Watch Tour de France: Unchained

Tour de France: Unchained is a sports documentary series that gives viewers an inside look at the 2023 Tour de France cycling race. This installment of the iconic multi-stage bicycle race is particularly notable for the number of rule changes instituted with the goal of modernizing the century-old event.

The show follows the major teams and star riders as they embark on the grueling three-week race across France. Cameras capture the intense action of the sprints, mountain stages, and time trials that make up this test of endurance. We get first-hand perspectives from the riders on the physical and mental challenges they face as they push their bodies to the limit.

A highlight of Tour de France: Unchained is the behind-the-scenes access it provides to the innovative technology powering the teams. From the aerodynamic bikes and skinsuits to the riders' power meters and performance data, cutting-edge equipment plays a key role. Viewers get insights into how factors like air resistance, power output, and nutrition impact the cyclists' strategies and chances of victory.

The show also delves into the new rules instituted in 2023 to modernize the competition. This includes regulations allowing riders to communicate via earpieces with their team directors for the first time. Strategies can now be adjusted in real-time based on weather, rival tactics, and other changing race dynamics.

Other key reforms include bonus seconds awarded on certain stages to incentivize attacks and competitive racing. There are also restrictions on the positions riders can take while racing in a pack, intended to increase safety. Tour de France: Unchained analyzes how these new elements impact the action.

While highlighting the technology and evolution, the show still celebrates the rich history and prestige associated with cycling's most famous event. The gorgeous French scenery that serves as the race's backdrop gets ample screen time. Iconic moments like the final stage ending along the Champs-Élysées in Paris do not lose their luster.

Fans of cycling get the best of both worlds with Tour de France: Unchained. The ins and outs of teams' tactical plans, conditioning programs, and equipment choices satisfy the modern hunger for sports science and analytics. At the same time, spectacular footage of racers contending with grueling mountain passes and one another shows the enduring human drama at the heart of this extraordinary competition.

Tour de France: Unchained is a series that ran for 2 seasons (16 episodes) between June 8, 2023 and on Netflix