How NBC Sports Tells the Story of Logistically Complex' Tour de France The broadcaster upgrades transmission tech, deploys hybrid production and compelling graphics By Mark J Burns, SVG Contributor
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 - 11:36 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The Tour de France, which finishes Sunday with the final stage on the Champs- lys es in Paris, is one of the most logistically complex sporting events in the world, says NBC Sports Coordinating Producer Joel Felicio. Produced by Felicio and his team, NBC Sports' coverage of the 2025 cycling competition uses high-speed internet transmission, a hybrid production model, and visual graphics to inform both die-hard fans and casual viewers.
The Tour is unlike any other sporting event - and the production reflects that, he says. The entire TV compound moves to a new location every single day, often two, three or even five hours apart from the previous stage. That means everything has to be set up, broken down, packed up, and transported, all within a tight overnight window. Unlike traditional sports, where you might get one or two setup days in a fixed venue, the Tour gives you no margin for error.
NBC Sports' broadcast screen for the Tour de France features essential data at the top and race updates at the bottom. (All photos: NBC Sports/Peacock)
To make it even more challenging, he continues, we're not building in standard broadcast locations. These TV compounds are being constructed in the middle of busy cities one day and on top of giant mountains the next. Narrow roads, tight spaces, unpredictable weather - it all comes with the territory. The fact that this operation runs smoothly day after day is honestly remarkable and a real testament to the precision, creativity, and dedication of everyone involved.
This year, the biggest change in the way NBC/Peacock covers the Tour is on the transmission side. Previously, the broadcaster relied on a satellite truck at the finish line to send feeds to the control room in Stamford, CT. However, that setup was limited to four transmission paths at a time. Says Felicio, It was expensive and complex and constrained how much content we could work with in real time.
This year, NBC/Peacock moved to using Orange-supplied high-speed internet at the finish line and shifted to an IP-based workflow. The transition is a major technical leap forward, he says. We now have access to 12 iso feeds coming back live to Stamford every day, including motos, helicopters, studio cameras, roving reporters, and more. It gives us much greater flexibility in production and dramatically expands what we can show and how we tell the story of each stage.
Featuring a mostly remote setup, the production model is a hybrid: with a lean production crew at the finish line, the Tour de France show is fully produced from a control room in Stamford, where all camera feeds are sent in real time.
Technology Should Serve the Story' NBC Sports leans heavily on technology for the broadcast of the 21-day race, Felicio says, noting the use of LiveU technology in deploying roaming reporter Christian Vande Velde as a particular example. Steve Porino is also onsite as a field reporter.
Paul Burmeister (left) hosts daily pre/post-race studio show in Stamford, CT with analysts Tejay van Garderen (center) and Brent Bookwalter.
Vande Velde begins each stage at the stage's start line, provides live commentary from the road, and interviews racers at the stage finish. His vehicle is outfitted with Starlink to provide a mobile, high-bandwidth connection.
It remains one of our most valuable storytelling tools, says Felicio of Vande Velde's reporting live from a moto inside the race. Christian gives us a view of the race that cameras alone can't always capture - everything from road conditions and weather to team tactics unfolding within the peloton. As a former pro rider, he brings a sharp understanding of the race dynamics, and, when he's descending a mountain at 60 miles per hour just to stay with the leaders, it helps viewers feel the intensity of the moment.
The broadcast also uses a 3D mapping system with live GPS data to track rider positions and to show time gaps, terrain, and wind, Felicio says, to better illustrate race dynamics in real time.
Our philosophy is that technology should serve the story, he continues. It allows us to be nimble in the field, smart in the studio, and constantly evolving how we bring the most dynamic race in sports to our audience.
Additionally, the NBC Sports studio features an augmented-reality environment, the sandbox, which helps the cycling broadcast talent - host Paul Burmeister and analysts Brent Bookwalter and Tejay van Garderen - to analyze team strategy, race tactics, and peloton dynamics. The effort is spearheaded by Prometheus.
We can depict everything from rider positioning to team cars, soigneurs, and even the moto cameras themselves, says Felicio, helping viewers understand the complexity of the race in a fresh, modern way.
Onsite at each stage of the Tour de France, NBC Sports' Phil Liggett (left in photo at right) and analyst Bob Roll check in with the Stamford-based studio show.
The operation strives to seamlessly integrate the onsite team with the studio show, including regular check-ins with play-by-play announcer Phil Liggett, covering his 53rd Tour de France, and analyst Bob Roll from a stage's finish line. Roll typically rides the final parts of each stage ahead of the racers to highlight important sections and hazards for the audience. By weaving in live scenes and insight from France, Felicio says, we aim to create a broadcast that feels connected and cohesive, no matter where it's being produced.
Emphasis on On-Screen Data, Visually Compelling Graphics The production t
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
How NBC Sports Tells the Story of Logistically Complex' Tour de France The broadcaster upgrades transmission tech, deploys hybrid production and compelling graphics By Mark J Burns, SVG Contributor 
