The Spanish city of Jerez de la Frontera wrote itself into cycling folklore on Thursday. Well, not so much the city, but rather its enormous Carrefour supermarket, which stands proudly on its southern limits, and now boasts a stage start of the Vuelta a España.
Yes, that's right. A stage of the Vuelta started inside a supermarket. "You mean, like, in the car park, right?" No. I mean inside the supermarket. The peloton lined up on the tiled surface behind the tills, and rolled out through the exit doors to start the day, guided by the race leader Primož Roglič.
It was a unique moment. To mark the occasion, Carrefour pulled out all the stops. There was red and white bunting stretched across the ceiling, safety barriers through the store, and a vast red jersey banner, which was draped over the entrance. Apparently 400 employees were involved in the preparations.
The riders smiled and laughed at the novelty. Some, of course, were more conflicted, their allegiances pledged to brands like Lidl and Intermarché, whose logos brandish their kit.
I, for one, think a supermarket start is a wonderful idea, and I tip my hat to the Vuelta. The Spanish Grand Tour comes at a time of the year when cycling fans are starting to feel a fatigue towards watching the sport, having already been spoiled with two Tours de France and an Olympics; it's on the Vuelta organisers to recapture the attention, and the best way to do that, generally, is by being a bit weird.
Still, I think they could have gone a step further. A supermarket stage start is good, but – and hear me out on this one – what about a supermarket stage finish?
Just imagine the scenes as a breakaway rider tears solo into a retail centre and through the car park. There's a quick glance over the shoulder, checking nobody is behind, before they swing right through the sliding doors, blasted by the air conditioning unit above them, and cross the finish line, lifting their arms in celebration among the milk cartons and cold meats.
It's a mantelpiece photo, I'm sure, any rider would dream of having. Even if they rode for Lidl-Trek or Intermarché-Wanty.
1. Rumour has it Roglič lost time on stage six because he was carrying a discounted bottle of washing up liquid in his jersey pocket. "It was a great deal, eh?"
2. According to our friends at Escape, there's an internal rule at Lidl-Trek where riders can't go into a rival supermarket in team kit. No wonder they're miffed
3. If you're looking for the Vuelta a España peloton, they're in the middle aisle, right next to the garden wellies and seasonal pyjamas
4. "I know I am, I'm sure I am, Intermarché 'til I die"
5. Now let's see if we can get a stage finish in a supermarket before GTA 6 is released
6. Some very important on the ground reporting from The Cycling Podcast's Daniel Friebe
7. Oh to be Marc Soler eating a Calippo in the south of Spain
8. Imagine spending years trying to get 'Wolfpack' to stick, and then throwing a giant T-Rex on your team jersey
9. We are all Real Betis fans now (news editor Adam has actually had a Real Betis jersey for a few years – Jasper Philipsen complimented him on it at the Tour de France last year, no lie)
10. It looks like someone paid a visit to the Carrefour bread aisle
11. Here, you can pinpoint the exact moment Demi Vollering lost the Tour de France
12. Let's close with some of our favourite Olympics content (you remember the Olympics, right?).
Jack Carlin will be replacing Tom Daly on the diving boards in LA 2028
13. You also can become an Olympic champion by hand-slinging your mate on a Boris bike
14. We all cried too, Sophie, we all cried too
15. And finally, who better to rate famous moustaches than Team GB's moustachioed bullet, Blaine Hunt
Pro mechanics sand down new tyres – should I be sanding my tyres?
Young British talent is better than ever, despite the domestic scene's struggles - what next?
