Visma Lease a Bike bike have the race lead, and a stage win in the bag, at La Vuelta but the Dutch team has now been targeted in a robbery on the race in Italy. It appears up to 18 bikes were stolen during the incident in Turin as the race remains on Italian soil.
The team confirmed its truck had been broken into overnight and that bikes and kit had been taken, with the staff now trying to keep the team on the road for today's stage 3.
"Last night, our mechanics’ truck was broken into and several bikes were stolen," Visma Lease a Bike said in a statement. "Our mechanics are working hard to ensure that the team is fully prepared for the third stage. The police have launched an investigation into the incident."
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However, in an unrelated incident, Visma Lease a Bike has clarified Axel Zingle's bike was not stolen during stage 2 of La Vuelta yesterday.
Zingle came down in the crash with 27km to go, dislocating his shoulder and having it popped back in, only to dislocate it again and having it popped backl in for a second time.
After the finish, the French rider said when he was stopped on the road, he handed his bike to a spectator to hold, only for that person to make off with his bike. However, the team has now said the bike was not stolen.
Instead, the bike was moved into the broom wagon, as it was suspected the rider was about to abandon. Zingle then got another bike from the team and resumed the stage, finishing over 24 minutes down and last man on the day. However, despite his struggling to the finish, he was not expected to start today's stage 3.
