The 2020 Tour de France will thrust riders right into the heat of the action across a tough opening two stages.

Organisers announced details of the opening pair of stages on Monday, with next year's edition beginning in Nice on June 27.

First up will be a 170-kilometre route around the city that still manages to offer up 2000 metres of climbing.

Stage two will take competitors on a 190km ride that starts and ends in the coastal city, but takes in three substantial climbs for a total ascent of 3700m.

The peloton will take on the Col de Colmiane before the Col de Turini – a feature of this year's Paris-Nice – and the Col d'Eze on day two.

It will be the second time Nice has hosted the Grand Depart, the first such occasion coming back in 1981.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas won the Tour in 2018.