IDL Viewing Tip | Netflix gem 'Tour de France: Unchained' is finally live and already sparking discussions

In case you don't have any weekend plans, you can shamelessly indulge in some binge-watching. A total of 334 minutes (5.5 hours) of cycling spectacle awaits you on Netflix. The series extensively covers Soudal-Quick Step, Jumbo-Visma, Groupama-FDJ, AG2R Citroën Team, EF Education-EasyPost, INEOS Grenadiers, and Alpecin-Deceuninck, showcasing their moments of fame. UAE Team Emirates, including Tadej Pogacar, did not participate in the series, which has left the series somewhat lacking, as some would say.

Each episode has its own topic, logically following the course of the race. Therefore, we see a lot of the dominant Jumbo-Visma. So far, we've covered the facts on paper, but what is the series really like when you go to watch it? With high expectations after such a long build-up, the general consensus in the cycling world is that it's a series for cycling beginners, even though it has been put together spectacularly well.

Those who have seen every kilometer in 2022 will find little new in the series. For example, Thijs Zonneveld of AD is not a fan. "I wasn't impressed, to be honest. The episodes are filled with clichés, accelerated race footage and crashes. Everything is focused on spectacle," he wrote in his column. He adds, "I do realize that I'm not the target audience, and most existing cycling enthusiasts aren't either. The series is meant to attract new fans. From that perspective, I understand the need to amplify the spectacle value of the sport. But in my opinion, they take this way too far and miss out on the opportunity to show the human side behind all those guys with their big sunglasses."

HLN describes the core of the series as follows: "The central theme of the Netflix documentary is the difficult balancing act that Jumbo-Visma wrestles with throughout the entire Tour. Starting with three team leaders, later reduced to two after Roglic's withdrawal, it proves challenging to reconcile the personal ambitions of the big stars at all times. Netflix has selected Wout van Aert as the series' main character. 'If we want to win the Tour, he is the key,' says team manager Grisha Niermann."

Sporza has seen the first episodes and sees many similarities with the Netflix hit 'Drive to Survive' about Formula 1. "So get ready for epic music, lots of slow-motion footage, crashes, live commentary, onboard cameras, Go Pro's and a touch of drama. All of this is interspersed with interviews conducted before, during and clearly after the Tour. Just like its big Formula 1 sibling, the intention of the series' creators is clear: to increase the sport's popularity worldwide. And that means that, occasionally, it might resemble 'cycling for dummies.' Is it worth watching? Absolutely. Netflix was granted access to the team bus of 8 out of the 22 teams, providing insights into what goes on behind the scenes."