The rash of bicycle thefts targeting professional teams has struck again. Just days after Visma – Lease a Bike was robbed at the Vuelta a España, French squad TotalEnergies reported the loss of 20 Enve bikes Wednesday night at the Tour Poitou-Charentes.

“Team TotalEnergies was confronted with the theft of twenty bikes during the Tour Poitou-Charentes last night,” the team posted on X. “Despite this incident, the team will still race the time trial.”

A disturbing trend

It marks the latest in a growing series of thefts affecting pro outfits. Earlier this week, Visma – Lease a Bike saw several machines stolen in Spain, although some were later recovered. At the Tour de France, Cofidis also had bikes stolen — and like the Dutch team, some were found in bushes.

TotalEnergies confirmed that despite losing nearly its full fleet of race bikes, the riders would line up for the stage against the clock.

Teams usually have a very secure service course to house their expensive bikes and gear, but some have been critical of the security at race hotels.

Le Team TotalEnergies a été victime cette nuit du vol de 20 vélos en marge du Tour Poitou-Charentes. Malgré cet incident, l’équipe prendra bien le départ du contre-la-montre aujourd’hui.#TPC2025 | #AllezTotalEnergies ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/fNMMe9xTRb

— Team TotalEnergies (@TeamTotalEnrg) August 28, 2025

For Visma, it was definitely not the sort of stress the team leading the Vuelta needed. “Visma’s mechanics moved quickly to prepare the team’s rides. They did an incredible job rebuilding all the bikes and making sure we had everything we needed. The bikes will be ready soon,” team boss Richard Plugge said around 90 minutes before the start. “Most riders still have their own bikes plus a spare, so thankfully we’re able to start.”

The Dutchman said more needs to be done to protect valuable assets. WorldTour bikes can be worth $15,000 and up.

“This isn’t the first time a cycling team has been targeted during a race. We need to consider how we can better protect ourselves, because in this case the organization didn’t provide hotel security as they have in the past,” he added.

The French stage race is four days long, with the Stage 3 TT taking place on Thursday.