Wimbledon, the FA Cup Final, the Grand National. It does not seem too much of a stretch to suggest that the men's Tour de France should rank among these sporting behemoths, stand out events of the year. The thing that connects these trio is that they all are given 'Category A' status by the British TV regulators, Ofcom, meaning that they have to be broadcast on free-to-air television.
A petition is now trying to get the Tour in amongst this group, following the news that ITV's free Tour de France will end this year in the UK, and also the demise of Eurosport. With Warner Bros. Discovery - via TNT Sports - now owning exclusive rights to show the Tour, it seems like it will be much more expensive to watch the biggest bike race of the year next July. At the moment a new subscription costs £30.99 a month.
