Tour de France 2013 Live Stream: When and Where to Watch Online

With a knee injury sidelining defending Tour de France champ Bradley Wiggins, the 2013 edition of the grand race is up for grabs. 

With a deep field, there are countless possibilities as to how this mega event will play out.

This should all make for an exciting Tour de France, and there will certainly be plenty of coverage to help fans enjoy the racing action and the beautiful sights of the majestic French countryside. 

Check out everything you'll need to view the event followed by three riders worth paying extra attention to. 

Where: Starts in Porto-Vecchio and ends at Champs-Elysees in Paris

When: Saturday, June 29 through Sunday, July 21

Watch: NBC, NBC Sports Network

Live Stream: NBC Sports offers a live stream of every stage (subscription is required)

Stage-By-Stage Preview

Stage	Date	Course	Distance	Type	Channel
1	June 29	Porto-Vecchio – Bastia	132 miles	Flat stage	NBC Sports Network
2	June 30	Bastia – Ajaccio	97 miles	Medium-mountain stage	NBC Sports Network
3	July 1	Ajaccio – Calvi	90 miles	Medium-mountain stage	NBC Sports Network
4	July 2	Nice – Nice	16 miles	Team time trial	NBC Sports Network
5	July 3	Cagnes-sur-Mer –Marseille	142 miles	Flat stage	NBC Sports Network
6	July 4	Aix-en-Provence –Montpellier	110 miles	Flat stage	NBC Sports Network
7	July 5	Montpellier – Albi	128 miles	Medium-mountain stage	NBC
8	July 6	Castres – Ax 3 Domaines	121 miles	Mountain stage	NBC
9	July 7	Saint-Girons – Bagnères-de-Bigorre	105 miles	Mountain stage	NBC Sports Network
	July 8	Rest day
10	July 9	Saint-Gildas-des-Bois – Saint-Malo	122 miles	Flat stage	NBC Sports Network
11	July 10	Avranches – Mont Saint-Michel	21 miles	Individual time trial	NBC Sports Network
12	July 11	Fougères – Tours	135 miles	Flat stage	NBC Sports Network
13	July 12	Tours – Saint-Amand-Montrond	107 miles	Flat stage	NBC Sports Network
14	July 13	Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule – Lyon	119 miles	Medium-mountain stage	NBC Sports Network
15	July 14	Givors – Mont Ventoux	151 miles	Mountain stage	NBC Sports Network
	July 15	Rest day
16	July 16	Vaison-la-Romaine – Gap	104 miles	Medium-mountain stage	NBC Sports Network
17	July 17	Embrun – Chorges	20 miles	Individual time trial	NBC Sports Network
18	July 18	Gap – Alpe d'Huez	107 miles	Mountain stage	NBC Sports Network
19	July 19	Le Bourg-d'Oisans – Le Grand-Bornand	127 miles	Mountain stage	NBC Sports Network
20	July 20	Annecy – Mont Semnoz	78 miles	Mountain stage	NBC Sports Network
21	July 21	Versailles – Paris	83 miles	Flat stage	NBC Sports Network

Riders to Watch

Chris Froome (Team Sky)

Bradley Wiggins' absence from the Tour de France does not spell doom for Team Sky. In fact, it simply helps pave the way for Chris Froome.

With Wiggins not participating, this team can now commit to landing Froome the title he is well prepared to win.

After finishing second last year, Froome has consistently finished in first. Since that second-place finish, he's won the Tour of Oman, Criterium International, Tour de Romandie and Criterium du Dauphine.

He is a force in the mountains and a great time-trial rider. He should be considered the clear favorite for this event.

Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff)

 After missing last year's Tour de France, Alberto Contador is back at the race he's won twice. Contador took the title in 2007 and 2009. He also won in 2010, but was stripped of his title for doping.

Contador has proven he still is an elite rider since returning from his suspension. Last year, he won the Vuelta a Espana.

The 30-year-old remains an excellent climber, and with the climbs featured in this year's Tour de France, he is in great shape to contend for another title.

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha)

As we just discussed, climbers are in good position at this year's Tour de France. This is good news for Joaquim Rodriguez.

Despite being 34, Rodriguez has just one Tour de France under his belt. He captured a stage win in that 2010 year and finished seventh overall. 

He has been in good form the past year. He had podium finishes last year at the Giro d'Italia and Tour of Spain. 

While Rodriguez should be able to hang with Froome and Contador in the climbs, he will have a tougher time doing so in the time trials.

Given that, it remains a long shot that Rodriguez will be able to surpass Froome or Contador for the title, but with a solid team of climbers around him, he shouldn't be counted out.