, 8 May – 15:00 – 17:15
Stage seven, 9 May – TBA
For US viewers, Peacock will show each stage at the following times (ET):
Stage one, 3 May – 6:45 – 8:20
Stage two, 4 May – 9:30 – 11:45
Stage three, 5 May – 9:30 – 11:45
Stage four, 6 May – 9:30 – 11:45
Stage five, 7 May – 9:30 – 11:45
Stage six, 8 May – 10:05 – 12:15
Stage seven, 9 May – 6:50 – 8:30
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
