The first three stages of the Tour de France 2023 will be Basque, but will the cyclists cross the French border? The question remains unanswered this Wednesday after the announcement of the start of the route of the great loop in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the Basque capital, located in Spain. The 2023 edition will depart from Bilbao on July 1, 2023, and will depart from Spanish cities for two more days. However, the arrival city of the third stage has not been revealed, but it should be French, and almost certainly Basque.
It is indeed on the other side of the border that the race will start on July 1, 2023, in Bilbao, the city of departure and arrival. The next day, July 2, the start will be in Vitoria-Gasteiz, and the finish in San Sebastián. The third stage will start from Amorebieta-Etxano, and must end on the French side. The selected city will be announced on October 27, “She’s not chosen yet”specifies the director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme, but “we are not going to take the helicopter to go 300 km further once we are at the border”, he assures France Bleu Pays Basque.
“3,300 meters of elevation on the first day of the Tour, it has not been seen for 20 years”, Christian Prudhomme.
He won’t let go of this third city arrival, but Christian Prudhomme is sure of one thing, “the first yellow jersey will be reserved for a crack”. The three Basque stages will be a great show, he continues at the microphone of France Bleu Pays Basque: “It’s really done so that, from the first pedal strokes of the Tour de France, we find the best riders in the world, the favorites of the Tour de France in the biggest race in the world. say that they are shoulder to shoulder, that we can say “well, this one, he took it, it looked easy, that there may be some differences between some, you never know”. 3,300 meters of elevation on the first day of the Tour, that hasn’t been seen for 20 years.”
The Basque Country on the screens of 190 countries
“Me, I want that in the 190 countries which broadcast the Tour de France, whether in Tokyo, Washington or Bogota, wherever you are in the world, you say to yourself ‘it’s happening in the Basque Country'”, continues the director of the Tour de France, it is really our wish. By the landscapes, by the passion and by the coasts, some of which are very steep. In particular the Côte de Piqué on the first day which will be 10 kilometers from the finish in Bilbao and 2 kilometers at 9%, but 1.2 kilometers at 11%. And there, on its slopes, there, there is no secret, there will be the best.”
Finally, Christian Prudhomme confides: “The Basque Country impresses me because we had in front of us in Vitoria-Gasteiz the president of the Basque government, the presidents of the provinces, the presidents of the cities, but also the cycling champions of today and yesterday. So, sometimes we have all the elected officials, all the politicians. Sometimes we have the champions, but it is extremely rare that we have them in the same place at the same time to show the strength and the will of the Basques to achieve, to organize with us the most beautiful of the great departures that has ever existed. You feel it, you see it.”