Mikel Landa Discussion Thread

[portugal11]

Re: Re:

Landa could now become the next Contador.

What does that even mean

It means that he thinks that Landa may win 7 GTs, its pretty simple really. Not that I agree.

Contador is world class in hilly time trials

 

[Moviefan1203]

If Landa comes to form in the 3rd week as I suspect, he is going to blow this race apart.

 

[KyoGrey]

I think people see him as the new Contador in the sense that he can be the next great offensive climber in the peloton.

But if we are going to compare him with cycling greats by style and characteristics, I think the comparison is fitter with a pure climber like Pantani than with all-rounder Contador.

P.D: Not saying he is Pantani, just comparing styles.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I think people see him as the new Contador in the sense that he can be the next great offensive climber in the peloton.

But if we are going to compare him with cycling greats by style and characteristics, I think the comparison is fitter with a pure climber like Pantani than with all-rounder Contador.

P.D: Not saying he is Pantani, just comparing styles.

Indeed and completely agree!

Pantani could also TT reasonably well in GTs, Landas TT today was hugely impressive. He gained time on Valverde - like, dafuq? Lost 30 seconds to Nibali over 50 kilometres of time trial.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Landa could now become the next Contador.

What does that even mean

It means that he thinks that Landa may win 7 GTs, its pretty simple really. Not that I agree.

Not necessarily, it means I think Landa could become the next "big boss" of the peloton,

Yes, let him win a GT or three before we start discussing that.

 

[SafeBet]

Impressive performance. Now he's clearly the favorite to win the Giro.

 

[Laplaz]

I fear the improvement in TTs has limited his climbing ability...

 

[SafeBet]

Re:

I fear the improvement in TTs has limited his climbing ability...

He didn't look very limited in Trentino.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

I fear the improvement in TTs has limited his climbing ability...

He didn't look very limited in Trentino.

But his TTing looked very, very limited there. I have no idea how this happened in the space of two/three weeks.

 

[SeriousSam]

Re:

I fear the improvement in TTs has limited his climbing ability...

You fear he's heavier than he used to be?

I don't know why people assume an automatic trade off between climbing and time trialling. One is about aero, pacing and watts, the other is about weight and watts. Young Mikel presumably improved his time trial by improving aero, pacing and watts.

Under the tutelage of renowned weight managers Sky, this likely didn't cause him to put on weight.

 

[Põhja Konn]

Conditions today meant the TT became an excercise in bike handling and technique. Lack of raw power didn't matter as much. Nevertheless, I'm suprised he managed to match Nibali and Valverde, who are known as great bike handlers.His performance yesterday didn't really reveal a rider in great form, which makes todays showing even more unexpected.

 

[Brullnux]

How do we reckon he'll do on Tuesday? Difficult stage, one which looking back on Praia a Mare and Poti with the extreme slopes he should struggle on. Although, I have no idea about anything anymore tbh.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

I fear the improvement in TTs has limited his climbing ability...

He didn't look very limited in Trentino.

But his TTing looked very, very limited there. I have no idea how this happened in the space of two/three weeks.

Well, he had a rough start to the season, he is/was getting back to full fitness.

 

[kenk09]

Re: Re:

I fear the improvement in TTs has limited his climbing ability...

He didn't look very limited in Trentino.

But his TTing looked very, very limited there. I have no idea how this happened in the space of two/three weeks.

A hilly, rainy, technical TT happened.

 

[TMP402]

Re:

How do we reckon he'll do on Tuesday? Difficult stage, one which looking back on Praia a Mare and Poti with the extreme slopes he should struggle on. Although, I have no idea about anything anymore tbh.

There's a nice long downhill to catch up on though, and the final climb is very moderate - 5% average.

 

[Matteo.]

We must wait to see him on Cividale if he can win the Giro, the stage will be crucial. The impression is that he is improving the shape(from Praia a mare through Arezzo and today) and there are still four days to reach the top fitness.From what I see are pretty confident that he can entertain us in the mountains

 

[ray j willings]

Re:

Someone call ray j, if he's not going bike as he does every day .
Landa did something extraordinary today , one of the most impressive results that I remember

No he did not . He lost time to Nibs . The conditions played a big part as well, do you know anything about cycling. Have you ever rode in the rain?
Like I said once we hit the mountains he will lose time, that's is what I said and you will all be eating your words on a big plate come the end of the Giro when Landa will be at least 2 minutes off the pink jersey maybe even 3 or 4.
Suggesting doing a good TT in terrible conditions is going to make him climb any better just shows how you Landa dream boys are deluded . Come the mountains and backwards he will go.
I didn't go for ride today , I am making some pizza's for my family from scratch and sitting around eating biscuits

 

[Ataraxus]

Re:

We must wait to see if Cividale can win the Giro, the stage will be crucial. The impression is that he is improving the shape(from Praia a mare through Arezzo and today) and there are still four days to reach the top fitness.From what I see are pretty confident that he can entertain us in the mountains

I'm not quite sure about the entertaining part now. Being so close to top spot might shift his tactics into playing it safely. A good MTT and an attack from 7k out in risoul might suffice to take the maglia rosa.

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

Someone call ray j, if he's not going bike as he does every day .
Landa did something extraordinary today , one of the most impressive results that I remember

No he did not . He lost time to Nibs . The conditions played a big part as well, do you know anything about cycling. Have you ever rode in the rain?
Like I said once we hit the mountains he will lose time, that's is what I said and you will all be eating your words on a big plate come the end of the Giro when Landa will be at least 2 minutes off the pink jersey maybe even 3 or 4.
Suggesting doing a good TT in terrible conditions is going to make him cI didn't go for ride today , I am making some pizza's for my family from scratch and sitting around eating biscuitslimb any better just shows how you Landa dream boys are deluded . Come the mountains and backwards he will go.

Not a full lap, only sometimes coming home. If I can I avoid the rain.
Anyway, the conditions were the same for everyone, do not want to tell me that you knew that he would lose only 7 seconds to Nibali and gained about Valverde ?. No one on Earth has provided for a similar result. The time trial was not all downhill, in the uphill and flat sectors there was need to push hard. and ''shapeless'' you loose many seconds. For me it is a impressional result, if we think of the minutes that he always lost in the time trial, not least that of last year with 4 minutes by Alberto. as I said, we will see in Cividale. If he'll lose the wheels of the best you'll be right and he will not end up not even on the podium...

I didn't go for ride today , I am making some pizza's for my family from scratch and sitting around eating biscuits

but I went. 1-0 for me

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

We must wait to see if Cividale can win the Giro, the stage will be crucial. The impression is that he is improving the shape(from Praia a mare through Arezzo and today) and there are still four days to reach the top fitness.From what I see are pretty confident that he can entertain us in the mountains

I'm not quite sure about the entertaining part now. Being so close to top spot might shift his tactics into playing it safely. A good MTT and an attack from 7k out in risoul might suffice to take the maglia rosa.

Yes, it's true. Because of this ITT ,no longer need to have to attack so far.
But he will have to remain in any case with the best, which is not so obvious after what we saw in Praia and yesterday .

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

How do we reckon he'll do on Tuesday? Difficult stage, one which looking back on Praia a Mare and Poti with the extreme slopes he should struggle on. Although, I have no idea about anything anymore tbh.

There's a nice long downhill to catch up on though, and the final climb is very moderate - 5% average.

Apparently the descent is pretty technical, so if Valverde and Nibali have a gap and go full gas on the descent it could be a problem.

 

[pink_jersey]

If he really has problems with allergies, than today weather really favoured him. Tuesday, if it's hot, he probably will struggle again.
F**k wheater change...Normally, the allergies are the most influent from late march till late april/first week of may but due to the weather changes, now they are the most strong from april till late may(I had rhinit allergy and it's the same. It's really annoying right now. I can't sleep well, and I always had my nose clogged).

Edit : Also, I'm pretty sure other GC favourites are having the same problem but they aren't making an excuse from this. It's not so bad after all. He should have been accustomed to this.

 

[Põhja Konn]

Re:

If he really has problems with allergies, than today weather really favoured him. Tuesday, if it's hot, he probably will struggle again.
F**k wheater change...Normally, the allergies are the most influent from late march till late april/first week of may but due to the weather changes, now they are the most strong from april till late may(I had rhinit allergy and it's the same. It's really annoying right now. I can't sleep well, and I always had my nose clogged).

Edit : Also, I'm pretty sure other GC favourites are having the same problem but they aren't making an excuse from this. It's not so bad after all. He should have been accustomed to this.

Personally I have never noticed a single rainy day making any difference during allergy season. Only when its cold and rainy over longer time during spring, like we had here last year, does it have an effect. One rainy day in between several warm and sunny ones doesn't really change much, at least for myself.

It likely also depends on how strongly allergic one is to pollens. Lenght and timing of the allergy season fully depends on which pollens you are allergic to. For me those are birch and alder pollens, and season usually starts in early april and ends around mid may.

 

[JRanton]

According to Boswell's post-race interview (with an American radio station), Landa unclipped and went off the road several times during the time trial. Shows he was taking some risks and also how dangerous it was out there.

What a really bizarre race this has been by Landa so far. The change in weather must have made a huge difference for him today. He was quoted saying he's been struggling with the heat so whether it's the heat or the allergies, or both, it's difficult to say how he will go in the rest of the Giro.

 

[jens_attacks]

Where is taxus? Landa could lose 6 minutes to nibali in the itt))))

Nibali better has his A game