Mikel Landa Discussion Thread

[Salvarani]

Re: Re:

Bummed out about this.

Hopefully he will be back sooner rather than later. At least he will have plenty of time to get ready for Giro and Tour.

An operation was planned within 48 hours after his return to Álava today, but the Movistar team has just announced that there will be no surgery. After a new examination at the Vitoria-Gasteiz hospital this time, and a shoulder scan, Dr. Mikel Sánchez favored a cellular treatment to reduce the fracture rather than an operation. It would seem that the fracture is less serious than previously thought.

Good news indeed. He will be back in March I hope. Will probably need a race or two to get into shape though, but should be able to peak in time for Giro hopefully.

 

[ice&fire]

He's on his way for a weak early season. Just like 2015

 

[Koronin]

My thought is that if he's ready for T-A send him there, but with Soler as race leader. That lives Landa some time to get his racing legs under him without pressure of leadership. Hopefully he'll be ready for Tour of Basque Country.

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

My thought is that if he's ready for T-A send him there, but with Soler as race leader. That lives Landa some time to get his racing legs under him without pressure of leadership. Hopefully he'll be ready for Tour of Basque Country.

Sound like a good plan.

Soler not defending his title in Paris-Nice though?

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

My thought is that if he's ready for T-A send him there, but with Soler as race leader. That lives Landa some time to get his racing legs under him without pressure of leadership. Hopefully he'll be ready for Tour of Basque Country.

Sound like a good plan.

Soler not defending his title in Paris-Nice though?

Good point. Those are at the same time. Forgot that and you're right Soler likely is defending his title there. Send Landa to Paris-Nice with Soler and send Carapaz(?) to T-A? With Landa coming off the injury I'd prefer to send him as a dom with Soler somewhere than to T-A as the lead rider.

Problem is Movistar hasn't exactly said who's going where at all. It's mostly been trying to get that info through what different riders have said as what their likely schedule is. The only thing they'd really said is Quintana to the two South American races, Soler to Colombia and Andalucia. Landa Andalucia, T-A, Basque. Valverde Valencia, UAE, Catalonia. Guess doing things that way they can make last minute changes. Although with Landa currently injured I'd be surprised if Soler doesn't have leadership for Andalucia as there's no way Landa can race it.

 

[Salvarani]

Re: Re:

My thought is that if he's ready for T-A send him there, but with Soler as race leader. That lives Landa some time to get his racing legs under him without pressure of leadership. Hopefully he'll be ready for Tour of Basque Country.

Sound like a good plan.

Soler not defending his title in Paris-Nice though?

Good point. Those are at the same time. Forgot that and you're right Soler likely is defending his title there. Send Landa to Paris-Nice with Soler and send Carapaz(?) to T-A? With Landa coming off the injury I'd prefer to send him as a dom with Soler somewhere than to T-A as the lead rider.

Problem is Movistar hasn't exactly said who's going where at all. It's mostly been trying to get that info through what different riders have said as what their likely schedule is. The only thing they'd really said is Quintana to the two South American races, Soler to Colombia and Andalucia. Landa Andalucia, T-A, Basque. Valverde Valencia, UAE, Catalonia. Guess doing things that way they can make last minute changes. Although with Landa currently injured I'd be surprised if Soler doesn't have leadership for Andalucia as there's no way Landa can race it.

Landa will race T-A I think. If he is okay to race. Soler to Paris-Nice. Valverde to the races you mentioned.

Carapaz raced P-N last year with Soler. Maybe he will do the same program he did last year before Giro? Although, if Quintana racing P-N. Carapaz will most likely race T-A with Landa, as co-captains I would think.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

My thought is that if he's ready for T-A send him there, but with Soler as race leader. That lives Landa some time to get his racing legs under him without pressure of leadership. Hopefully he'll be ready for Tour of Basque Country.

Sound like a good plan.

Soler not defending his title in Paris-Nice though?

Good point. Those are at the same time. Forgot that and you're right Soler likely is defending his title there. Send Landa to Paris-Nice with Soler and send Carapaz(?) to T-A? With Landa coming off the injury I'd prefer to send him as a dom with Soler somewhere than to T-A as the lead rider.

Problem is Movistar hasn't exactly said who's going where at all. It's mostly been trying to get that info through what different riders have said as what their likely schedule is. The only thing they'd really said is Quintana to the two South American races, Soler to Colombia and Andalucia. Landa Andalucia, T-A, Basque. Valverde Valencia, UAE, Catalonia. Guess doing things that way they can make last minute changes. Although with Landa currently injured I'd be surprised if Soler doesn't have leadership for Andalucia as there's no way Landa can race it.

Landa will race T-A I think. If he is okay to race. Soler to Paris-Nice. Valverde to the races you mentioned.

Carapaz raced P-N last year with Soler. Maybe he will do the same program he did last year before Giro? Although, if Quintana racing P-N. Carapaz will most likely race T-A with Landa, as co-captains I would think.

Quintana didn't race either one last year. His first race in Europe last year was as a domestique for Valverde at Catalonia. I think he's supposed to do that again as well, although it hasn't been confirmed.

For Carapaz, I'd seriously consider giving him a similar calendar to last year as he did well at the Giro with it.
Carapaz to T-A instead of Quintana with Landa would likely be a good idea.

 

[movingtarget]

Landa getting into Richie territory. Needs a change of luck......like Porte he also needs a GT result.

 

[Serpentin]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtVkw_SBNsl/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Hope he can come back strong for his home race.

 

[Oude Geuze]

This year hopefully, they will set Landa free and let him win a grand tour!

 

[Koronin]

Re:

This year hopefully, they will set Landa free and let him win a grand tour!

Well last year his issue at the Tour was his crash on the cobbled stage. Then he crashed at San Sebatian and ended his season due to how bad the injury was.

 

[Tim Booth]

Re:

My thought is that if he's ready for T-A send him there, but with Soler as race leader. That lives Landa some time to get his racing legs under him without pressure of leadership. Hopefully he'll be ready for Tour of Basque Country.

According to Marca, he will not be back for T-A but will race Catalunya before Basque Country

 

[Tim Booth]

Back on the road.
https://twitter.com/MikelLandaMeana/status/1101082488062046208
TA not completely ruled out

 

[Salvarani]

Back on the road.
https://twitter.com/MikelLandaMeana/status/1101082488062046208
TA not completely ruled out

Good to see.

Maybe just ride Tirreno to get some miles and then be better in Basque.

 

[Koronin]

Back on the road.
https://twitter.com/MikelLandaMeana/status/1101082488062046208
TA not completely ruled out

Good to see.

Maybe just ride Tirreno to get some miles and then be better in Basque.

Agreed. Glad to see this. Hopefully he'll be ok enough to send to T-A for use as training. It's not like they are going to have someone to actually go after GC there at moment anyway.

 

[Serpentin]

Back on the road.
https://twitter.com/MikelLandaMeana/status/1101082488062046208
TA not completely ruled out

Good to see.

Maybe just ride Tirreno to get some miles and then be better in Basque.

Agreed. Glad to see this. Hopefully he'll be ok enough to send to T-A for use as training. It's not like they are going to have someone to actually go after GC there at moment anyway.

No stress, hope he can be back for Catalunya racing for real and then make the podium in Itzulia. T-A is a training bonus. But after 2 crashes in 6 months I think the best is to train a little longer.

 

[Tim Booth]

Mikel Landa has spent a few days training in the Canary Islands and has not yet decided if he will ride T-A
https://as.com/ciclismo/2019/03/07/mas_ciclismo/1551973127_857566.html

 

[Serpentin]

Mikel Landa has spent a few days training in the Canary Islands and has not yet decided if he will ride T-A
https://as.com/ciclismo/2019/03/07/mas_ciclismo/1551973127_857566.html

Thanks, good read. Says he is forced to do T-A, the pressure coming from the team or himself ? Maybe my spanish is a bit off.

 

[Koronin]

Movistar released their T-A lineup today and his name is not on it. The T-A lineup is: Carapaz, Mas, Prades, Rojas, Sutterlin, Oliveira, and Arcas.

 

[tobydawq]

Mikel Landa has spent a few days training in the Canary Islands and has not yet decided if he will ride T-A
https://as.com/ciclismo/2019/03/07/mas_ciclismo/1551973127_857566.html

Thanks, good read. Says he is forced to do T-A, the pressure coming from the team or himself ? Maybe my spanish is a bit off.

It's himself that will do the forcing to re-enter racing as quickly as possible.

 

[Salvarani]

Catalunya instead maybe? Then Itzulia.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Catalunya instead maybe? Then Itzulia.

That could be a good idea. He wouldn't have much pressure as he'd be there just to help Valverde as much as he can and Soler should be currently who the team is expecting to stay with Valverde the longest on the climbs there.

 

[Serpentin]

Re: Re:

Catalunya instead maybe? Then Itzulia.

That could be a good idea. He wouldn't have much pressure as he'd be there just to help Valverde as much as he can and Soler should be currently who the team is expecting to stay with Valverde the longest on the climbs there.

Not a bad idea. No pressure for catalunya and then his home race. I think he can perform without many racing miles in the legs.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Catalunya instead maybe? Then Itzulia.

That could be a good idea. He wouldn't have much pressure as he'd be there just to help Valverde as much as he can and Soler should be currently who the team is expecting to stay with Valverde the longest on the climbs there.

Not a bad idea. No pressure for catalunya and then his home race. I think he can perform without many racing miles in the legs.

I agree, I also think he can preform without that many racing miles in the legs. He just needs to get back into competition and a race where he's got his team leader who has it as a goal would be a good way to get him back into racing. Plus if he's got any kind of decent form he'd be a huge asset without the pressure to get any results.

 

[Tim Booth]

Re:

Catalunya instead maybe? Then Itzulia.

"the alternatives for the return before the Tour of the Basque Country (8-13 April) are provided by Volta a Catalunya (25-31 March) and by Coppi and Bartali. The simultaneous presence in the first meeting of Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana and Marc Soler makes the balance of the scales fall towards Italy."