What is pound for pound the most exciting race of the year? Many make a strong case for the Tour of Flanders.
Taking place on Sunday 5 April, it has all the ingredients for the ultimate bike race: the best riders at the peak of their powers, explosive climbs, jarring cobbles, exceptional distances and ultra-passionate fans.
The Tour of Flanders, particularly on the men’s side, has oodles of history, yet has been smart to move with the times to create a route that satisfies the modern sporting audience, with a finishing circuit, repeated key climbs and a compact course that enables fans to watch in multiple locations.
The 278.2km men's race starts this year in Antwerp, as it has on and off over the years, replacing last year's start in Bruges. It ends, as usual, in Oudenaarde, which is also both the start and finish of the 164.1km women's race.
In both cases, the race culminates with multiple climbs of the classic cobbled Flemish bergs, including two passes for the men and one for the women of the Oude Kwaremont (2.2km at 4%, maxing out at 11.6%) and Paterberg (360m at 12.9%, with a 20.3% maximum gradient), followed by a 13km run-in to the finish line.
Oude Kwaremont is often used by the favourites as a springboard for the ultimate winner to go it alone.
This, however, is to put a formula on Flanders that doesn’t exist. The reality is that anything can happen, at different points, with other climbs, such as the wall-like Koppenberg, the scene of iconic flashpoints. It's not unusual to see riders having to get off and walk through a cyclists' traffic jam on the mighty Koppenberg, the route's steepest road with its most uneven surface.
Following his solo 78km breakaway at Strade Bianche in early March, when he rode away from the field on the Monte Sante Marie white road sector, Tadej Pogačar must be hot favourite to repeat his 2025 Tour of Flanders win.
At Flanders, he'll be up against the Classics stars who skipped Strade Bianche though, not least three-time winner Mathieu van der Poel, who won Omloop Nieuwsblad solo by similarly dropping the competition, in this case on the Muur van Geraardsbergen. A fourth win would make van der Poel the most prolific winner of Flanders of all time.
The women’s race, like so many of the Spring Classics, takes place on the same day as the men’s, but unusually finishes later (around 5.40pm CET). The Koppenberg and many of the same climbs as in the men's race make an appearance.
Three-time winner Lotte Kopecky will be a fan favourite on home roads and will face off against double winner Elisa Longo Borghini, Demi Vollering and Puck Pieterse.
How can I watch the 2026 Tour of Flanders live in the UK?
TNT Sports/Discovery+ will show the race live and, as usual, there’s an on-demand option. Coverage times are to be confirmed.
HBO Max launches in the UK this month and is offering a series of 'saver plans' that will enable you to stream the cycling action on TNT Sports.
Streaming plans start from £25.49 per month when billed annually. It’s available on a range of platforms, including tablets, mobile, TV with Chromecast, or AirPlay, Android TV or Apple TV.
How can I watch the 2026 Tour of Flanders outside the UK?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is software that enables you to change your device's IP address, making it appear as though you're accessing the internet from another country.
As long as you adhere to your broadcaster's terms and conditions, a VPN enables you to unblock your usual streaming services, no matter your location. Additionally, a VPN can improve playback speeds and significantly enhance your overall internet security.
There are many VPN options available, but we recommend NordVPN as the best choice. It offers strong streaming capabilities, robust security features and excellent value for money.
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How can I watch the 2026 Tour of Flanders live in the US?
FloBikes streams the Tour of Flanders in the US, where subscriptions cost $39.99 per month or $156 per year.
How can I watch the 2026 Tour of Flanders live in Australia?
SBS will be covering the women’s and men’s racing live and on-demand. No subscription is needed.
How else can I watch the 2026 Tour of Flanders?
There’s live terrestrial coverage in many European countries. Flemish broadcaster Sporza is a race partner and will be showing the race live and on demand.
If you’ve got a VPN, you may be able to register, log in to its website and watch live for an authentic Flemish language commentary and feel.
