The Basque Country will host the opening stages of the 2023 Tour de France ©Getty Images

Tour de France organisers have confirmed the 2023 race will begin with two stages in the Basque Country.

The race will celebrate its 120th anniversary in 2023, with the Amaury Sport Organisation announcing the Grand Tour will begin in Spain for only the second time.

The Tour de France last held its Grand Départ in Spain in 1992, when home favourite Miguel Indurain won a prologue time trial in San Sebastián.

Bilbao will host the opening stage in 2023, with the route expected to feature a loop which starts and ends in the city.

The second stage will also stay within the borders of the Basque Country.

Organisers say the third stage will begin in Spain as well, but will then move into France where the remainder of the three-week race will take place.

There have been seven Spanish winners of the Tour de France, who share a combined 12 titles, although no rider from the Basque Country has won the Grand Tour.

Joseba Beloki finished on the Tour de France podium in three consecutive years from 2000 to 2002, while Mikel Landa finished fourth in 2017 and 2020.

The region has produced 21 Tour de France stage winners, which organisers say amounts to almost a third of all Spanish triumphs.

This is despite the area being home to just under five per cent of the country's population.

The start in Bilbao may give up-and-coming riders such as Álex Aranburu, Ibon Ruiz and Iñigo Elosegui the opportunity to shine in home territory.

Brest will host the Grand Départ of the 2021 Tour de France, with four stages scheduled in Brittany.

The French region stepped in to host after Copenhagen's staging of the event was moved to 2022.

Date clashes led to organisers saying the marquee cycling race would not be able to start in the Danish capital.

This year's Tour de France was moved forward to avoid a clash with the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which means there is crossover with Copenhagen’s hosting of a Euro 2020 football quarter-final.

Both Tokyo 2020 and Euro 2020 were moved to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.