Team Sky hope that Mikel Landa will deliver them their first Giro d’Italia title in May, but the Spaniard may enter the race quite unprepared as his racing season has yet to even start.

Ahead of the 2016 season, Landa announced he would race the Volta a la Valenciana in February, followed by the Tirreno-Adritico in early March. He changed his first race to the Ruta del Sol, but had to withdraw because of illness, and judging by his latest tweet he won’t be riding Tirreno either.

This latest delay to his Team Sky debut doesn’t leave Landa with many options of stage races to complete before the Giro. He is scheduled to ride the Tour of the Basque Country in early April, followed by the Giro del Trentino a couple of weeks later.

But, if his training goes to plan, the former Astana rider could get some race miles in his legs at Coppi e Bartali in Italy at the end of March.

With his rivals getting in a full spring of stage and one-day racing while Landa is on the sideline, the 26-year-old is already a couple of steps behind them in preparation, but will he be able to catch up before May 6?