Watch Tour de France 2018 on ITV4

ITV brings viewers extensive live coverage of the 105th Tour de France, which begins on Saturday July 7 on the Île de Noirmoutier, an island off the Atlantic coast in the Vendée.

Presenter Gary Imlach is joined on ITV4 by cycling legend Chris Boardman, commentators Ned Boulting and David Millar, and reporter Daniel Friebe and Matt Rendell for the 21-stage race, which visits the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Massif Central before ending at its traditional home, the Champs-Elysees in Paris, on Sunday July 29, with the final day live on ITV.

Matt Smith will also present live studio coverage from the UK with a selection of single-day guests including 2012 winner Sir Bradley Wiggins, Sky rider Tao Geoghegan Hart, Olympic gold medallist Dani Rowe, and Pippa York.

It is the ninth time ITV4 has screened daily live coverage and extended highlights of the Tour, with more than 100 hours of live cycling to be shown during the event. It is part of ITV’s deal to show cycling’s showpiece event until 2023.

Along with 23 hours of highlights, ITV4’s coverage will include live footage from La Course women’s race on the July 17, when Gary Imlach will be joined by women’s road racer Lizzie Deignan.

Alongside terrestrial TV coverage, ITV.com/tourdefrance will feature the live action and highlights as well as exclusive features, the ever-popular Tour De France podcast returns once again, and the @ITVCycling Twitter feed will keep fans up-to-date with the latest developments and clips of the action.

This year’s Tour covers 3,351 kilometres and will take in the iconic Alpe d’Huez along with altitude finishes at La Rosiere and Saint-Lary-Soulan col du Portet, before finishing in Paris.

Four-time winner Chris Froome goes into the event as a controversial favourite after winning the Giro, while Dauphiné winner Geraint Thomas, now also a Sky team leader, and runner-up Briton Adam Yates are among those tipped to compete at the front of the peloton. Sprint specialist Mark Cavendish - the second all-time stage winner at the Tour with 30 wins - returns again to see if he can add to his tally.

For exclusive content including highlights, features and interviews head to our Tour de France site here