Giro d'Italia team bus heads to stage start ... and leaves a rider behind

Team Sunweb's bus driver at the Giro d'Italia can expect a bit of leg-pulling after setting off to the start of today's Stage 12 of the race and leaving a rider behind.

German rider Simon Geschke took to Twitter to ask for a lift to Forli ahead of the stage to Reggio Emilia.

Anyone can give me a lift to the @giroditalia start? My teambus decided to leave without me. #tramping pic.twitter.com/wRGEGek0Qy

— Simon Geschke (@simongeschke) May 18, 2017

Luckily, the bus driver turned around to collect Geschke, meaning that race leader Tom Dumoulin will have seven support riders on today's stage rather than six, the team having lost Wilco Kelderman when he broke a finger after colliding with a police motorbike on Sunday.

All good! I stole a car and am on my way now.. Just kidding, they turned around and picked me up. Guess 8 riders is still better than 7

— Simon Geschke (@simongeschke) May 18, 2017

CyclingHubTV wondered whether the Team Sunweb bus driver may have taken a tweet sent by Geschke following yesterday's stage a little too literally.

@simongeschke @giroditalia They thought you were serious? https://t.co/ivbIeSHpin

— CyclingHub (@CyclingHubTV) May 18, 2017