How to watch Tour of Chongming Island 2026 in the UK: TNT Sports, HBO Max and start times

The 2026 Tour of Chongming Island is live in the UK across all three stages, with coverage beginning at 06:00 BST each morning from Friday 9 October to Sunday 11 October.

TNT Sports will show the race on its linear channels, while HBO Max carries the live streams online. Stage 1 is on TNT Sports 1, Stage 2 moves to TNT Sports 3, and Stage 3 returns to TNT Sports 1. UK viewers therefore do not need to rely on unofficial streams or delayed highlights to follow the final Women’s WorldTour stage race of the season.

The early start is the main challenge. Shanghai is seven hours ahead of the UK while Britain remains on BST, so the live broadcast begins at breakfast time rather than in the usual European afternoon window.

How to watch the Tour of Chongming Island 2026 in the UK

Live coverage is available through TNT Sports and HBO Max. Discovery+ is no longer the standalone home of TNT Sports cycling in the UK, with the streaming side now handled through HBO Max.

The 06:00 times are the start of the UK broadcast window rather than the race’s road start. Each stage is already under way before the live pictures begin, with the television coverage picking up the decisive final part of the race.

Is there a free Tour of Chongming Island live stream in the UK?

There is no confirmed free UK live stream for the 2026 Tour of Chongming Island at the time of writing. The confirmed British coverage is through TNT Sports and HBO Max.

That differs from some smaller women’s races where organisers provide a free YouTube stream. Chongming is receiving full Warner Bros. Discovery coverage in the UK, so the simplest option is the normal TNT Sports or HBO Max subscription route.

What time does each stage start on TV?

All three broadcasts begin at 06:00 BST, which at least makes the schedule easy to remember. Stage 1 and Stage 3 are shown on TNT Sports 1, while Stage 2 is on TNT Sports 3 because the Saturday schedule also includes the UCI Gravel World Championships and Il Lombardia.

HBO Max is the more straightforward option if you prefer streaming, because the race can be followed without changing linear channels from one day to the next.

What to expect from the 2026 Tour of Chongming Island

The race remains one of the flattest events on the Women’s WorldTour calendar. The Tour of Chongming Island 2026 route guide shows three stages built around flat roads, exposed sections and sprint finishes rather than climbing.

Lorena Wiebes starts as the overwhelming favourite for the stages and overall classification. Our Tour of Chongming Island contenders preview focuses more on the race behind her, with Sofie van Rooijen, Clara Copponi and Maggie Coles-Lyster among the strongest candidates for the remaining podium places.

The full Tour of Chongming Island 2026 start list contains 69 riders across 13 teams after the cancellation of the women’s Tour of Guangxi led the UCI to remove mandatory WorldTour participation. That left only five Women’s WorldTour teams travelling to China, but the reduced field still includes several of the strongest sprinters in the peloton.

Tour of Chongming Island 2026 UK TV summary

For UK viewers, the practical answer is simple: set the alarm for 06:00 BST on all three mornings. Friday and Sunday are on TNT Sports 1, Saturday is on TNT Sports 3, and every stage is also available to stream live through HBO Max.