Member of British parliament expresses concern that UK could lose a "gateway to a sport that is otherwise comparatively inaccessible" without free-to-air Tour de France broadcast
Cycling
British public is still mourning the loss of free-to-air Tour de France broadcasts from 2026. The matter became so delicate that even a discussion in parliament was held on the topic this Wednesday.
"Eurosport’s demise is a hammer blow for coverage of cycling in the UK," Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty said during a hearing in the Westminster Hall, Cycling Weekly reports.
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"Cycling is one of those sports that people almost fall into by accident. Everyone had a bike growing up, everyone learns how to ride a bike, and I think the inspiration for riding that bike, and potentially taking it further and wanting to ape some of those successes that we see in the Olympics every four years is something that comes from having that on TV in front of you."
"For many, terrestrial coverage of the Tour de France has been their only entry point to a sport that is fundamentally extremely niche," Obese-Jecty said. "The Tour de France is more than just a famous cycling race, it is the gateway to a sport that is otherwise comparatively inaccessible, now made even more so by the decision to remove live free-to-air coverage from our TV screens."
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"To be popular, a sport must be visible. To be visible, a sport must have a television presence," Obese-Jecty said. "The government would never allow the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, or Wimbledon to be put behind a paywall."
The MP concluded by expressing his concern that "the visibility of the sport will be limited to slightly overweight, middle-aged men, like myself, pootling around on a Sunday morning in their lycra, inspiring very few."
Obese-Jecty was congratulated on securing the debate by the Minister for Sport, Stephanie Peacock, who said she "sympathised" with his points about price hikes, but added it is "not for the government to intervene in such decisions". The debate was not well attended, with around 10 people present in the room.
WBD Sports Europe's senior vice president, Scott Young, has previously made clear that free-to-air live cycling is not on the broadcaster's "road map". He has also said that there are no concerns within WBD that putting the sport behind a paywall will stunt future fan growth.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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