Why does the Tour de France start in other countries?

The men's Tour de France will start in Barcelona in 2026 and Edinburgh in 2027 as part of its efforts to increase international appeal and generate money for the organisers.

Organisers earn funds through tendering the bidding process to cities, with the Scottish government investing £9.25m to cover the costs in 2027.

The opening stage, known as the Grand Depart, has previously taken place outside of France on 26 occassions, including London in 2007 and Leeds in 2014.

The Tour, which is made up of 21 stages, follows a different route each year and typically finishes on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Prospective cities and countries bid to host the event years in advance, with Scotland among the interested parties since 2014.

It is expected to attract more than 1.27m spectators and generate more than £45.4m in economic impact for Edinburgh, based on comparable data from 2014.

The men's 2027 Tour will feature three other stages in England and Wales, before the peloton moves to France.

UK Minister for Sport Stephanie Peacock announced that £32m of government funding would be made to support the Grand Departs and their legacy.

The government says staging the races will deliver more than £150 million in economic benefits to the UK.

"We want to give people reason to feel proud of where they live and make sure the economic benefits of hosting these events are felt right across the country, from the Scottish borders to the Welsh valleys, from the Lake District, to Liverpool, London and Leeds," said Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.

2027 will also be the first time both the men's and women's starts have taken place in the same country outside France, with the women's getting under way in Leeds.

An estimated 4.8 million people witnessed the three English stages at the roadside in 2014.

Eleven European countries have hosted the race since it was first held outside of France in 1954 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The Grand Depart has been hosted by Florence in Italy, Bilbao in Spain, Copenhagen in Denmark and the Belgian capital of Brussels in recent years.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.