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I've been a following Mikel Landa since before he hit a cow or was hit by a cow(s) in the Dauphine 2011. I should say Landa was one of several climbers on the Basque team that I liked. Sad for a fan to see Nieve and Landa now handcuffed on team Sky. I'm guessing the pay is too good to pass so....priorities. Even then, I wonder in some cases if too much spirit is lost when one cashes in childhood cycling dreams for a steady, consistent paycheck. It's a solid decision but a bit dull to remain passionate and motivated over time, maybe. Then again my hopes for Landa, Nieve, certainly Anton, may have been too high in the first place. 
I would buy into the idea that Mikel Landa considered himself better than Fabio Aru at the Giro 2015 -- and it's easier, if settling for limited choices, if you believe your leader is confident and knows what he's doing.
I would buy into the idea that Mikel Landa considered himself better than Fabio Aru at the Giro 2015 -- and it's easier, if settling for limited choices, if you believe your leader is confident and knows what he's doing.
Re: Re:
Where did you read he was doing the Vuelta ??
I doubt it..after 2 GT and this is a very hot race. SKY have several riders with no grand tour in their legs lined up to do this race
Poursuivant said:
Where did you read he was doing the Vuelta ??
I doubt it..after 2 GT and this is a very hot race. SKY have several riders with no grand tour in their legs lined up to do this race
Re: Re:
- Mikel Landa (ESP/Sky):
"Un día inolvidable. Froome es un tío humilde, tranquilo y todo lo que ha conseguido ha sido a base de trabajo y humildad. El Sky tiene un bloque muy bonito, yo he llegado a última hora y me han acogido muy bien. Voy a correr la clásica de San Sebastián y después la Vuelta a España"
http://eldia.es/agencias/8793860-CICLISMO-TOUR-Declaraciones-protagonistas-ultima-etapa
HelloDolly said:
- Mikel Landa (ESP/Sky):
"Un día inolvidable. Froome es un tío humilde, tranquilo y todo lo que ha conseguido ha sido a base de trabajo y humildad. El Sky tiene un bloque muy bonito, yo he llegado a última hora y me han acogido muy bien. Voy a correr la clásica de San Sebastián y después la Vuelta a España"
http://eldia.es/agencias/8793860-CICLISMO-TOUR-Declaraciones-protagonistas-ultima-etapa
Sounds fairly sure he's going, he's also pencilled in for San Sebastián this weekend
http://www.skysports.com/cycling/news/15264/10512941/chris-froome-set-to-race-vuelta-a-espana-says-sir-dave-brailsford
http://www.skysports.com/cycling/news/15264/10512941/chris-froome-set-to-race-vuelta-a-espana-says-sir-dave-brailsford
Re: Re:
We might see the 2 best pure climbers plus the former best climber of the world going against each other on a super hilly course actually. Sounds very promising. Actually it just misses Aru let go the Olympics and trying to save his season in Spain for a 2015 Giro re-match plus Quintana. Hopefully Vino mails Aru some letters the next days.
He never did the full Giro and ain't got much race days before it anyway. Dauphine & Tour plus Vuelta just like Heras at US Postal did. Main favorite for me until it turns out that he's only stage hunting. Contador is one year older again and there ain't no very long time trial whe he potentially wins 4 minutes on Landa again. Quintana might be more dangerous of in serious shape. But never say never with a big champ like Contador ofc!HelloDolly said:
We might see the 2 best pure climbers plus the former best climber of the world going against each other on a super hilly course actually. Sounds very promising. Actually it just misses Aru let go the Olympics and trying to save his season in Spain for a 2015 Giro re-match plus Quintana. Hopefully Vino mails Aru some letters the next days.
Re: Re:
Landa the main favorite? He already has 1½ GT in his legs, and he wasn't very impressive in either of those. In fact he's been pretty mediocre all year. I don't think he'll ever reach the level of the best GT riders tbh.staubsauger said:
Slightly odd to announce him in the Vuelta team on Monday and then for him to withdraw on Wednesday with an injury he apparently already had. Taxus, do you know anything about it?
I hope he hasn't had a letter a la Henao just before Fleche.
I hope he hasn't had a letter a la Henao just before Fleche.
What's the deal with Landa? Who would have expected this 2016 season after watching him in the 2015 Giro?
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He might just stay at Sky of course and fight back.
This relations was so unfruitful that I ain't gonna be surprised if another team like TJ Sport Consultation or Movistar buys him out of contract.pablopaul said:
He might just stay at Sky of course and fight back.
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Injury and illness are to blame, he was extremely well placed to win the giro pre barbecue and the hip problem kept him out of the Vuelta. He's clearly a more powerful rider than last year, I expect a great year in 2017.
staubsauger said:
Injury and illness are to blame, he was extremely well placed to win the giro pre barbecue and the hip problem kept him out of the Vuelta. He's clearly a more powerful rider than last year, I expect a great year in 2017.
Re: Re:
You realise that he suffered through the hip injury through most of the Tour, right? And sticking him and Ryder and others on the same plane as stomach flu-ridden Cancellara probably wasn't the most clever move the Giro ever did, looking at how many riders came down with stomach flu during the race.
staubsauger said:
You realise that he suffered through the hip injury through most of the Tour, right? And sticking him and Ryder and others on the same plane as stomach flu-ridden Cancellara probably wasn't the most clever move the Giro ever did, looking at how many riders came down with stomach flu during the race.
Re:
Every rider will have an off-season in his carrer. Like Froome 2014, like Contador 2013, like Nibali 2015...
Landa, Kwiat, Intxausti and König were injured or ill nearly the whole season. It's very unlikely that it will happen again next year. Nevertheless you saw the real quality of Landa in this season. He won the queen stage at Pais Vasco, he won Trentino easily and showed an awesome TT at Giro being the Number 1 favourite to win this race at the first rest day. After his withdrawal he showed a really good 12th place at Dauphine, as a helper for Froome. Maybe the best rider there who didn't come fresh from a trainingscamp. In the Tour it was all about winning the yellow jersey with Froome.
A good December, January, February and March next year and he will be ready to win the giro. And this time he will have a really strong team there. Landa - S.L Henao - Rosa? - Nieve - Seb. Henao - Intxausti...
Every rider will have an off-season in his carrer. Like Froome 2014, like Contador 2013, like Nibali 2015...
Landa, Kwiat, Intxausti and König were injured or ill nearly the whole season. It's very unlikely that it will happen again next year. Nevertheless you saw the real quality of Landa in this season. He won the queen stage at Pais Vasco, he won Trentino easily and showed an awesome TT at Giro being the Number 1 favourite to win this race at the first rest day. After his withdrawal he showed a really good 12th place at Dauphine, as a helper for Froome. Maybe the best rider there who didn't come fresh from a trainingscamp. In the Tour it was all about winning the yellow jersey with Froome.
A good December, January, February and March next year and he will be ready to win the giro. And this time he will have a really strong team there. Landa - S.L Henao - Rosa? - Nieve - Seb. Henao - Intxausti...
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I think Rosa is set to stay one more year with Astana.
Landa, Intxausti, Nieve, Kennaugh(he wants to ride the Giro), Boswell, Moscon, Puccio, Knees, Viviani and Sky should annihilate the Giro.
Save Sergio Henao for TdF.
Sebastian didn't convinced me in the last 2 years.
boasson said:
I think Rosa is set to stay one more year with Astana.
Landa, Intxausti, Nieve, Kennaugh(he wants to ride the Giro), Boswell, Moscon, Puccio, Knees, Viviani and Sky should annihilate the Giro.
Save Sergio Henao for TdF.
Sebastian didn't convinced me in the last 2 years.
Sounds like a good team for the Giro. Who would be the plan B in case Landa gets sick or injured? Nieve? Might be worth taking Poels or Sergio Henao instead of Boswell.
Really hope Landa can bounce back. Is a joy to watch when on song.
Really hope Landa can bounce back. Is a joy to watch when on song.
Re:
No. TdF is way more important for them. If Landa fails, than Nieve is a safe bet for KoM and stages, and Inxtausti can top 10.
dastott said:
No. TdF is way more important for them. If Landa fails, than Nieve is a safe bet for KoM and stages, and Inxtausti can top 10.
Well, Poels says he is ready for GT leadership, and that can only mean the Giro realistically. Could be a battle between him and Landa for the Giro leadership. Not sure that the Vuelta team will have done themselves any favours, with the exception of Lopez and maybe Kennaugh (Konig was strong too but...)
Re:
Co-leadership between those two in the Giro might be a good idea, keeping the pressure off both of them.
dastott said:
Co-leadership between those two in the Giro might be a good idea, keeping the pressure off both of them.
What has Poels done to deserve co-leadership? I really don't know what he has achieved that may suggest he can perform better than Landa GT-wise.
Re:
Agree, from what he's shown so far he's like a poor version of Porte. Great domestique and can handle himself well in week long stage races, but in a GT a bad day is always just around the corner.
Poels should focus on the Ardennes really. He's already got one amazing result at LBL and has done well at FW as well.
lenric said:
Agree, from what he's shown so far he's like a poor version of Porte. Great domestique and can handle himself well in week long stage races, but in a GT a bad day is always just around the corner.
Poels should focus on the Ardennes really. He's already got one amazing result at LBL and has done well at FW as well.
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