Mikel Landa: ‘All aspirations were lost in one second, but knew I could still get something the Giro’
Team Sky's Mikel Landa says he is delighted with his stage win and KOM jersey despite seeing his GC hopes evaporate early in the Giro d'Italia


The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
A parked police motorbike ruined Mikel Landa's bid for the Giro d'Italia general classification, but Team Sky's Basque rider says he kept hope leading to stage 19's summit finish victory at the Piancavallo ski resort.
Landa slipped away by 26-56 minutes in GC due to the stage nine crash ahead of the Blockhaus climb. Sky's second leader Geraint Thomas crashed as well and abandoned due to the injuries.
>>> Tom Dumoulin: ‘I realised at kilometre zero today was going to be a bad day’
"Things can change so fast in the Giro," Landa, dressed in the blue mountains jersey, said after his win at 1290 metres.
"All the aspirations of this Giro were lost in one second [in the crash], but I had the tranquillity of knowing that I had good form and knew if I could recover from the injuries, I could still take something from this Giro in the final week."
Landa escaped with American Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) in stage 18 and lost the mountain sprint in Ortisei. Earlier, in stage 16, he had escaped over the Stelvio Pass and placed second in Bormio as well.
The persistence paved the way to a strong 106-point lead in the mountains classification and an eventual stage win in Italy's northeast Alps.
The move came on the 15-kilometre Piancavallo, Landa moved free of his last rivals around 10 kilometres to race and won with 1-49 minutes over Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates).
"I was close on two occasions, and I knew I had to try again," he continued. "I finally got the win, and I am so happy."
He knew the taste of victory even if some time had passed. In 2015, he placed third in the Giro d'Italia behind leader Fabio Aru and winner Alberto Contador, and won two summit-finish stages.
Sky signed him that winter from team Astana to lead the Giro team and help Chris Froome in the Tour. When he led last year, he abandoned midway in with stomach problems. This year, a motorbike ended his and Thomas's chances early.
"I don't know how I could have been this year, I will tell you next year. Looking at the favourites, I still see that Dumoulin was so good. For me, he is the maximum favourite," Landa continued.
"I learned that you have to keep pushing, keep working, and keep fighting, especially in this sport. If you keep doing that, something good can come.
:This gives me a lot of confidence because it proves to myself and to everyone that I am good in the final week of the Giro. This proves that I can be a three-week stage race contender."
Will that happen with Team Sky? Reportedly Landa could sign with Bahrain-Merida or return to team Astana at the end of 2017 when his contract expires. For the remainder of the season, Sky's top brass still needs to decide his programme.
"The program was to ride the Giro and Vuelta, but maybe the team needs one more climber, and I might be going to the Tour," he said.
"If I go to the Vuelta, of course I'd like to win it. It's up to the team."
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
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
-
Primož Roglič confirms he will leave Jumbo-Visma
Giro d'Italia champion does not reveal his destination for 2024 yet, though
By Adam Becket Published
-
Dr Hutch: The aesthetics of the 'chest-fairing' is a funny hill to want to die on
The earnest buffoonery of budget aero hacks may rile TT diehards, but Cycling Weekly's columnist salutes the cut-price cunning of their innovations
By Michael Hutchinson Published
-
'I thought I was more in the door than I was' - Luke Rowe bares all on Vuelta a España snub
Welshman will not race a Grand Tour this year after he missed out on selection by Ineos Grenadiers
By Tom Davidson Published
-
‘I hope I get a cow’ - Josh Tarling aiming for the top prize at World Championships
Welshman competing in elite men’s individual time trial on Friday afternoon
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'All being well I’ll still be racing next year' but 'it's coming to an end' - Geraint Thomas on Ineos Grenadiers future
'It's nice to be arriving at a Worlds in decent nick' says the Welshman ahead of individual time trial in Stirling
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Carlos Rodriguez credits BMX skills with Tour de France stage win
Ineos Grenadiers rider dedicates his victory to his parents
By Vern Pitt Published
-
'We just have to keep trying': Ineos Grenadiers ready to attack at the Tour de France
'You never know' British team's DS Steve Cummings says anything is still possible at French Grand Tour
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Disappointed on stage one, pleased with stage two: Tom Pidcock gaining confidence at Tour de France
Ineos Grenadiers rider satisfied with performance on the road to San Sebastián after difficult opening stage
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock: Beating the likes of Pogačar and Vingegaard to a Tour de France stage would be ‘a step up’
Ineos Grenadiers rider heads into second Tour aiming for general classification and stage wins
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Egan Bernal heads back to Tour de France 'ambitious' but 'realistic'
The 2019 winner is targeting general classification at his first Tour since life-threatening accident
By Adam Becket Published