Team Type 1 riders lost their bicycles, equipment and other items when thieves broke into its vehicles on Friday night. CEO and Founder Phil Southerland has said that the team is working hard to try to ensure that there is no disruption to the racing programme.
“It’s an unfortunate situation but our immediate priority is getting our guys back on bikes,” he said. “We have extraordinary partners in sanofi-aventis, Colnago, Shimano, Limar, and Park Tools, and are working closely with all of them to ensure our guys can be ready to compete in Vitre on April 1st.”
If that is achieved, it will mean the only disruption to the racing calendar will be the final stage of the race which they missed today. Southerland said that it was unfortunate, given that the team was performing very solidly.
“Having to withdraw from Coppi-Bartali as a result of the devastating loss of equipment is a tremendous disappointment for the team,” he stated. “That’s especially so after riding so well here with Rubens [Bertogliati] and Lazlo [Bodrogi] both in the top ten in the time trial on Stage four and Andrea [Grendene] second in the sprint in the opening stage.”