Video emerges of man trying to take 'Visma' bike mid-race in Italy

During stage 4 of Coppi e Bartali a man jumped onto the Visma Lease a Bike team car in a bid to take a bike, with his associate punching the vehicle

Visma-Lease a Bike has described as 'drunk fans' two men who tried to take a bike from the roof rack of one of its team cars during a race in Italy today.

One man climbed onto the car, apparently trying to take a bike. And when the vehicle was then driven, as he was still standing on the roof, his associate became very aggressive, punching the window of the vehicle.

While no bikes were taken, the team said it reported the matter to the police and the race organisation, with team staff shaken by the incident.

The very unusual event was recorded from inside a following vehicle and that footage has now emerged on social media.

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"During the fourth stage of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, an incident occurred involving two intoxicated supporters," Visma Lease a Bike said in a statement.

"One of them climbed onto the team car of Team Visma | Lease a Bike and attempted to remove a bike from the roof. The other supporter behaved very aggressively towards the occupants of the car."

Team boss Richard Plugge added everyone at the team is taking the incident "very seriously, as it put the safety of our colleagues at risk".

"Our staff on site immediately went to the police and also reported the incident to the race organisation. In the end, no equipment was stolen and no damage was caused. The colleagues in the car are okay, but understandably shaken.”