Tour de France 2021: Route, stages, live stream FREE, TV channel and race favourites as Thomas, Froome & Cavendish ride

THE Tour de France is BACK - and Geraint Thomas is looking to regain the title he won back in 2018.

Also back is four-time winner Chris Froome, who last won the race back in 2017 and another old face in Mark Cavendish.

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It has been nine months since Tadej Pogacar stunned fellow Slovenian Primoz Roglic with an incredible stage 20 ride to clinch the Yellow Jersey.

And now the big guns are back in France to do it all again.

Here is all the info you need for the big race.

Where can I watch the 2021 Tour de France and can I live stream it?

• The Tour de France is being broadcast on ITV 4 and Eurosport.
• You can live stream the race on ITV Hub for free.
• Eurosport Player is streaming the race - c.
• ad-free, with a monthly pass costing £6.99, with the service featuring the all-singing smartphone app for cycling fans with multiple camera angles and live action rider tracking as well as live stats.

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Tour de France 2021 stats

• TOTAL DISTANCE: 3,414km/2,121 miles
• STAGES: 21
• RIDERS: 184
• TEAMS: 23

Tour de France route

The race starts with a 'Grand Depart' in Brittany, where there are four stages, before continuing across France to the Alps and then transitioning to the Pyrenees.

Then the race heads to the banks of the Dordogne for the deciding stages, before heading to Paris.

Stage 1

• Date: Saturday June 26, 2021
• Location: Brest to Landerneau
• Distance: 197.8km/123 miles
• Type: Rolling
• Profile:

Stage 2

• Date: Sunday June 27, 2021
• Location: Perros Guirec to Mur-de-Bretagne
• Distance: 183.5km/114 miles
• Type: Rolling
• Profile:

Stage 3

• Date: Monday June 28, 2021
• Location: Lorient to Pontivy
• Distance: 182.9km/113.6 miles
• Type: Flat
• Profile:

Stage 4

• Date: Tuesday June 29, 2021
• Location: Redon to Fougeres
• Distance: 150.4km/93 miles
• Type: Flat
• Profile:

Stage 5

• Date: Wednesday June 30, 2021
• Location: Cange to Laval Espace Mayenne
• Distance: 27.2km .
• Type: Individual time trial
• Profile:

Stage 6

• Date: Thursday July 1, 2021
• Location: Tours to Chateauroux
• Distance: 160.6km/99.7 miles
• Type: Flat
• Profile:

Stage 7

• Date: Friday July 2, 2021
• Location: Vierzon to Le Creusot
• Distance: 249.1km/154.7 miles
• Type: Hilly
• Profile:

Stage 8

• Date: Saturday July 3, 2021
• Location: Oyonnax to Le Grand-Bornand
• Distance: 150.8km/93.7 miles
• Type: Mountain
• Profile:

Stage 9

• Date: Sunday July 4, 2021
• Location: Cluses to Tignes
• Distance: 144.9km/90 miles
• Type: Mountain
• Profile:

Rest Day 1

• Date: Monday July 5, 2021

Stage 10

• Date: Tuesday July 6, 2021
• Location: Albertville to Valence
• Distance: 190km/118 miles
• Type: Flat
• Profile:

Stage 11

• Date: Wednesday July 7, 2021
• Location: Sorgues to Malaucene
• Distance: 198.9km/123.5 miles
• Type: Mountain
• Profile:

Stage 12

• Date: Thursday July 8, 2021
• Location: Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Nimes
• Distance: 159.4km/99 miles
• Type: Flat
• Profile:

Stage 13

• Date: Friday July 9, 2021
• Location: Nimes to Carcassonne
• Distance: 219.9km/136 miles
• Type:
• Profile:

Stage 14

• Date: Saturday July 10, 2021
• Location: Carcassonne to Quillan
• Distance: 183.7km/114 miles
• Type: Hilly
• Profile:

Stage 15

• Date: Sunday July 11, 2021
• Location: Ceret to Andorre-La-Vieille
• Distance: 191.3km/119 miles
• Type: Mountain
• Profile:

Rest Day 2

• Date: Monday July 12, 2021

Stage 16

• Date: Tuesday July 13, 2021
• Location: Pas de la Case to Saint-Gaudens
• Distance: 169km/105 miles
• Type: Hilly
• Profile:

Stage 17

• Date: Wednesday July 14, 2021
• Location: Muret to Saint-Lary-Soulan
• Distance: 178.4km/111 miles
• Type: Mountain
• Profile:

Stage 18

• Date: Thursday July 15, 2021
• Location: Pau to Luz Ardiden
• Distance: 129.7km/80 miles
• Type: Mountain
• Profile:

Stage 19

• Date: Friday July 16, 2021
• Location: Mourenx to Libourne
• Distance: 207km/128 miles
• Type: Flat
• Profile:

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Stage 20

• Date: Saturday July 17, 2021
• Location: Libourne to Saint-Emilion
• Distance: 30.8km/19 miles
• Type: Individual time trial
• Profile:

Stage 21

• Date: Sunday July 18, 2021
• Location: Chatou to Paris Champs-Elysses
• Distance: 108.4km/67.3 miles
• Type: Flat
• Profile: