The Pugwash battles of the Tour and the April "three" for the next six years

The world’s premier cycling race will remain available for live broadcast on Slovenia’s national public broadcaster through 2032. The Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France and numerous other major races, has extended its existing agreement with the European Broadcasting Union. This deal was originally established for the period between 2026 and 2030. The extension adds two years to the current contract, ensuring coverage until the end of the 2032 season. Under the new terms, selected EBU member states retain rights to transmit the Tour de France and other designated events. The EBU members holding these broadcasting rights include Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Switzerland. For viewers in Slovenia, this means continued access to three prestigious one-day classics every April. These races are Paris-Roubaix, the Wallonian Arrow, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Paris-Roubaix, often called the Northern Hell, is the only monument among the five most important one-day races that Tadej Pogačar has not yet won. He finished second in the final stages at the Roubaix velodrome in recent seasons. Last year, Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel defeated him, while Belgian Wout van Aert prevented his victory this year. Pogačar has found success in the other two April classics. He claimed both the Wallonian Arrow and Liège-Bastogne-Liège within four days of each other last year. His record at Liège includes four total victories, including three consecutive wins. However, he suffered a fall there in 2023 that broke his wrist and disrupted his preparation for the Tour de France. Other riders such as Remco Evenepoel and Paul Seixas have recently challenged Pogačar on the cobbled terrain of the Ardennes. Frederic Sanz, who oversees summer sports at the EBU, described the relationship as stronger than ever. He stated that the partnership is built on a shared ambition to bring top-level cycling to the widest possible audience. Sanz noted that the extension demonstrates strong trust in the collaboration and a commitment to keeping global cycling accessible. Julien Goupil, director of media and partnerships at ASO, emphasized that the renewal confirms the strength of a bond built over several decades. He highlighted a common vision to make their events accessible across Europe on all platforms. Goupil pointed out that nearly 150 million people across the continent watch the Tour de France every summer. He added that the partnership helps attract younger audiences who increasingly consume content via digital platforms. The expanded list of covered men's races includes the Tour de Spain, Paris-Nice, Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg, Eschborn-Frankfurt, the San Sebastián Classic, Paris-Tours, Tro Bro Léon, and the Tour of Catalonia. Women's racing coverage extends to the women's editions of the Tour de France, Tour de Spain, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, and the Wallonian Arrow. The announcement coincides with preparations for the 2027 Tour presentation, scheduled for Thursday at 11:00. Before the start of the 2026 season, Pogačar indicated he would always return to the Northern Hell, even after securing the granite block trophy. While Paris-Roubaix was not explicitly mentioned during Sunday's unveiling of his main targets, which focused on the Tour, World Championships, and Vuelta, it remains a logical primary goal for the spring portion of the season given his missing monument. The transition to digital viewing on official radio-television station platforms is already fully underway according to ASO officials.