Spanish cycling race begins from inside a supermarket, a unique and unexpected start for the event.

It was a scene that caught the attention of many sports fans this year - professional cyclists lined up inside a bustling Carrefour supermarket in Spain. This unusual start to stage eight of the Vuelta a Espana, a grueling 185.5km race from Jerez de la Frontera to Yunquera, was certainly not your typical start line.

But there they were, the riders standing in the midst of food aisles and sponsored bins, waiting for the neutralized start to begin. As they pedaled past the checkout lanes and through the bustling store, it was clear that this was not your ordinary race start. And it was all thanks to Carrefour, the French retail chain that has been a longtime sponsor of the Spanish road race - a partnership that has now spanned 12 years.

And it's not just about sponsorship. Carrefour also awards the coveted red jersey to the race leader at the end of each stage, and has even sponsored the Polka Dot jersey at the Tour de France, given to the rider with the most mountain-related points. So, it's no surprise that the Vuelta organizers wanted to do something special to kick off this year's race.

But this isn't the first time the Vuelta has started in an unusual location. In 2013, the team time trial began from an oyster-breeding raft in Galicia, and just two years later, racers started a stage from inside a Spanish aircraft carrier. And the creativity didn't stop there - in 2017, the first stage took riders through a Roman amphitheater in Nimes, and in 2022, the peloton set off from outside a meat processing factory in Murcia.

It's all part of the charm of the Vuelta, the last of cycling's three Grand Tours, alongside the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France. And while this year's defending champion, Tadej Pogacar, is not competing, there is still plenty of excitement in the race. Primoz Roglic, a three-time winner of the Vuelta, currently holds the top spot in the general classification, after winning the fourth stage.

With 21 stages in total, the race will come to an end in Madrid on September 8th. But for now, all eyes are on these fearless cyclists as they continue their journey through Spain, from the aisles of a supermarket to the streets of Madrid. Who will come out on top? Only time will tell.

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