Spanish police came to the Orica-GreenEDGE team's rescue at the weekend when they returned a top-of-the-range bike that had been stolen during the Vuelta A Espana. The idiot who nicked the €12,000 machine sold it for €120 and that was enough to arouse suspicion of local police who intercepted the bike and the thief.
By Brian Canty
A bike valued at around €12,000 stolen from World Tour team Orica-GreenEDGE at the Vuelta A Espana has shown up for sale on the Costa del Sol, at 1% of the cost price.
Police in Malaga confirmed they recovered the specially modified, carbon fibre Scott Foil bike after they raided a bike shop on the coast.
The bike, which belonged to Australian Simon Gerrans, aroused suspicion and prompted an inquiry because of the 'exceptional technical features' on it.
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It is not clear whether the owners of the second-hand bike shop were aware they had a stolen bike in their possession.
But a man from the Costa del Sol - known to police for several other criminal offences - is believed to have taken the bike during the race and sold it to the shop.
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He was arrested and charged with theft and handling stolen goods.
The bicycle had not been reported stolen immediately because the team in question said they had not had time to call the police.
However, investigators identified the machine as belonging to the Australian team Orica-GreenEdge.
The bike was returned to them prior to last Sunday’s final stage into Madrid.
"His race ends in jail," Spanish police said on their official Twitter account together with a picture of the rightful owner being returned the bicycle.
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