Christian Pfannberger of Team Barloworld had to ride the Giro dell'Emilia on his substitute bike, after his bike was stolen shortly before the start of the race Saturday.
"The mechanic set the bike aside for a moment and suddenly it was gone," Pfannberger said. "That is really unbelievable."
Riding on his replacement bike, the Austrian finished twentieth in the race. "I am not satisfied with this result," he said. The course "is like it was made for me. I have the Giro dell'Emilia on my list for next year. When possible, I want to win here."
Pfannberger will end his season with the Giro di Lombardia. "I hope that until then I will have one of the new light-weight Bianchi bikes again. It wouldn't be so great to have to start my season finale with a replacement bike." (SW)
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