Netflix will not proceed with another Tour de France series
The popular series chronicling behind-the-scenes footage at the biggest race in the world will end after Season 3
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Sirotti
Well, it was fun while it lasted. In June, the third and final installment of the series: “Tour de France: Unchained” will air. From the sounds of it though, there will be no fourth edition.
The 2024 Tour was the stuff of legends—with the last-minute comeback of king Jonas Vingegaard against the unbeatable Tadej Pogačar. Although fans were hopeful the Dane could pull off a miracle win against Pogi, most knew inside it was more or less impossible given his lack of preparation and races.
After a serious crash at the Tour of the Basque Country and a lengthy hospital stay, the Visma – Lease a Bike rider underwent extensive rehab before resuming training. After some base miles in Denmark, he moved to Mallorca and then the French Alps for increased volume. His team said he would only race if he was in form, and despite no prior races, ultimately decided to race him.
The lopsided rivalry of Vingegaard and Pogačar
In 2023, Vingegaard’s rival, Tadej Pogačar, struggled with preparation before the Tour de France after crashing out of Liège-Bastogne-Liège and suffering a broken wrist. This disrupted his training, leaving him without his usual prep races and affecting his fitness. Though he started the Tour strong, Pogačar cracked in the mountains and lost over 90 seconds in the crucial time trial. His lack of race preparation, with only his national championships before the Tour, was seen as a factor in his struggles. The 2024 edition was essentially a reversal, with Vingegaard struggling to compete against the Slovenian.
According to French paper Le Parisien, Netflix no longer plans to film behind-the-scenes at the Tour de France. While nothing has been officially confirmed, key figures from the Tour, including organizers and teams, are starting to accept that Netflix cameras won’t be there come June.
“Usually, by the end of January, we are already contacted by Netflix for spring shoots with some of our riders,” a source confirmed. “This time, we haven’t received a single call. It seems the message is clear.”
Tour de France Femmes?
Another anonymous source said, “Honestly, it’s complicated for Netflix to renew itself every year. We’re still in a repetitive sport: bus, race, bus, hotel, sleep, and repeat the next day. And with Pogačar dominating everything, it’s hard to maintain suspense.”
According to the report, viewership for the second season was considered average: good internationally but disappointing in France, where Netflix had hoped to increase its subscriber base.
However, the streamer may not be done with cycling or the Tour. It sounds like there may be something chronicling Tour de France Femmes, potentially for a documentary rather than a series. Interest in the women’s race is growing, especially after the dramatic 2024 finish, where Katarzyna Niewiadoma beat Demi Vollering by just four seconds in a thrilling finish up Alpe D’Huez. The final According to the report, that drama has convinced execs at Netflix to invest in a new doc.