Breaking news! Team Visma | Lease a Bike victims of huge bike theft at the Vuelta a Espana

Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the team of Vuelta a España leader Jonas Vingegaard, has been hit by a major setback after suffering a large-scale theft on the eve of stage three. The Dutch squad confirmed late last night that thieves had broken into their mechanics’ truck with a pickaxe, making off with nearly all of the team’s race bikes. The incident, which has cast a shadow over both the race and its Italian start, leaves one of the biggest teams in the peloton scrambling to ensure they can line up today fully equipped.

The news was made official through a team press release, which stated: "Tonight, our mechanics' truck was broken into and several of our bikes were stolen. The mechanics themselves are working hard to ensure that the team is fully prepared for the third stage of the race. The police have already launched an investigation into the incident." Despite the chaos, the team insisted they are doing everything possible to avoid disruption to their campaign for the red jersey.

This blow comes just as Jonas Vingegaard is set to wear the leader’s jersey for the first time in this edition of the Vuelta, following his victory on stage two. Instead of celebrating his position at the top of the general classification, the team is now facing a logistical emergency. The ability of Visma – Lease a Bike to recover quickly will be critical, as any delay or shortage of equipment could directly impact their star rider’s chances of defending his lead.

Beyond the sporting implications for Visma, the theft also reflects poorly on the security surrounding one of cycling’s most important races. It is not the first time such an incident has happened: during last year’s Tour de France, Cofidis also suffered a similar loss when their bikes were stolen overnight. Organizers now find themselves under pressure to guarantee the safety of teams’ equipment, especially when the reputation of a Grand Tour is at stake.

The embarrassment extends beyond Spain, as the opening stages of this year’s Vuelta are hosted in Italy. The country’s role as host was meant to be a celebration, but instead it has been marred by a high-profile security lapse. The expectation now is that both local authorities and race organizers will increase vigilance to ensure such thefts do not continue to plague professional cycling.

For Visma Lease a Bike, the focus is on finding solutions in time for the coming stages. For the Vuelta itself, the priority must be restoring confidence that riders and teams can compete without worrying about losing the very equipment they need to race.