Vuelta a Espana 2024: Stage 6 to begin from Carrefour supermarket in Jerez de la Frontera for first time ever
By James Hilsum
Published 01/08/2024 at 11:45 GMT+1
There will be a historic start to stage 6 of the Vuelta a Espana, with riders beginning at a Carrefour supermarket. It extends the retailer's long association with the sport, although this is the first time that the Grand Tour has ever begun at a supermarket. Sepp Kuss (Visma–Lease a Bike) heads into the Grand Tour as reigning champion, while Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar will be absent.
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Stage 6 of the 2024 Vuelta a Espana will begin from a supermarket for the first-time ever, with riders due to start at the Jerez de la Frontera Carrefour Sur branch.
The French supermarket chain is one of the race’s official sponsors, and riders will set off from the perimeters of the store before taking on a challenging stage which contains four third-category climbs.
The race itself begins in Lisbon on August 17, and concludes on September 8 with an individual time trial through the streets of Madrid.
This features eight mountain stages, five mid-mountain stages, six on the flat, and two individual time trials.
Sepp Kuss (Visma–Lease a Bike) will be aiming to defend his title, but the race will be notable by the absences of Tadej Pogacar and Kuss' team-mate Jonas Vingegaard.
Pogacar will therefore miss the chance to complete a Grand Tour treble after winning the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France this year.
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Geraint Thomas claimed Pogacar is not taking part to "keep people in the team happy."
Speaking on the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast, the Ineos Grenadiers rider said that he asked Pogacar why he had elected not to take part.
"I asked him in the peloton, and he said: ‘I need to keep people in the team happy'," Thomas said. "They have so many key riders at UAE Team Emirates. I understand that.
"Three Grand Tours at the highest level also takes a lot of energy, even for Pogacar. But he can do it on one leg. I think the World Championships are his main goal."
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Meanwhile, Vingegaard explained the reasons behind not competing in the third and final Grand Tour of the year. After competing in a gruelling Tour de France - where he lost his title to Pogacar - the Dane revealed that fatigue had played its part.
“Unfortunately, not this year. I will not be at the start of the Vuelta a Espana.
"I have different priorities this year, but for sure I will be there again in the future.
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“I'm tired, I don't think I've ever been this tired after a Grand Tour before. To be honest, I'm exhausted, and I need a bit of rest now.
"It's been quite some journey because it's only three and a half months ago I had the worst crash of my career, breaking almost every bone in the upper right side of my body, and puncturing both lungs.”
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