Trek-Segafredo Women had six bikes stolen the night before they were set to line up for Strade Bianche.
Thieves broke into the roof of the truck and took six Émonda models that the team were set to use in the first women’s WorldTour event back after the coronavirus break.
The squad will still start the race but on spare bikes, with Lizzie Deignan taking the start line for the American outfit.
The team have taken a strong line-up to Italy, with Deignan accompanied by Lucinda Brand, Elisa Longo Borghini, Ellen van Dijk, Tayler Wiles and Ruth Winder.
>>> How to live stream Strade Bianche 2020: watch the first WorldTour race of the new season
“Bad start to the day for the team in Italy. Six Trek Émonda of the women team were stolen in the night. The thieves broke through the roof of the truck and took the bikes. The riders will still start Strade Bianche on spare bikes,” the team said.
Trek-Segafredo will face tough competition on the gravel roads of Sien as they face reigning champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott), Anna van der Breggen (Boels-Dolmans) and Marianne Vos (CCC-Liv).
