Mikel Landa Discussion Thread

[Red Rick]

Re:

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

Nibali better has his A game

Sure thing to say is that Taxus is on his A-game

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

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

Nibali better has his A game

I have never said that, quoted me. I said aboput 3.30-4 minutes in both ITT, he lost just just half a minute. I am happy with Landa ITT, he has improved a lot, but he lost in 2 similar ITTs 6 and 7 minutes in the past... and with Uran, no with an especialist...I was wrong, I always admit If I am wrong, something people dont use to do.

Landa focused a lot this year in the ITT, he have for his first time an ITT bike at his home, and he spent a lot of time in Mallorca and San Sebatian in the track. He had a superbike yesterday. He had a good day. In an ITT like this it is depends a lot of things... you never knows. Of course I though Lnada will do the ITT of Uran and Uran the ITT of Landa, but cycling is not maths.

I said I didnt mind if he lose a lot on the ITT, he would be still the favourite. Everything indicates he will fly in the mountains and in the climb ITT, and I think so as well, but cycling is no maths and maybe Landa wont be so strong in the mountains as it is expected...

Landa is showing now as a new Quintana, so I think he has a Td F in his legs, something I though it was impossible for him. Of course, looking at the future, no now...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yep, unfortunately people are way to fast to point out others predictions were wrong and many hide when they are those who are wrong..

I thought he would lose 3-4 minutes as well, as did many others! No shame in that.
But Landa has looked mediocre on the climbs so far, on the other hand, we haven't seem him on a cat 1 yet.

 

[Hgriffiths2606]

I think Landa will take the race by 2-3 minutes now, I see him winning 2 stages and taking the KOM I think that the Cianti TT was the only thing stopping him

 

[jens_attacks]

bah i though too that he will lose 2 minutes at least but taxus said much more
cycling is full of surprises, which for me it's excellent and a part of why i love it

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

bah i though too that he will lose 2 minutes at least but taxus said much more
cycling is full of surprises, which for me it's excellent and a part of why i love it

I dindt say that, and after to see how he did in the prologue, I change my mind...I just said that if we look at other years he would lose 6-7 minutes...so if he do like he has done, means he has improved a lot...if he is able to do the ITTs of Quintana, he is a potential Tour de France winner. But step by step.

And yes, I said that if he lose 4 minutes he could still wion the Giro... That means that now he is going to win the Giro easily with 5 minutes...but maybe, just maybe, he wont be so strong in the mountains, and his team is not the strongest...It is a good team, Roche ca clib very well, and Nieve is one the best for those big mountains stages...but Astana has a superteam...Scarponi, Capecchi, Fulgsang, Kangert...

 

[Hgriffiths2606]

Re: Re:

bah i though too that he will lose 2 minutes at least but taxus said much more
cycling is full of surprises, which for me it's excellent and a part of why i love it

I dindt say that, and after to see how he did in the prologue, I change my mind...I just said that if we look at other years he would lose 6-7 minutes...so if he do like he has done, means he has improved a lot...if he is able to do the ITTs of Quintana, he is a potential Tour de France winner. But step by step.

And yes, I said that if he lose 4 minutes he could still wion the Giro... That means that now he is going to win the Giro easily with 5 minutes...but maybe, just maybe, he wont be so strong in the mountains, and his team is not the strongest...It is a good team, Roche ca clib very well, and Nieve is one the best for those big mountains stages...but Astana has a superteam...Scarponi, Capecchi, Fulgsang, Kangert...

I agree with your assessment, it could have been a great battle between Astana and Sky if König, Henao and Beñat had been fit I think sky will send a super team to the Tour and Astana I suspect will be weaker

 

[Ataraxus]

Re: Re:

bah i though too that he will lose 2 minutes at least but taxus said much more
cycling is full of surprises, which for me it's excellent and a part of why i love it

I dindt say that, and after to see how he did in the prologue, I change my mind...I just said that if we look at other years he would lose 6-7 minutes...so if he do like he has done, means he has improved a lot...if he is able to do the ITTs of Quintana, he is a potential Tour de France winner. But step by step.

And yes, I said that if he lose 4 minutes he could still wion the Giro... That means that now he is going to win the Giro easily with 5 minutes...but maybe, just maybe, he wont be so strong in the mountains, and his team is not the strongest...It is a good team, Roche ca clib very well, and Nieve is one the best for those big mountains stages...but Astana has a superteam...Scarponi, Capecchi, Fulgsang, Kangert...

I agree with your assessment, it could have been a great battle between Astana and Sky if König, Henao and Beñat had been fit I think sky will send a super team to the Tour and Astana I suspect will be weaker

You too are forgetting movistar which, so far, has shown to be the superior team. I expected more from Astana tbh but hopefully they will raise the bar at the end of this week.
I was surprised that Fuglsang didnt finish with the best in Arezzo and honestly don't expect him to remain with the best in the superhard mountain stages.
To sum up my point: With what I've seen so far, if hell breaks lose in the Giau, I expect only one domestique to be up there with the best? Amador (or Valverde ).

 

[Hgriffiths2606]

Re: Re:

bah i though too that he will lose 2 minutes at least but taxus said much more
cycling is full of surprises, which for me it's excellent and a part of why i love it

I dindt say that, and after to see how he did in the prologue, I change my mind...I just said that if we look at other years he would lose 6-7 minutes...so if he do like he has done, means he has improved a lot...if he is able to do the ITTs of Quintana, he is a potential Tour de France winner. But step by step.

And yes, I said that if he lose 4 minutes he could still wion the Giro... That means that now he is going to win the Giro easily with 5 minutes...but maybe, just maybe, he wont be so strong in the mountains, and his team is not the strongest...It is a good team, Roche ca clib very well, and Nieve is one the best for those big mountains stages...but Astana has a superteam...Scarponi, Capecchi, Fulgsang, Kangert...

I agree with your assessment, it could have been a great battle between Astana and Sky if König, Henao and Beñat had been fit I think sky will send a super team to the Tour and Astana I suspect will be weaker

You too are forgetting movistar which, so far, has shown to be the superior team. I expected more from Astana tbh but hopefully they will raise the bar at the end of this week.
I was surprised that Fuglsang didnt finish with the best in Arezzo and honestly don't expect him to remain with the best in the superhard mountain stages.
To sum up my point: With what I've seen so far, if hell breaks lose in the Giau, I expect only one domestique to be up there with the best? Amador (or Valverde ).

I agree I think that there will be 5 up there when it counts, Landa, Nibles, Majika, Amador and Bala, but come the tour I don't think Quintana will have people when it matters I think that Froome will be the only one to have a team mate

 

[filipepc]

Strange Giro by now, but very animate.

I would never, ever imagine that Landa, so poor Time Trialist would do times near top guys in this discipline... Even if the rain help him a little, it was a fantastic time trial.

Let´s see what he can do in the moutains, until now he looked vulnerable, very... I want to see the first big day in the moutains to try to see if his level is high like the last year... He should be very motivated by now, but it´too soon, valverde and Nibali are not rivals to easy on...

 

[Hgriffiths2606]

Strange Giro by now, but very animate.

I would never, ever imagine that Landa, so poor Time Trialist would do times near top guys in this discipline... Even if the rain help him a little, it was a fantastic time trial.

Let´s see what he can do in the moutains, until now he looked vulnerable, very... I want to see the first big day in the moutains to try to see if his level is high like the last year... He should be very motivated by now, but it´too soon, valverde and Nibali are not rivals to easy on...

Landa was feeling very ill on stages 4 and 8 I think if he hadn't recovered, he'd have lost a lot on the TT SO I think he'll win it and do very well in the mountains

 

[Gigs_98]

Strange Giro by now, but very animate.

I would never, ever imagine that Landa, so poor Time Trialist would do times near top guys in this discipline... Even if the rain help him a little, it was a fantastic time trial.

Let´s see what he can do in the moutains, until now he looked vulnerable, very... I want to see the first big day in the moutains to try to see if his level is high like the last year... He should be very motivated by now, but it´too soon, valverde and Nibali are not rivals to easy on...

Landa was feeling very ill on stages 4 and 8 I think if he hadn't recovered, he'd have lost a lot on the TT SO I think he'll win it and do very well in the mountains

I think he had problems with allergies which usually isnt a problem in the rain. That could explain why he was strong in the TT but weak on the climbs. However if there is no rain in the next mountain stages its possible that this problem returns. Nevertheless I actually can't imagine that a simple allergy can affect you so badly. I am a little bit allergic as well and never noticed that my sport performance got much worse, it was mainly annoying. (I don't know how allergies affect you in competitive sport though especially when you are more allergic than me)

 

[Matteo.]

They seem excuses like those of Contador
Last year Landa flew all the Giro with hot and sunny weather....where were allergies? Paradoxically he did his worst performance in ITT of Valdobbiadene with cold and rain

 

[Hgriffiths2606]

Strange Giro by now, but very animate.

I would never, ever imagine that Landa, so poor Time Trialist would do times near top guys in this discipline... Even if the rain help him a little, it was a fantastic time trial.

Let´s see what he can do in the moutains, until now he looked vulnerable, very... I want to see the first big day in the moutains to try to see if his level is high like the last year... He should be very motivated by now, but it´too soon, valverde and Nibali are not rivals to easy on...

Landa was feeling very ill on stages 4 and 8 I think if he hadn't recovered, he'd have lost a lot on the TT SO I think he'll win it and do very well in the mountains

I think he had problems with allergies which usually isnt a problem in the rain. That could explain why he was strong in the TT but weak on the climbs. However if there is no rain in the next mountain stages its possible that this problem returns. Nevertheless I actually can't imagine that a simple allergy can affect you so badly. I am a little bit allergic as well and never noticed that my sport performance got much worse, it was mainly annoying. (I don't know how allergies affect you in competitive sport though especially when you are more allergic than me)

The rain doesn't change allergies, in fact it can actually make them worse, I also suspect that severe symptoms wouldn't last for more than 3 or 4 days so I see Landa winning quite comfortably

 

[IndianCyclist]

They seem excuses like those of Contador
Last year Landa flew all the Giro with hot and sunny weather....where were allergies? Paradoxically he did his worst performance in ITT of Valdobbiadene with cold and rain

Good point. Guess what, marginal gains don't work well with allergies .

 

[Ataraxus]

Strange Giro by now, but very animate.

I would never, ever imagine that Landa, so poor Time Trialist would do times near top guys in this discipline... Even if the rain help him a little, it was a fantastic time trial.

Let´s see what he can do in the moutains, until now he looked vulnerable, very... I want to see the first big day in the moutains to try to see if his level is high like the last year... He should be very motivated by now, but it´too soon, valverde and Nibali are not rivals to easy on...

Landa was feeling very ill on stages 4 and 8 I think if he hadn't recovered, he'd have lost a lot on the TT SO I think he'll win it and do very well in the mountains

I think he had problems with allergies which usually isnt a problem in the rain. That could explain why he was strong in the TT but weak on the climbs. However if there is no rain in the next mountain stages its possible that this problem returns. Nevertheless I actually can't imagine that a simple allergy can affect you so badly. I am a little bit allergic as well and never noticed that my sport performance got much worse, it was mainly annoying. (I don't know how allergies affect you in competitive sport though especially when you are more allergic than me)

The rain doesn't change allergies, in fact it can actually make them worse, I also suspect that severe symptoms wouldn't last for more than 3 or 4 days so I see Landa winning quite comfortably

 

[Ataraxus]

Strange Giro by now, but very animate.

I would never, ever imagine that Landa, so poor Time Trialist would do times near top guys in this discipline... Even if the rain help him a little, it was a fantastic time trial.

Let´s see what he can do in the moutains, until now he looked vulnerable, very... I want to see the first big day in the moutains to try to see if his level is high like the last year... He should be very motivated by now, but it´too soon, valverde and Nibali are not rivals to easy on...

Landa was feeling very ill on stages 4 and 8 I think if he hadn't recovered, he'd have lost a lot on the TT SO I think he'll win it and do very well in the mountains

I think he had problems with allergies which usually isnt a problem in the rain. That could explain why he was strong in the TT but weak on the climbs. However if there is no rain in the next mountain stages its possible that this problem returns. Nevertheless I actually can't imagine that a simple allergy can affect you so badly. I am a little bit allergic as well and never noticed that my sport performance got much worse, it was mainly annoying. (I don't know how allergies affect you in competitive sport though especially when you are more allergic than me)

The rain doesn't change allergies, in fact it can actually make them worse, I also suspect that severe symptoms wouldn't last for more than 3 or 4 days so I see Landa winning quite comfortably

Actually it depends on the type of allergy
I, myself have allergies from dust mites and whenever the temperature increases above 17 degrees celsius(the temperature for successful reproduction of mites afaik), the symptoms appear.
When it rains the symptoms diminish or even disappear.
Rain affects some.types of allergies, but I don't believe that's the case for Landa. As it has been stated before, he was flying in last years Giro, regardless of the weather.

 

[dacooley]

They seem excuses like those of Contador
Last year Landa flew all the Giro with hot and sunny weather....where were allergies? Paradoxically he did his worst performance in ITT of Valdobbiadene with cold and rain

Good point. Guess what, marginal gains don't work well with allergies .

of course all grand tours should be won by anyone but sky. who could've thought differently...

 

[bigcog]

Hay fever can be worse when its overcast or a bit rainy, it really depends on what plant(s) you are allergic to. If you had severe hay fever I can see it affecting your performance, you can get asthma like symptoms, shortness of breath etc.

 

[SafeBet]

Shall we all drop for good these silly talks about allergies in pro cycling?

 

[ray j willings]

Re:

Shall we all drop for good these silly talks about allergies in pro cycling?

spot on . We have some of the fittest athletes and they all seem to suffer from allergies asthma etc etc .
Its BS [ see clinic]

 

[Rollthedice]

https://mobile.twitter.com/LaCorsaTours/status/731879102832123904

Lucky man.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

https://mobile.twitter.com/LaCorsaTours/status/731879102832123904

Lucky man.

Good find!

And thats the difference between Mikel and Zakarin!

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

https://mobile.twitter.com/LaCorsaTours/status/731879102832123904

Lucky man.

Good find!

And thats the difference between Mikel and Zakarin!

I would also add he was very very lucky and one of the explanations for his incredible TT (though marginal) is that he took far more risks than Nibali and Valverde, at least from what we saw Nibs was going extremely cautious on descents.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

bah i though too that he will lose 2 minutes at least but taxus said much more
cycling is full of surprises, which for me it's excellent and a part of why i love it

I dindt say that, and after to see how he did in the prologue, I change my mind...I just said that if we look at other years he would lose 6-7 minutes...so if he do like he has done, means he has improved a lot...if he is able to do the ITTs of Quintana, he is a potential Tour de France winner. But step by step.

And yes, I said that if he lose 4 minutes he could still wion the Giro... That means that now he is going to win the Giro easily with 5 minutes...but maybe, just maybe, he wont be so strong in the mountains, and his team is not the strongest...It is a good team, Roche ca clib very well, and Nieve is one the best for those big mountains stages...but Astana has a superteam...Scarponi, Capecchi, Fulgsang, Kangert...

I agree with your assessment, it could have been a great battle between Astana and Sky if König, Henao and Beñat had been fit I think sky will send a super team to the Tour and Astana I suspect will be weaker

You too are forgetting movistar which, so far, has shown to be the superior team. I expected more from Astana tbh but hopefully they will raise the bar at the end of this week.
I was surprised that Fuglsang didnt finish with the best in Arezzo and honestly don't expect him to remain with the best in the superhard mountain stages.
To sum up my point: With what I've seen so far, if hell breaks lose in the Giau, I expect only one domestique to be up there with the best? Amador (or Valverde ).

Maybe for the rest of the Giro, Movistar will be the best...they have 2 riders for the podium and Visconti and Betancur at a good level...We will see.