Watch the bizarre moment a major cycling race starts inside the dairy aisle of a Spanish supermarket… but there is a reason behind the stunt!
- The sixth stage of the Vuelta a Espana started in the home race
- Leader Primoz Roglic and the peloton rolled through the dairy aisle
- But there was a real reason behind the bizarre stunt of Tuesday’s action
This is the bizarre moment a major cycling race in Spain kicks off in a supermarket. But there was a real reason behind this strange stunt.
Stage six of the Vuelta a Espana concluded yesterday with a ride featuring leader Primoz Roglic and the peloton, who rolled through the dairy aisle of a Carrefour in Jerez de la Frontera.
Surrounded by groceries, the cyclists made their way through a narrow passage before turning a corner and beginning their 185.5km journey to Yunquera.
However, the event’s quirky start was the result of a sponsorship deal with the well-known French chain, one of the largest retailers in the world.
Carrefour is also the main partner of the Spanish Grand Tour and the company jumped at the chance to use one of their stores as a venue for the race.
The sixth stage of the Vuelta a Espana started in a bizarre way in a Spanish supermarket
Riders rolled through the dairy aisle of the store at the start of their journey to Yunquera
The brand sponsors the red leader’s jersey, which is awarded by a company employee after each stage to the rider at the top of the Vuelta classification.
Because ticket sales are not a reliable source of revenue for cycling and spectators can usually watch for free, the sport relies heavily on sponsorship.
Two of the 22 teams taking part in this year’s Vuelta are backed by Lidl-Trek and Intermarche-Wanty, two of Carrefour’s competitors in the grocery sector.
But the spectacle in the supermarket is not the first strange event in the Vuelta.
For example, in the first team time trial in 2013 in Galicia, the riders started on an oyster raft, while a year later the peloton left on an aircraft carrier.
The stunt was staged as a result of the event’s sponsorship deal with French retailer Carrefour
Australian Ben O’Connor took a sensational solo victory to take the leader’s jersey
The latter event, held in Cadiz, was intended to honor the Spanish Navy.
Yesterday, Australian Ben O’Connor stormed across the finish line at the end of stage six, taking a sensational solo victory and taking over the leader’s jersey from Roglic.
O’Connor broke away with 27km to go, finishing over four and a half minutes ahead of Marco Frigo. He has now won stages in all three of cycling’s major tours.
Slovenian rider Roglic, a three-time Vuelta champion, crossed the finish line with the rest of the peloton but was six minutes and 31 seconds behind O’Connor.