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!

This is the bizarre moment a major cycling race in Spain began inside a supermarket – but there was a genuine reason behind the odd stunt.

The sixth stage of the Vuelta a Espana saw race leader Primoz Roglic and the peloton roll down the dairy aisle of a Carrefour in Jerez de la Frontera yesterday.

Surrounded by grocery items, the cyclists squeezed down a narrow passage before turning a corner and embarking on their 185.5km journey to Yunquera.

However, the quirky start was held as a result of the event’s sponsorship deal with the well-known French chain, one of the world’s largest retailers.

Carrefour are also the Spanish grand tour’s primary partner and the company snatched at the opportunity to use one of their stores as a venue for the race. 

Riders rolled down the dairy aisle of the store at the start of their journey to Yunquera

The brand sponsors the leader’s red jersey which is awarded to the rider at the top of the Vuelta’s standings by a company employee after every stage. 

With ticket revenue not a reliable source of income for road cycling and spectators typically able to watch for free, the sport is heavily reliant on sponsorship. 

Two of the 22 teams competing in the Vuelta this year are backed by Lidl-Trek and Intermarche-Wanty, two of Carrefour’s rivals in the groceries sector. 

But the supermarket spectacle is far from the first odd setting for the Vuelta.

Indeed, the opening team time trial in 2013 saw riders kick off on an oyster-breeding raft in Galicia while a year later, the peloton rolled away on an aircraft carrier.

The stunt was staged as a result of the event’s sponsorship deal with French retailer Carrefour

Australia’s Ben O’Connor sealed a sensational solo victory to take the leader’s jersey

The latter event, held in Cadiz, was designed to celebrate the Spanish navy. 

At the end of the sixth stage yesterday, Australia’s Ben O’Connor coasted home to seal a sensational solo victory and take the leader’s jersey from Roglic.

O’Connor went clear with 27km remaining, finishing over four-and-a-half minutes ahead of Marco Frigo. He has now won stages in all three of cycling’s Grand Tours. 

Slovenian rider Roglic, a three-time Vuelta champion, came home with the rest of the peloton but trailed O’Connor by six minutes and 31 seconds.