Mikel Landa hoping to show he's back on form at Tour of the Alps alongside Geraint Thomas
The Spaniard has suffered from illness over recent month, and has one last chance to prepare for the Giro d'Italia at the Tour of the Alps
Defending Tour of the Alps champion Mikel Landa is hoping that a return to the race that yielded his last victories in Team Sky colours will bring a change of fortune as he prepares for the Giro d’Italia, which starts in Sardinia in less than three weeks.
>>> Giro d’Italia 2017 start list
"I like this race a lot. It brings back some happy memories returning here after winning last year," said the Spanish climber, who has been winless since taking overall victory in what was previously the Giro del Trentino last April.
Speaking to Cycling Weekly at the race’s team presentation in Kufstein, Landa admitted he has no idea what his condition is like after illness, having not raced since poor health forced him to quit on the sixth stage of the Volta a Catalunya last month.
"I’ve been out for a fairly long time. I finished Catalunya a little bit tired, and since then I’ve been at home.
"I decided to stay there rather than going on a training camp because it meant I could have more a bit more rest before I got back full into training,’ said Landa.
"Of course, the key goal is to get some form with a view to the Giro, which is getting very close now."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Trentino has long been a form-sharpener for the Giro, and, for Landa at least, that is even more the case now that its mountainous aspect has been boosted.
Watch: Giro d'Italia essential guide
"The fact that they’ve added another day to this race, and that it’s also an extra day in the mountains, suits me perfectly," he acknowledged.
"It will certainly help my Giro preparation to race several hard stages with a lot of metres of climbing."
Landa believes the addition of a fifth day also boosts his chances of making a successful defence of the title.
"For sure, we’ve got some strong opposition, but like all races I go to, I want to be competitive and go for wins if I get the opportunity. The extra stage in the mountains might well provide that extra opportunity for me," he said.
However, injuries within the Sky camp have left Landa and co-leader Geraint Thomas lacking teammates to support them.
Elia Viviani, Diego Rosa and David López were all initially slated for this race, but all three have either been rested or switched to other duties. Frenchman Kenny Elissonde is the only addition to Sky’s line-up, which is only six-strong.
"We are certainly going to struggle a bit more with having two riders fewer than some of the other teams, especially as the parcours is very tough," agreed Landa.
Yet, if he does find the form of last year, Sky’s lack of numbers may not ultimately matter.
"I do really like the like the look of the route, especially in the final days three days," he said.
"I think the key stages are likely to be the final one, which features Monte Bondone, and perhaps the third one as well over the Passo delle Erbe and the climb up to the finish."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Peter Cossins has been writing about professional cycling since 1993, with his reporting appearing in numerous publications and websites including Cycling Weekly, Cycle Sport and Procycling - which he edited from 2006 to 2009. Peter is the author of several books on cycling - The Monuments, his history of cycling's five greatest one-day Classic races, was published in 2014, followed in 2015 by Alpe d’Huez, an appraisal of cycling’s greatest climb. Yellow Jersey - his celebration of the iconic Tour de France winner's jersey won the 2020 Telegraph Sports Book Awards Cycling Book of the Year Award.
-
Is your bike the noisest in the bunch? 13 steps to a silent ride
A quiet bike is a joy to ride, so here's how to banish unwanted noises - what to check for, how to fix it and why you shouldn't ignore what your bike is telling you
By Tim Russon Published
-
Cycplus Tiny E-Pump AS2 Review - an electric alternative to CO2
Small enough to fit in your pockets, it inflates to 100psi with a 200-second usage per charge
By Paul Grele Published
-
The art of peaking with Geraint Thomas: 'It’s easy to take for granted that 9 times out of 10 I hit my goals'
The Welshman also calls for better governance in the sport to help it grow further
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers’ 500th victory was claimed by a woman; why do they still not have a team?
The British squad is one of the richest in cycling - but Ineos still won’t stump up for a women’s team
By Adam Becket Published
-
'This is so much more than a number': Six of the best Ineos Grenadiers wins as team claims 500th race victory
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot took the 500th team win at the weekend
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock 'wouldn’t be surprised' to see attacks before the Poggio at Milan-San Remo
British rider will lead the line for Ineos Grenadiers alongside Filippo Ganna
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers delighted with Egan Bernal’s late cameo on stage one of Paris-Nice
Colombian snapped up key bonus seconds in the general classification battle on run in to Les Mureaux
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘It doesn’t change anything’ - Tom Pidcock’s coach on Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche
Kurt Bogaerts says the pressure is off for Pidcock as he looks to defend the title he emphatically won last year
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers say they will work with British Cycling to get Tour of Britain back on ‘as quickly as possible’
Ben Swift and Owain Doull both say it would be a "shame" were the Tour of Britain to be no more
By Adam Becket Published
-
‘We're now the hunter, not the hunted’ - New Ineos Grenadiers CEO commits to reclaiming top spot amongst WorldTour elite
John Allert outlines team’s targets and ambitions for 2024, including regaining Grand Tour dominance of old
By Tom Thewlis Published