The "I can't believe" Mikel Landa thread

[The Hitch]

Re:

Outclimbing everyone at last year's Giro = no thread, 20th in a TT = thread? Heh.

Why didn't you start a thread last year then?

 

[Zypherov]

I have a feeling that this will be a long thread..........

 

[Valv.Piti]

Aaaaaay Lmao

Don't you think that it would've been better to create it in the wake of a more regular ITT or him toying with people like last year against Contador and Aru as a relative unknown dom to the greater masses? Today's result doesn't really tell me more than he has improved a bit since joining Sky which really isn't a surprise since this is year one as a GT-contender and Landa taking more risks than Nibali and Valverde. He has had no reason to improve against the clock, this year ha had.

 

[KyoGrey]

Re: The "I can't believe & don't enjoy" Mikel Landa thread

I wonder how cycling officialist media is going to reconcile the fact that he is a non-anglo rider from Southern Europe tearing the world apart with him being a member of Team Sky.

And the great thing about Mikel is that he is savage and non-corporative, it would suprise me if he doesn't bomb the Giro to pieces every stage he can. Even if the Giro is won.

 

[thehog]

Re: The "I can't believe & don't enjoy" Mikel Landa thread

I wonder how cycling officialist media is going to reconcile the fact that he is a non-anglo rider from Southern Europe tearing the world apart with him being a member of Team Sky.

And the great thing about Mikel is that he is savage and non-corporative, it would suprise me if he doesn't bomb the Giro to pieces every stage he can. Even if the Giro is won.

It's going to be tough but I'm sure the UK press will find a way. Maybe Landa has a great uncle from Britan or a 3rd cousin? Even more interesting is how quickly the marginal gains have worked on Landa. ITT champ in 5 months since joining Sky, lol!

 

[Archibald]

Re: The "I can't believe & don't enjoy" Mikel Landa thread

I wonder how cycling officialist media is going to reconcile the fact that he is a non-anglo rider from Southern Europe tearing the world apart with him being a member of Team Sky.

And the great thing about Mikel is that he is savage and non-corporative, it would suprise me if he doesn't bomb the Giro to pieces every stage he can. Even if the Giro is won.

It's going to be tough but I'm sure the UK press will find a way. Maybe Landa has a great uncle from Britan or a 3rd cousin? Even more interesting is how quickly the marginal gains have worked on Landa. ITT champ in 5 months since joining Sky, lol!

I'm sure they'll channel their inner JV on this one...
Remember how JV was telling everyone about how well Rolland was responding to current modern training methods over the prehistoric regimes of his previous team...
Can see this as the exact same explanation for Landa's improvements "since coming to Sky"

 

[Remmie123]

Re:

What I've wondered though, since he signed for Sky, is surely even the Bikeradar-reading, Sky-kit-wearing MAMILs know that too. How can Dave B sell his clean team spiel when he's signing climbers from The Bad Guys(tm)?

Nope. I was chatting to a few friends of mine, who think Astana are dirty but sky are clean, about the Giro and said something to the effect of 'Surely if Landa keeps his form/improves at Sky then you have to admit that there is something very suspicious going on' which was met with a laugh, and then the usual response of, nah dude theres other factors at play here, other explanations etc etc...

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Re: The "I can't believe & don't enjoy" Mikel Landa thread

I tweeted Walsh and had nothing from him. Not banned yet.

He only replies if you tell him the Program was awesome

That the 'Sky Program' or 'USPS Program'..........?

Lol!

Basically you have to write;

Hi @davidwalshst I though 7DS was an amazing book, the ending when you find out Lance doped really shocked me! What do you think of Landa at Astana doper but clean at Sky? Brailsford wouldn't allow doping on his watch.

That FishHack is a funny little man.

His fuzzy suspicion indicator only works on one man with one ball. The rest are above reproach.

 

[thehog]

Re: Re:

What I've wondered though, since he signed for Sky, is surely even the Bikeradar-reading, Sky-kit-wearing MAMILs know that too. How can Dave B sell his clean team spiel when he's signing climbers from The Bad Guys(tm)?

Nope. I was chatting to a few friends of mine, who think Astana are dirty but sky are clean, about the Giro and said something to the effect of 'Surely if Landa keeps his form/improves at Sky then you have to admit that there is something very suspicious going on' which was met with a laugh, and then the usual response of, nah dude theres other factors at play here, other explanations etc etc...

Sounds about right... Landa turned up to the Sky training camp with an EPO & a needle. Brailsford took it away and gave him a pillow and hand sanitizer. Landa was shocked that he started riding faster than when he was on drugs

I was kinda hoping Landa might lose some time in the ITT so he could channel his inner Patani in the mountains. At this point he won't attack 29 times on a single climb and cover every move on his own. We can only hope Nibali shows up with his full RBC-A-Game.

 

[bigcog]

Re:

I'm surprised there wasn't already a dedicated Landa thread from last year, but if not, then yes, he needs his own thread. We can't keep discussing him in the Astana thread, and it's not that workable to have all the GT leaders from a team stuck into one thread, not when we're talking big names that are most likely going to continue to be in the spotlight in coming years.

If he was stilling riding for Astana there would be no thread, it's just this forums fixation with Sky as we all know

 

[thehog]

Re: Re:

I'm surprised there wasn't already a dedicated Landa thread from last year, but if not, then yes, he needs his own thread. We can't keep discussing him in the Astana thread, and it's not that workable to have all the GT leaders from a team stuck into one thread, not when we're talking big names that are most likely going to continue to be in the spotlight in coming years.

If he was stilling riding for Astana there would be no thread, it's just this forums fixation with Sky as we all know

You clearly didn't read the Astana thread last year. Of course your obsession with the "asylum" and then reporting everything back to BikeRadar is most funny

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Does Landa have a thread? Impressive new found TT skills he found today

why not also make a thread about vegard laengen? or pieter serry?

 

[thehog]

Re:

I have a feeling that this will be a long thread..........

There's a video of Landa crashing of the side of a corner, even with that he still aced it.. impressive

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/racing/mikel-landa-manages-stay-upright-despite-sliding-off-road-giro-ditalia-time-trial-video-225556

Mikel Landa’s incredible time trial at the Giro d’Italia on Sunday could have been even better if he’d stayed on the road the whole time.

A video taken by La Corsa Tours and posted on Facebook shows something that the television cameras missed, with Landa skidding off the side of the road and almost into a ditch on one descent.

The Spaniard was one of many who struggled to control the bike in the appalling conditions and one one corner he was forced onto the grass as he couldn’t turn the bike in time.

Several spectators fled for safety as Landa, on his new Pinarello Bolide, skidded towards them, but one person in pink stopped the Team Sky man from going into a ditch.

Remarkably, Landa stayed upright the entire way and was able to accelerate away and on to the 20th best time of the day, ahead of Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and only eight seconds down on Vincenzo Nibali (Astana).

 

[Valv.Piti]

And what exactly does that tell you? It may have cost him between 5-10 seconds, but it is quite obvious that Landa had to take way more risks than Valverde and Nibali and did so.

 

[thehog]

Re:

And what exactly does that tell you? It may have cost him between 5-10 seconds, but it is quite obvious that Landa had to take way more risks than Valverde and Nibali and did so.

Why did he have to take more risks? That doesn't make any sense. Nibali has always been a devil descender in the wet.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

And what exactly does that tell you? It may have cost him between 5-10 seconds, but it is quite obvious that Landa had to take way more risks than Valverde and Nibali and did so.

Why did he have to take more risks? That doesn't make any sense. Nibali has always been a devil descender in the wet.

Well, because Landa is at a relatively big disadvantage compared to those 2. He got a semi-hilly ITT in huge showers, couldn't really have been better conditions for him.
If you actually watched the ITT, it was quite obvious that Valverde and Nibali took it rather slow. Im pretty sure the times also indicate that Mikel gained a significant amount of time on the downhill parts. I don't have them right now

Anyways, I get the point of having this thread, but after this ITT? It wasn't out of the ordinary considering the conditions, it was surprising, but nothing more than that IMO. I'll get on the bandwagon when he easily drops the rest on the climbs, but for now, I think you really are reaching on this one ITT

 

[thehog]

Re: Re:

And what exactly does that tell you? It may have cost him between 5-10 seconds, but it is quite obvious that Landa had to take way more risks than Valverde and Nibali and did so.

Why did he have to take more risks? That doesn't make any sense. Nibali has always been a devil descender in the wet.

Well, because Landa is at a relatively big disadvantage compared to those 2. He got a semi-hilly ITT in huge showers, couldn't really have been better conditions for him.
If you actually watched the ITT, it was quite obvious that Valverde and Nibali took it rather slow. Im pretty sure the times also indicate that Mikel gained a significant amount of time on the downhill parts. I don't have them right now

Anyways, I get the point of having this thread, but after this ITT? It wasn't out of the ordinary considering the conditions, it was surprising, but nothing more than that IMO. I'll get on the bandwagon when he easily drops the rest on the climbs, but for now, I think you really are reaching on this one ITT

Landa was barely shown on the coverage. All riders took it fairly slow around corners. Not sure how you are making this determination based on no evidence.

Or you're just making it up?

 

[Taxus4a]

If you want believe in God, or if you want believe our politics really command something... continue living in you own world, reality is different.

I am completely sure that if Lana need to sope or something similar, illegal to ride, he would leave cycling. Landa with EPO will be getting records Pantani never dreamed to get in his best dreams. Landa is at 2 minutes in Mortirolo,...(he was at 4, but he could be at 2) of Pantani, with EPo he would be 1 minute better than Pantani.

You who knows the truth ... how many people though in 1993 that most of the peloton was using illegal thing that enhances clearly his performance? tell the truth... Well , maybe now you know the ame about the present...

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

And what exactly does that tell you? It may have cost him between 5-10 seconds, but it is quite obvious that Landa had to take way more risks than Valverde and Nibali and did so.

Why did he have to take more risks? That doesn't make any sense. Nibali has always been a devil descender in the wet.

Not yesterday. You don't risk a Giro for a a few seconds on Landa who was supposed to loose anyway significant time. Unfortunately Landa took those risks and got lucky. Of course Landa's gains on the risky descents were rather marginal compared to the sheer TT power acquired overnight in the Sky labs. Even if he came 20 sec. later than Nibs I would've still consider it suspicious for a rider who was never ever in this company in the final standings of a TT.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re: Re:

And what exactly does that tell you? It may have cost him between 5-10 seconds, but it is quite obvious that Landa had to take way more risks than Valverde and Nibali and did so.

Why did he have to take more risks? That doesn't make any sense. Nibali has always been a devil descender in the wet.

oh my god, you don't even understand the basics of cycling do you? nibali didn't take any risks (his own words) landa obviously did. landa is from basque country, they train in the rain every day. landa must have felt at home. same for amador who is notoriously strong in rain, especially in descends.

I do admitt I'm laughing my ass off in this topic considering he is suspect after the timetrial, in which I could easily name 5 other guys who are more surprising than landa. just look at the first itt this giro and how much time landa lost there

 

[Taxus4a]

When Landa is motivated he can do incredible things... he just need to be mental and phisically ok...I remember that descent of David Arroyo on Mortirolo, he was inspired, he took risk, becoue he was very confident.. if you have doubt about yourself, everything go wrong...(and Arroyo then I think he was doped, but you dont need that to be inspired)
If Quintana won Pais Vasco in an ITT, Landa can do the same, becouse they are similar kind of riders, even if you look at them, Quintana is smaller.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

And what exactly does that tell you? It may have cost him between 5-10 seconds, but it is quite obvious that Landa had to take way more risks than Valverde and Nibali and did so.

Why did he have to take more risks? That doesn't make any sense. Nibali has always been a devil descender in the wet.

oh my god, you don't even understand the basics of cycling do you? nibali didn't take any risks (his own words) landa obviously did. landa is from basque country, they train in the rain every day. landa must have felt at home. same for amador who is notoriously strong in rain, especially in descends.

I do admitt I'm laughing my *** off in this topic considering he is suspect after the timetrial, in which I could easily name 5 other guys who are more surprising than landa. just look at the first itt this giro and how much time landa lost there

the part where Landa live it is not so rainy as others in basque country, it rain lees than in France, in London...and when is raining, he get his car and go to Castellon... anyway yes, he is used to train with rain.

 

[pastronef]

it would be nice to know how much he trained on his TT bike in 2016 vs 2015

I dont remember reading about him scouting the 2015 TT on his TT bike, or testing the TT bike in velodrome, and training on it much.

the fuel is always super, we know.
but has anyone on here raced some TT bike and maybe knows you fekking NEED to get used to that?

 

[DFA123]

Re:

When Landa is motivated he can do incredible things... he just need to be mental and phisically ok...I remember that descent of David Arroyo on Mortirolo, he was inspired, he took risk, becoue he was very confident.. if you have doubt about yourself, everything go wrong...(and Arroyo then I think he was doped, but you dont need that to be inspired)
If Quintana won Pais Vasco in an ITT, Landa can do the same, becouse they are similar kind of riders, even if you look at them, Quintana is smaller.

Are you using Quintana as a benchmark for a clean rider?

 

[thehog]

it would be nice to know how much he trained on his TT bike in 2016 vs 2015

I dont remember reading about him scouting the 2015 TT on his TT bike, or testing the TT bike in velodrome, and training on it much.

the fuel is always super, we know.
but has anyone on here raced some TT bike and maybe knows you fekking NEED to get used to that?

The new bike was developed specifically with Landa in mind... apparently

"Again, Pinarello has produced a fantastic bike. I’m so happy to use the new Bolide tomorrow in the Chianti time trial. Knowing how much work has gone into preparing this bike for me just gives me even more motivation to achieve the best result," Landa said.