The Australian cycling team at the world road cycling championships in Italy awoke on Friday morning to discover thieves had struck overnight and stolen eight team bikes from the garage of the team's hotel in Lazise, west of Verona.

Professional riders Cadel Evans (T-Mobile), Matthew Hayman (Rabobank) and Matt Whites (Cofidis) race bikes for Sunday's road race were stolen along with the training bike of newly crowned 2004 and 2003 time trial world champion, Michael Rogers (Quick.Step-Davitamon).

Olympic team's pursuit gold medallist Peter Dawson was forced to line up for the under 23 road race on a spare bike while three of the junior men, Patrick Shaw, Andrew Wade and Simon Clarke, will race on Saturday on bikes borrowed from their under 23 team mates.

Assorted other items including watches and heart rate monitors were also taken with the total value of the stolen items estimated at $A60,000.

Italian police are investigating and insurance options are being pursued but the loss will be most keenly felt by the juniors who do not all have professional teams or major sponsors who can replace their machines.

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