“I don’t think this was the work of amateurs” – Visma DS gives more information on Vuelta bike burglary

Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s start to the 2025 Vuelta a Espana took an unexpected and dramatic turn on Monday morning when several of their race bikes were discovered stolen from their mechanics’ truck — only to be later found abandoned in bushes near the stage three start in San Maurizio Canavese.

The Dutch outfit had been plunged into chaos after thieves broke into their lorry with a pickaxe during the night, making off with most of the team’s equipment and sparking a police investigation. The incident came just hours after Jonas Vingegaard’s impressive stage two victory saw him don the red leader’s jersey, adding an extra layer of tension to an already high-pressure environment.

Speaking ahead of the third stage, Visma sports director Jesper Morkov shed light on the incident, offering insight into how the team coped with the unexpected disruption. “The coaching group was heading out for a ride, and we were puzzled to find the lorry wide open,” Morkov recounted in comments collected by Feltet.dk.

The incident, which involved thieves forcibly entering the truck and taking off with a significant portion of equipment, immediately disrupted Visma’s usual race-day protocol. Despite the chaos, Morkov remained calm and pragmatic about the impact on performance.

“Morale is actually quite good. We’re pulling together a bit more, and everyone’s working a little harder than usual,” he said. “The mechanics have built new bikes for most of the riders – they’ve been flat out. We’ve got race bikes and spare bikes, so for the riders, not much will change.”

Morkov was full of praise for the behind-the-scenes staff who stepped up under pressure to ensure the team could start the stage on schedule. “It’s thanks in large part to the tireless efforts of the team’s mechanics, who ensured the riders had bikes ready to go when the third stage got underway.”

As for how such a breach could occur despite security protocols, Morkov made it clear that the team had done what they could — and suggested the operation was anything but opportunistic. “That’s always the big question," he notes. "We’ve got a state-of-the-art lorry with alarm systems. We’ve done everything we can. I don’t think this was the work of amateurs.”

When asked why the alarm system apparently failed, Morkov kept his response short. “That’s not a question for me.”

As mentioned, in a bizarre twist, several of the stolen bikes were later recovered after being found abandoned in bushes near the start line. Team boss Richard Plugge confirmed the discovery, though offered little explanation for why they’d been left behind. “Some stolen bicycles were found in the bushes, that’s true. That’s good for us, but I don’t know why they were left behind,” Plugge said.

As for stage three, the route offered limited opportunities for general classification drama, but after a chaotic morning, Visma were simply grateful to be back in race mode. Vingegaard's compatriot Mads Pedersen is the favourite to turn the day into something special on the road on stage three — but for Visma, the team’s focus had firmly shifted from stolen equipment to salvaging momentum.