Free-to-air television viewers in Australia will continue to enjoy coverage of the Tour de France Femmes and La Vuelta Femenina cycling events until at least 2030.
The 2025 edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift has shattered viewership records, attracting a massive audience across the globe.
The nine-day event, which concluded in style, saw over 100 million hours of coverage watched across 50 European countries. This represents a significant increase compared to previous years, with an 89% year-on-year increase in viewership.
In Australia, the popularity of the race was evident as SBS grew its third-party platform views for the event to 11.7 million, marking a 99% increase year on year. SBS Director of Sport, Ken Shipp, praised the event, stating that the Tour de France Femmes has resonated with their audience and has enormous potential for lasting success.
The success of the Tour de France Femmes was not limited to Australia. In France, almost 26 million viewers tuned in, representing a 42% increase year on year.
The agreement between SBS and the organizers of the women's Tour de France also covers at least two of the women's Grand Tours. SBS has extended its initial four-year deal for the women's race for another five years, ensuring that Australian viewers will continue to have free-to-air access to the Tour de France Femmes until at least 2030. SBS has also extended its agreement to broadcast La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es to 2030.
The agreement for the women's Tour de France is now aligned with that of the men's Tour, providing a degree of certainty that access to the women's Tour de France will remain free for Australian viewers for at least the next five editions.
The 2025 Tour de France Femmes was a suspense-filled edition, with Pauline Ferrand-Preฬvot (Visma-Lease a Bike) emerging victorious. Other favourites, such as Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal), put up a valiant fight but fell just short of the podium.
The success of the Tour de France Femmes comes at a time when many cycling viewers around the world are struggling with increasing subscription prices. The free-to-air access provided by SBS is a welcome development for these viewers.
As the Tour de France Femmes continues to grow in popularity, it's clear that the future looks bright for women's cycling. With SBS's commitment to broadcasting the event, Australian viewers can look forward to many more years of exciting racing.
