Bike thief rides into breakaway of a Polish race while fleeing the police

Cycling is a sport made for great stories. Think of Abdel-Kader Zaaf, the Algerian who drunkenly rode the wrong way during the Tour de France. Or the famous tale of Fausto Coppi and the White Lady. But what happened in Poland this week tops them all. A bike thief rode straight into the breakaway of a popular one-day race.

It all unfolded in Sobótka, a town in southern Poland roughly 50 kilometres from Wrocław. A local race, the Ślężański Mnich, was underway. Police were on hand to ensure the event ran smoothly. That's when a few officers spotted a familiar face — a 20-year-old man already known for previous offences.

He was riding an expensive Specialized bike worth 28,000 Polish złoty — around €6,600. That raised suspicions. Officers moved in. The young man bolted.

He sped into the crowd of spectators, hoping to disappear in the chaos. But the commotion created a problem for him too. Before he knew it, he had ridden onto the race route.

He joined the peloton without hesitation. The young man was clearly fit. He had no trouble matching the pace. And in a bid to escape, he did exactly what any breakaway rider would do: he attacked off the front. He rode clear of the peloton and joined the race leaders.

"The man managed to ride past the peloton, posing a danger not only to himself but also to the riders and staff," said Anna Nicer, a spokeswoman for the Wrocław police, in quotes gathered by TVP World.

The thief clearly had talent. "His dynamic riding meant that, for a moment, he had joined the leaders and a podium spot was within reach," Nicer added with a wink.

The chase did not last much longer. In an attempt to ditch the evidence, the fleeing cyclist threw the bike's navigation system off the road. But officers caught up and arrested him shortly after.

The bike was returned to its owner, who had only bought it two days earlier. The thief now faces up to five years in prison.

Bike thieves targeting the professional peloton has long been a problem. Visma | Lease a Bike fell victim to a major robbery during the Vuelta a España, losing 18 bikes worth an estimated €250,000. Cofidis had 11 bikes stolen during the Tour de France, and bike thieves also struck around Paris-Roubaix, targeting the wife of Jasper Stuyven among others.

But a thief who actively joins the race, and then bridges the gap to the breakaway? That is a first. The question remains as to whether or not his breakaway companions should be charged for aiding the criminal!