'Tour de France: Unchained' has been chained? Netflix cancels plans of continuing Tour de France behind-the-scenes series

The Tour de France is one of the most internationally recognized sports events and so when in the early 2020's Netflix came around to produce a show within the race, it was immediately big news and a relatively big success. However, the numbers have not matched the expectations of the American company and the 'Tour de France: Unchained' series is unlikely to have another season produced.

This is reported by Le Parisien who this morning wrote about the likely non-continuation of the series. The third season of the show is yet to be released, and most likely will this June - showcasing the events of the 2024 Tour - however the 2025 Tour de France is unlikely to have the filming crews present as has been the case over the past few years. The French news outlet talked with an annonimous French team who explains that thus far, there has not yet been contact to procede with another project.

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"Usually, at the end of January, we are already contacted by Netflix for filming in the spring with some of our riders, explains one French team. This time, we haven't had a single phone call. It seems that the message is clear," they explain. "Frankly, it's complicated for Netflix to renew itself every year, we confide. We are still in a repetitive sport: bus, race, bus, hotel, sleep and repeat the next day. And with Pogacar crushing everything, the suspense seems complicated to maintain."

Whilst this is not yet official, the signs all point towards the end of one of the projects that has brought cycling the most exposure. In 2023, the series was amongst the Top10 most watched after it's release in 15 nations and without a doubt it has spread the sport's image to a wider audience.  

However not all is bad, because Le Parisien also writes that there is potential interest in doing a similar project with the women's peloton, surely following the exciting and dramatic 2024 edition of the Tour de France Femmes. With several rivalries and plots already well developed into the 2025 season, and the increasing exposure and financial means present, it could very well be the next project to see the light of day.

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