"This kind of start has got a certain charm to it, for sure” - Vuelta director Javier Guillen delighted by success of supermarket opening to stage 6

The opening few metres of stage 6 at the 2024 Vuelta a Espana will be remebered as some of the more unique in the history of Grand Tour cycling as the peloton travelled through a Carrefour supermarket in Jerez de la Frontera on Thursday.

“One of the main motors for the Vuelta and cycling in general is constant changes of scenario,” the Vuelta a Espana's race director Javier Guillén told Cycling News from the Carrefour supermarket. “And this is what we’ve done. We had a request from the race’s main sponsor and we wanted everybody to come to the fiesta. Cycling’s sustainability depends mainly on those sponsors and this stage start is something of a homage to all of them, not just Carrefour.”

It was definitely a strange sight, especially seeing riders of Intermache - Wanty and Lidl-Trek riding in jerseys adorned with their supermarket sponsors down the aisles of one of their rival businesses. "No thanks, only Intermarché supermarkets," the Belgian-based team posted on their social media for example as images of the riders inside the Carrefour were going viral on social media.

Of all three Grand Tours, the Vuelta a Espana has always been the one with more penchant for the wackier side of cycling. “I honestly don’t think this is comparable to starting in an aircraft carrier like we have done [2015]. But it’s certainly showing another image of the Vuelta and it’s in line with our philosophy of ‘if you can do it, then why not do it’?" Guillen explains. “I don’t see anything too different to what we’ve done before. Sports-wise, the road is out there as usual, and there’s no change at all. But this kind of start has got a certain charm to it, for sure.”

“We were really surprised that it could happen but we’ve got used to the idea pretty quick. It’s made the supermarket look very nice and it’s great to have the event here," added staff at the store in question. “It was all done very fast - a quick coat of paint, the decorations went up quickly, and they put up the barriers overnight. We’ll be re-opening this afternoon at 3 p.m., so it’s back to business as usual. Other supermarkets will do this for sure, but we’ll always have the memory of being the first ones, and that’s unforgettable. We’re the pioneers.”