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Mikel Landa Discussion Thread

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Still think he should have gone to the Giro. Stages to Lago di Cancano and Sestriere are perfect for him. And the stage to Campiglio has serious climbing before too. And there is also Piancavallo, Etna, and a couple of hilly stages too. The route suits him great. Yes, I know there are around 65 km of ITT but still.
 
Still think he should have gone to the Giro. Stages to Lago di Cancano and Sestriere are perfect for him. And the stage to Campiglio has serious climbing before too. And there is also Piancavallo, Etna, and a couple of hilly stages too. The route suits him great. Yes, I know there are around 65 km of ITT but still.
The Tour de France is Landa's chain. Il Giro would set him free but sadly that can never be.
 
He promised so much more as a young rider. I think like some other GC riders he hit his peak in his younger years. Not everyone can be a Valverde or an Evans etc. Unfortunately he probably spent too long in the Sky train like Porte but they both have had plenty of opportunities. Good to see Porte riding well in his last race as a GC leader but think of the missed opportunities. Now Pinot is looking down a similar path unless something radically changes. Quintana is another one who seems well past his best but if he keeps getting injured it's no surprise.
 
He promised so much more as a young rider. I think like some other GC riders he hit his peak in his younger years. Not everyone can be a Valverde or an Evans etc. Unfortunately he probably spent too long in the Sky train like Porte but they both have had plenty of opportunities. Good to see Porte riding well in his last race as a GC leader but think of the missed opportunities. Now Pinot is looking down a similar path unless something radically changes. Quintana is another one who seems well past his best but if he keeps getting injured it's no surprise.

I was saying the same somewhere else that his generation of riders is full of almost guys. With Sky hoovering up the talent just to dom and the taking all the trophies it's been hard for these GC guys
 
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He promised so much more as a young rider. I think like some other GC riders he hit his peak in his younger years. Not everyone can be a Valverde or an Evans etc. Unfortunately he probably spent too long in the Sky train like Porte but they both have had plenty of opportunities. Good to see Porte riding well in his last race as a GC leader but think of the missed opportunities. Now Pinot is looking down a similar path unless something radically changes. Quintana is another one who seems well past his best but if he keeps getting injured it's no surprise.
I don't know about the Sky part. He was there for only two years and his second season with them was by far his strongest in terms of cq points. So I guess he didn't really miss out on anything by going there.
 
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I kind of think that the general level of climbing in that 2015 Giro where the hype around Landa took off, has been somewhat overrated and with it also Landa's own climbing ability and potential too. Main reason for that is Contador, who had just had his last great season the year before, which led to his fans and many others assume that he is at least close enough to that level in 2015 too. In hindsight, nothing suggests he was, even when that Giro crash was taken into account. Consequently when Landa was able to drop Contador on Aprica and specially on Finestre, the hype went through the roof with people speculating what he might do when actually allowed to ride for himself.
 
After having to work for Aru sacrificing his chances, he chose to go to Sky and Movistar where there were bigger leaders than him. Nobody forced him. Now when the push comes to shove he cant perform. He has himself to blame for that. But there are still lot of chances available.
Even if he chose going to Sky and Movistar, he still had his opportunities to lead there. But for one reason or another he never delivered.

I wanted and still want him to get to the podium in Paris although I wouldn't mind seeing Lopez or Porte there. All good options.
 
Yes, very disappointing for Mikel yesterday, but actually, he did not end up blowing up as much as he might have. Let's see if he still has a little more fight in him today. Fourth place is still rather realistic, although of course he would much prefer a podium.

Will he lead a GT team again or return to being a back up leader in the future?
 
I kind of think that the general level of climbing in that 2015 Giro where the hype around Landa took off, has been somewhat overrated and with it also Landa's own climbing ability and potential too. Main reason for that is Contador, who had just had his last great season the year before, which led to his fans and many others assume that he is at least close enough to that level in 2015 too. In hindsight, nothing suggests he was, even when that Giro crash was taken into account. Consequently when Landa was able to drop Contador on Aprica and specially on Finestre, the hype went through the roof with people speculating what he might do when actually allowed to ride for himself.

Contadors climbing was fine until he had to drag himself up and over the Motorillo solo from around a minute behind. He went to deep and paid for it.

And you are underestimating the climbing talent at that Giro. Aru didn’t just fall off the face of the earth after that. Guy went on to wear yellow, win a Vuelta and finish high up against Froome at the TdF. Kruijswijk was there too and climbing extremely well. It was the next year that he absolutely destroyed everyone on the climbs until he met an unfriendly snowbank.
 
Landa hasn't the mindset of a real champion. With each setback he starts doubting himself. The documentary of Movistar on Netflix shows this well. A Carapaz for example knows no doubt and bounces back each time after a setback, as he has shown in last year's Giro and in the Tour with the perseverance to win a stage by trying for three consecutive days.
 
He promised so much more as a young rider. I think like some other GC riders he hit his peak in his younger years. Not everyone can be a Valverde or an Evans etc. Unfortunately he probably spent too long in the Sky train like Porte but they both have had plenty of opportunities. Good to see Porte riding well in his last race as a GC leader but think of the missed opportunities. Now Pinot is looking down a similar path unless something radically changes. Quintana is another one who seems well past his best but if he keeps getting injured it's no surprise.
Dumoulin is another at risk of sliding into this camp. Hope he rights the ship and comes to wins more GTs but there’s a lot of young talent plus Roglic on his own team. It’s honestly hard to see a clear path to Tour victory for him if Roglic finishes this off. Two years ago he looked like the next Froome.
 
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