The highly anticipated Netflix Tour de France documentary series will be released globally on June 8, race organiser ASO and the teams involved have confirmed.
The eight episodes follow eight teams at the 2022 Grand Boucle, capturing the emotions and suffering behind the scenes as they fight for overall success, stage victories or just to reach Paris.
The episodes follow Jumbo-Visma of eventual winner Jonas Vingegaard, plus Ineos Grenadiers, Groupama-FDJ, EF Education-EasyPost, Alpecin-Fenix, Bora-Hansgrohe, and AG2R Citroën Team.
Two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates are not directly involved after their concerns about the portrayal of the team and its sponsors, but they appear in some race coverage and interviews, as do the other team in the race.
The series, made by the Quadbox production company, will be shown in 190 territories around the world. The title of the English-language version is 'Tour de France: Unchained', while in France it will be 'Tour de France: Au cœur du peloton' ('Inside the peloton').
Netflix funded the reported production costs of €8 million to make the series. Tour de France organiser ASO and host broadcaster France Televisions both netted €250,000 each. The eight teams shared the remaining €500,000, giving each team €62,000 ($67,000).
Earlier this year, Cyclingnews obtained the official trailer after it was shown at the Mobile Live World Congress in Barcelona. The same trailer has now been officially released and the eight teams involved have also announced the June 8 release.
The trailer begins with shots from the series and Groupama-FDJ team manager Marc Madiot saying in French: “You are soldiers, you are warriors. When you pull on a jersey, you become another person.”
The trailer also highlights brief moments of each episode, including Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) as he descends the Col du Galibier, Bob Jungels (riding for AG2R Citroën in 2022), Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) as he struggles, and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) as he clashes with but eventually defeats Pogačar to win the 2022 Tour de France.
"This project is part of our overall ambition to make our sport more accessible and meet an even wider audience," ASO managing director Yann Le Moënner said when he confirmed the Netflix series during the winter.
“Through a narrative approach, which is additive to the competition itself, the public will be able to discover how the Tour de France represents the ultimate challenge for the competitors; in particular in terms of suffering, pushing their limits and team spirit."
