Visma have bikes stolen at Vuelta while Axel Zingle retires

Turin: Cycling team Visma Lease a Bike announced Monday that a number of their bikes were stolen overnight, after their lead rider Jonas Vingegaard won the second stage of the Spanish Grand Tour.

Vingegaard took the red jersey for overall leader on Sunday by winning stage two, one of three to be raced in Italy, but the theft has left Visma scrambling to replace bikes ahead of stage three, a short but winding 134.6km run to Ceres in the Piedmont region. 

"Last night, our mechanics' truck was broken into and several bikes were stolen," Visma said. 

"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."

The Gazzetta Dello Sport report that Visma lost 18 bikes worth a total of 250,000 euros ($292,378), while Movistar and Lidl-Trek, who were staying in the same hotel near Turin, did not lose any equipment.

Visma also announced the withdrawal of Axel Zingle, who was involved in the crash towards the end of Sunday's stage.

Zingle reached the finish line after twice dislocating his shoulder in an eventful stage in which he shadowed Vingegaard. 

He was taken down by his Danish teammate as a group of riders crashed at the foot of the final climb on a rainy day, and team doctors confirmed on Monday he was unfit to continue.