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Mikel Landa Discussion Thread

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JRanton said:
Blimey. Landa with Henao helping him in the Giro should be fun. Time trial will still be a big problem though ( as it will be in this race) but he will certainly animate the race.

Three time trials, though one is uphill is a big issue for Landa - Will struggle to win the Giro unless he's made a miraculous improvement in TT.
 
yaco said:
JRanton said:
Blimey. Landa with Henao helping him in the Giro should be fun. Time trial will still be a big problem though ( as it will be in this race) but he will certainly animate the race.

Three time trials, though one is uphill is a big issue for Landa - Will struggle to win the Giro unless he's made a miraculous improvement in TT.

If Landa is ok mentally and phisically, with an strong team. it doenst matter how he do the ITT.It is what I told him last year. I dont mind how you improve in ITT at SKY, I just want to see you doing magic at the mountains. and with that, you can win the Giro. it was opther era, so I dont like to compare. But Pantani get the mountains with 10 minutes lost and he won that Tour.

Nibali, of course, is a very good rider and of he is OK it will be difficult. There are more good rivals. But in one good stage in the Dolomites Landa can recover a lot of time.

He wanst today in good shape and the stage wanst good for him (despite of the emotional fact to ride at his home) and he won. That has the same merit for me than to drop Contador in Finestre, the same as when he was second in GP Miguel Indurain or with the first in San Sebastian.
 
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As i posted sometime ago Landa says he doesn´t need to race much to be in good form.

But is very unusual that a rider that almost doesn´t race can be in such a good shape. He is without a doubt very, very strong in the moutains. Chapeau.
 
Somebody know why Landa has a Spanish flag on the Sky bus while the other Basque riders have an Ikurrina?

CfTXIprXIAAOaWA.jpg
 
Re:

luckyboy said:
Somebody know why Landa has a Spanish flag on the Sky bus while the other Basque riders have an Ikurrina?

CfTXIprXIAAOaWA.jpg

Not 100% sure, but as to what I know, Sky prefer their leaders having their formal country flag (in this case Spain) and don't ask this formality to other riders (in this case Nieve).

Funny thing is that Landa is of course basque and proud of it (just as much as Nieve), while Nieve technically isn't, as he is from Navarra (although of course many Navarran people, mainly in the north, complement their navarran identity with a bigger basque identity).

I just wish there wasn't this type of problems and riders just had to have their respective federations flag and in case they feel that a 2nd flag represents them better, have both of them.


Hopefully, @mikelarriola sees this messages and corrects me or confirms it.
 
Re:

Taxus4a said:
I think Nibali will be a harder rival in level than Contador last year, but last year he had his team againt his interest, so this year he has a better oportunity.

It depends, Contador wasn't all THAT good in Il Giro, but his Mortirolo ascent and his ITT was impressive stuff. I don't think Nibali has that in him, but he will pressure him on the sterrato stage and other medium mountains + have a much better team, so I think you are right on that one.

Either way he will have to race aggressively, can't wait for stage 14.
 
filipepc said:
As i posted sometime ago Landa says he doesn´t need to race much to be in good form.

But is very unusual that a rider that almost doesn´t race can be in such a good shape. He is without a doubt very, very strong in the moutains. Chapeau.

Well, lot the people here were surprised that Contador lost some seconds in the second stage of Algarve.

It is the 7th competition day for Landa, and it is a stage with Kelderman second at one second and Samu fourth who Landa rode specially motivated at his home.

it is a big merit that talk about his quality, becouse he didnt rode too much and he prefer longer climbs, and harder stages, but he didnt do today a very impresive performance in numbers.

He is very strong in the mountains, but Quintana has been always a point above...in Tour de L Avenir, in Vuelta a Madrid, Burgos,...but Landa is a little bit more explosive and I think some days he is very inspired he could even beat Quintana in a hard stage.
 
Re: Re:

Valv.Piti said:
Taxus4a said:
I think Nibali will be a harder rival in level than Contador last year, but last year he had his team againt his interest, so this year he has a better oportunity.

It depends, Contador wasn't all THAT good in Il Giro, but his Mortirolo ascent and his ITT was impressive stuff. I don't think Nibali has that in him, but he will pressure him on the sterrato stage and other medium mountains + have a much better team, so I think you are right on that one.

Either way he will have to race aggressively, can't wait for stage 14.

My dear friend, Contador was at his best in the Giro, but if Landa is allowed that day climb Mortirolo almost one minute better than Contador. Contador get 50 second repect Aru, but he did jumping with his powerfull one minute attack to a group to other, an "rest" at their wheel...and people as Antón worked for him. He did a good climb to the Mortirolo, but not as impressing as some people say here. That day the stronger was Landa, then Hesjedal and then Kruiswijk- Contador.
 
Taxus4a said:
filipepc said:
As i posted sometime ago Landa says he doesn´t need to race much to be in good form.

But is very unusual that a rider that almost doesn´t race can be in such a good shape. He is without a doubt very, very strong in the moutains. Chapeau.

Well, lot the people here were surprised that Contador lost some seconds in the second stage of Algarve.

It is the 7th competition day for Landa, and it is a stage with Kelderman second at one second and Samu fourth who Landa rode specially motivated at his home.

it is a big merit that talk about his quality, becouse he didnt rode too much and he prefer longer climbs, and harder stages, but he didnt do today a very impresive performance in numbers.

He is very strong in the mountains, but Quintana has been always a point above...in Tour de L Avenir, in Vuelta a Madrid, Burgos,...but Landa is a little bit more explosive and I think some days he is very inspired he could even beat Quintana in a hard stage.

I agree with you last point. Landa has just begun at this point, Quintana has showed his talents off for 3 years now, this is the year Landa really gonna stamp his authority in the mountains and what a way to showcase his talent. I don't believe he is close to 100%.
 
Re: Re:

Taxus4a said:
Valv.Piti said:
Taxus4a said:
I think Nibali will be a harder rival in level than Contador last year, but last year he had his team againt his interest, so this year he has a better oportunity.

It depends, Contador wasn't all THAT good in Il Giro, but his Mortirolo ascent and his ITT was impressive stuff. I don't think Nibali has that in him, but he will pressure him on the sterrato stage and other medium mountains + have a much better team, so I think you are right on that one.

Either way he will have to race aggressively, can't wait for stage 14.

My dear friend, Contador was at his best in the Giro, but if Landa is allowed that day climb Mortirolo almost one minute better than Contador. Contador get 50 second repect Aru, but he did jumping with his powerfull one minute attack to a group to other, an "rest" at their wheel...and people as Antón worked for him. He did a good climb to the Mortirolo, but not as impressing as some people say here. That day the stronger was Landa, then Hesjedal and then Kruiswijk- Contador.

Landa was without the best climber in the race and would've probably won if they had bet on him from the start. Unfortunately they didnt and Contador could win in the ITT, but yes, Landa could have left Contador for dead on Mortirolo for sure by +1 minute, but it was still an super effort from Contador which was the highpoint of his climbing in 2015
 
Re: Re:

KyoGrey said:
luckyboy said:
Somebody know why Landa has a Spanish flag on the Sky bus while the other Basque riders have an Ikurrina?

CfTXIprXIAAOaWA.jpg

Not 100% sure, but as to what I know, Sky prefer their leaders having their formal country flag (in this case Spain) and don't ask this formality to other riders (in this case Nieve).

Funny thing is that Landa is of course basque and proud of it (just as much as Nieve), while Nieve technically isn't, as he is from Navarra (although of course many Navarran people, mainly in the north, complement their navarran identity with a bigger basque identity).

I just wish there wasn't this type of problems and riders just had to have their respective federations flag and in case they feel that a 2nd flag represents them better, have both of them.


Hopefully, @mikelarriola sees this messages and corrects me or confirms it.

I will tell him, he was today on the last climb and he encourage Landa by telling: dai Mikel dai.

Mikelarriola is very basque, but Landa is from a part of basque country who was from the begining part of Castilla, the "true basque" were at Navarra kindong (where there was a basque part (talked baque lenguage) and a navarrian part (talked a latinian or romance lenguage) as today). It is lobg to explain. Anyway Landa ue to talk in basque, but he is not very worried about that things. The part of alava they crossed today, it is the only part of Alava where they talk basque lenguage usually. Basque people lived between river Ebro and Pyrinees, but later there went to the west, were lived celtic people: Caristios, Bardulos,...Basque people and basque lenguage influyed in the begining of Castilla and the castellano (as well called spanish), the most important Kingdom which provided the backbone of the latest Spain (who existed already as a visigothic Kingdom)

if you ask to me considering History both flags are correct for him, becouse Spain is a nation of nations and regions, we have in our shield the 5 nations which mixtured are Spain
 
Re: Re:

Valv.Piti said:
Taxus4a said:
Valv.Piti said:
Taxus4a said:
I think Nibali will be a harder rival in level than Contador last year, but last year he had his team againt his interest, so this year he has a better oportunity.

It depends, Contador wasn't all THAT good in Il Giro, but his Mortirolo ascent and his ITT was impressive stuff. I don't think Nibali has that in him, but he will pressure him on the sterrato stage and other medium mountains + have a much better team, so I think you are right on that one.

Either way he will have to race aggressively, can't wait for stage 14.

My dear friend, Contador was at his best in the Giro, but if Landa is allowed that day climb Mortirolo almost one minute better than Contador. Contador get 50 second repect Aru, but he did jumping with his powerfull one minute attack to a group to other, an "rest" at their wheel...and people as Antón worked for him. He did a good climb to the Mortirolo, but not as impressing as some people say here. That day the stronger was Landa, then Hesjedal and then Kruiswijk- Contador.

Landa was without the best climber in the race and would've probably won if they had bet on him from the start. Unfortunately they didnt and Contador could win in the ITT, but yes, Landa could have left Contador for dead on Mortirolo for sure by +1 minute, but it was still an super effort from Contador which was the highpoint of his climbing in 2015

if you see the climb again it wasnt so super effort, becouse Contador ride that way, attack, stopped a little attack, and although Mortirolo is very step for a good help, it help, and he was more at the wheel of people than Landa, who was working from the begining. Contaor was a lotof time at the wheel of Anton, Hesjedal, Trofimov,... Of course if later Lana didnt put so easy 40 second in a quite flat terrain (worse for him than for Contador as we see on the ITT) i woulkd say contador wa much stronger than Landa, but Landa did all the Mortirolo working and he finished the stage super strong
 
Re: Re:

Taxus4a said:
KyoGrey said:
luckyboy said:
Somebody know why Landa has a Spanish flag on the Sky bus while the other Basque riders have an Ikurrina?

CfTXIprXIAAOaWA.jpg

Not 100% sure, but as to what I know, Sky prefer their leaders having their formal country flag (in this case Spain) and don't ask this formality to other riders (in this case Nieve).

Funny thing is that Landa is of course basque and proud of it (just as much as Nieve), while Nieve technically isn't, as he is from Navarra (although of course many Navarran people, mainly in the north, complement their navarran identity with a bigger basque identity).

I just wish there wasn't this type of problems and riders just had to have their respective federations flag and in case they feel that a 2nd flag represents them better, have both of them.


Hopefully, @mikelarriola sees this messages and corrects me or confirms it.

I will tell him, he was today on the last climb and he encourage Landa by telling: dai Mikel dai.

Mikelarriola is very basque, but Landa is from a part of basque country who was from the begining part of Castilla, the "true basque" were at Navarra kindong (where there was a basque part (talked baque lenguage) and a navarrian part (talked a latinian or romance lenguage) as today). It is lobg to explain. Anyway Landa ue to talk in basque, but he is not very worried about that things. The part of alava they crossed today, it is the only part of Alava where they talk basque lenguage usually. Basque people lived between river Ebro and Pyrinees, but later there went to the west, were lived celtic people: Caristios, Bardulos,...Basque people and basque lenguage influyed in the begining of Castilla and the castellano (as well called spanish), the most important Kingdom which provided the backbone of the latest Spain (who existed already as a visigothic Kingdom)

if you ask to me considering History both flags are correct for him, becouse Spain is a nation of nations and regions, we have in our shield the 5 nations which mixtured are Spain

Don't worry. I'm Spanish and I already know the history behind so there is no need to expand on it. I was just giving my 2 cents on why the flag difference.

It would be very kind of you to ask him if it is true that the team has asked him to show the spanish flag as I believe or that I'm wrong and he did it by his will.

I don't wan't to initiate a political discussion, but I am just curious: What 5 nations are you talking about?

As far as I know Spain is 1 nation formally by the Constitution. I'm aware that there is a strong will to recognise the different historical regions as nations on it's own right, but why only 5? Surely I count at least 8-10...
 
I have only watched the climb the day it was ridden, but Taxus you dont get much draft if anything at 10% and above.

I think what I am trying to say is it will be remembered, Contador's ascent, but mainly because Landa wasn't allowed to go 100% from the bottom and Aru was super bad that day. But it was also one of Contador's best days, apart from the ITT, and you also have to remember that Contador (as far as I remember) did all the pulling at Aprica before Landa's attack. Or maybe Kruijswijk helped also? Either way Landa was obviously the strongest that day
 
Re: Re:

I saw somebody tweet that Sky lets their riders pick which flag they want (so Kennaugh has Isle of Man, the Welsh guys have Wales instead of UK). Was just interested why he picked Spain because I thought he would identify more as Basque..

KyoGrey said:
I don't wan't to initiate a political discussion, but I am just curious: What 5 nations are you talking about?

As far as I know Spain is 1 nation formally by the Constitution. I'm aware that there is a strong will to recognise the different historical regions as nations on it's own right, but why only 5? Surely I count at least 8-10...

He means the coat of arms on your flag maybe? Castile, León, Aragon, Granada, Navarre.
 
Re: Re:

luckyboy said:
I saw somebody tweet that Sky lets their riders pick which flag they want (so Kennaugh has Isle of Man, the Welsh guys have Wales instead of UK). Was just interested why he picked Spain because I thought he would identify more as Basque..

KyoGrey said:
I don't wan't to initiate a political discussion, but I am just curious: What 5 nations are you talking about?

As far as I know Spain is 1 nation formally by the Constitution. I'm aware that there is a strong will to recognise the different historical regions as nations on it's own right, but why only 5? Surely I count at least 8-10...

He means the coat of arms on your flag maybe? Castile, León, Aragon, Granada, Navarre.

Yeah, I know, but the coat of arms of Spain doesnt equate to fictional nations as in other countries, it is a modern recognition (19th century) of the last medieval independent kingdoms, thats why I was asking taxus what was he talking about.

If it ever happens that Spanish National unity is broken (lets hope not for our mental health sake :p ) we would have galicians, asturians, leonese, castillians, basques, aragoneses, catalan, valencians, andalusians, canarians etc with legitimate national personalities. Much more than 5.

As with Landa's flag, the appropiate person to answer this is his friend Mikel Arriola. By what he implicitly told in other forums (or I understanded) Landa would most certainly favor a Basque flag over a Spanish if he has to choose. That is why I give credibility to the hypothesis that it is a Team Sky decision.
 
Re: Re:

KyoGrey said:
Taxus4a said:
KyoGrey said:
luckyboy said:
Somebody know why Landa has a Spanish flag on the Sky bus while the other Basque riders have an Ikurrina?

CfTXIprXIAAOaWA.jpg

Not 100% sure, but as to what I know, Sky prefer their leaders having their formal country flag (in this case Spain) and don't ask this formality to other riders (in this case Nieve).

Funny thing is that Landa is of course basque and proud of it (just as much as Nieve), while Nieve technically isn't, as he is from Navarra (although of course many Navarran people, mainly in the north, complement their navarran identity with a bigger basque identity).

I just wish there wasn't this type of problems and riders just had to have their respective federations flag and in case they feel that a 2nd flag represents them better, have both of them.


Hopefully, @mikelarriola sees this messages and corrects me or confirms it.

I will tell him, he was today on the last climb and he encourage Landa by telling: dai Mikel dai.

Mikelarriola is very basque, but Landa is from a part of basque country who was from the begining part of Castilla, the "true basque" were at Navarra kindong (where there was a basque part (talked baque lenguage) and a navarrian part (talked a latinian or romance lenguage) as today). It is lobg to explain. Anyway Landa ue to talk in basque, but he is not very worried about that things. The part of alava they crossed today, it is the only part of Alava where they talk basque lenguage usually. Basque people lived between river Ebro and Pyrinees, but later there went to the west, were lived celtic people: Caristios, Bardulos,...Basque people and basque lenguage influyed in the begining of Castilla and the castellano (as well called spanish), the most important Kingdom which provided the backbone of the latest Spain (who existed already as a visigothic Kingdom)

if you ask to me considering History both flags are correct for him, becouse Spain is a nation of nations and regions, we have in our shield the 5 nations which mixtured are Spain

Don't worry. I'm Spanish and I already know the history behind so there is no need to expand on it. I was just giving my 2 cents on why the flag difference.

It would be very kind of you to ask him if it is true that the team has asked him to show the spanish flag as I believe or that I'm wrong and he did it by his will.

I don't wan't to initiate a political discussion, but I am just curious: What 5 nations are you talking about?

As far as I know Spain is 1 nation formally by the Constitution. I'm aware that there is a strong will to recognise the different historical regions as nations on it's own right, but why only 5? Surely I count at least 8-10...

I will answered you by private, it is a long question, but I understand your point. More that nations is 5 national groups. We are officially a nation with nationalities, but it is maybe more complicated to that. I will ask Mikelarri about that, but I didnt use to talk about that kind of issues with him
 
Re:

Valv.Piti said:
I have only watched the climb the day it was ridden, but Taxus you dont get much draft if anything at 10% and above.

I think what I am trying to say is it will be remembered, Contador's ascent, but mainly because Landa wasn't allowed to go 100% from the bottom and Aru was super bad that day. But it was also one of Contador's best days, apart from the ITT, and you also have to remember that Contador (as far as I remember) did all the pulling at Aprica before Landa's attack. Or maybe Kruijswijk helped also? Either way Landa was obviously the strongest that day

Not much, but, it is not a question of slope, but speed. if Landa did today 18,2 Km/h average, that means some part of the climb they went at more that 20 Km/h, and I can assure by experience that when I go to 20 km/h I note the draft, and at 12 Km/h just a little, but you note. Below 10, it is maybe just psicological. not real advantage.

Kruiswick did almost all the work before Landa attack in Aprica, Contador pulled 2 times a little. and after Landa attack, Kruiswick worked as well, I dont remermber exacly if more than Contador, but despite that Landa put 40 econd in about 3 or 4 false flat Km.

Contador is not an easy rider to drop, becouse he has a big aceleration.

You can see all of that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXCfeVXTQc0
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXCfeVXTQc0

3:35, He put at Bardiani rider wheel. (so it is not uselees becouse he look that wheel and wait to het more energy), the rider at the endeven move his elbow...

4:08. Nocentini even waiting for Contador. It must be well know for all the italian riders how well cobtador pay, or maybe is Giro organization who paid astana and those other italian riders to help contador to win, I am not sure (I said this to Vino in Vyuelta a españa and he knows well what I mean) Nocentini Take so erious his work than even almost drop Contador at 4.55 :D.

In the steppest parts, where draft is uselees and ped maybe 10-12 Km/h we see how Contador go alone, clever. But in this part who is alone, he even lose time with Landa (waiting Aru pace).

At 7:00 Anton started to help. 8:45, he as well take so eriously his job, than even drop Contador in the stepet part of his work.

(still 40 seconds difference by Aru, who started to struggle at Landa pace)

10.48 Anton finished his job by gettinng Geniez-Amador group (4 riders group, less draft), but it is a hard section and Contador attack, so yes, good merit. Wedont count this ones at helpers, it is just a moment.

He didnt get Koning wheel as whell, it i a very tep section, more than 15 %,so ueless.

Aru was asked by landa and he get the pace down, so Contador is getting closer.

Contador try to get Hesjedal and Trofimov and put all in that in the hard section...he got at 14:00 while Aru strugge to follow a Landa who is at his relaxing climb pace.

Hesjedal did an amazing stage all the day, he was alone in a break, he was superb and now Contador sit at his pace...But just a little, in that slope I admit is uselles and Contador pass them, Trofimov, hi current dometique, get his wheel.

He see Landa and Aru very close, at the time Kruiskick attack becouse Aru i bad and that pace is slow.

Contador struggle at this hard ection, but he drop Trofimow and it look like he just looked at Aru-Landa..at a ditance of 6 second, he need to breathe a little.

Finally he acelerate and at 17:20 he get Aru.

Well, impresing, he put those 50 seconds down in jut 17.20...at the middle of the Mortirolo.

And yes, it is, But there is a fact, Aru started well but later he was really bad and Landa nedeed to relax a lot his pace.. and there is another fact,lLanda was doing all the job and Contador had some help in sections below 10 %, even false flat sometimes, where you note the draft.

With that 2 things maybe is not so impressing.

Mortirolo1.gif


Some false flat at the begining of the climb.





How Landa didnt see this video, I explained him in Vuelta a Burgos that Contador was helped by a lot of people in the less hard part of the climb, when draft is a factor.
 

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