Indian cycling is set to enter a new global chapter with the launch of the inaugural Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026, the country’s first UCI 2.2 category multi-stage road race, as organisers unveiled an expansive international broadcast plan in partnership with JioStar and Warner Bros. Discovery.

The five-day event, scheduled to begin on January 19, 2026, will see elite riders from 28 teams across Europe, Asia, Oceania and Africa compete on Indian roads for the first time at this scale.

According to an IANS report, the organisers have confirmed that the race will be broadcast live in India on Star Sports and JioHotstar, while Warner Bros. Discovery will stream the Tour across Europe through its OTT platforms HBO Max and Discovery+. Viewers outside India will also be able to access the live stream globally via the official website, punegrandtour.in, significantly expanding the race’s international footprint.

The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour will unfold over a demanding 437-kilometre route that cuts across the Deccan Plateau and the Sahyadri Range, combining high-intensity racing with a visual showcase of Pune’s varied terrain and cultural heritage. The broadcast arrangements are expected to reach millions of viewers worldwide, spotlighting newly developed cycling routes that wind through scenic landscapes, historic landmarks and urban centres.

The international exposure is further strengthened by Eurosport and Eurosport Asia, which will air highlight packages across more than 61 countries combined. Widely regarded as the home of cycling, Eurosport’s association places the Pune Grand Tour firmly within the global cycling calendar.

Live English commentary will be led by veteran broadcaster Ned Boulting, who has covered every Tour de France since 2003. He will be joined by former professional cyclist Graham Jones, a five-time Tour de France rider, and former Indian cyclist Abhijit Sett. Together, the trio brings decades of racing insight and broadcast experience to what is being billed as India’s first UCI-approved multi-stage cycling tour.

Jitendra Dudi (IAS), Collector of Pune District and in-charge of the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour, said the global broadcast partnerships mark a significant milestone for Indian sport. He noted that the event is a collaborative effort between the Pune District Administration, the Government of Maharashtra and the Cycling Federation of India, aimed at placing Pune and India firmly on the international cycling map.

The race itself will open with a 7.5-kilometre prologue at Goodluck Chowk on January 19, followed by four varied stages that test sprinters, climbers and tacticians alike. From the urban curves of Hinjewadi and the punishing ghats around Sinhagad and Purandar Fort, to the rolling stretches toward Baramati and a dramatic finish through Pune’s historic core, the Tour promises a blend of speed, endurance and spectacle.

With global broadcasters on board and international teams lining up at the start, the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 is being positioned as a defining moment for Indian cycling, signalling the country’s arrival on the world stage of professional road racing.