Spaniard Mikel Landa is aiming for both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in 2019, assuming Movistar will allow him to race both Grand Tours.
Landa placed seventh in the 2018 Tour and when still riding for Team Sky and Chris Froome, fourth in 2017.
"I want to do the Giro and the Tour," Landa told AS. "I'll talk to Eusebio [Unzué, the team manager] and then we'll see what happens."
>>> Romain Bardet takes aim at Giro and Tour de France double in 2019
The 28-year-old Basque rider made his Grand Tour breakthrough in the 2015 Giro by finishing third overall. He was helping then Astana team-mate Fabio Aru, who placed second behind Alberto Contador.
Landa won two Giro stages in 2015 and another in 2017 when leading Team Sky with Geraint Thomas. He also won the mountains jersey that year before going on to place fourth in the Tour.
"I don't think so," said Landa when asked if the Giro could affect his Tour ride one month later.
This year's Giro d'Italia route includes five high-mountain stage finishes. They are packed in the final week third week with the new Croce d'Aune climb the day before the final Verona time trial.
"There have been many mountains in the last week in Italy in recent years," added Landa, "and people go on to do well in the Tour."
This year saw Chris Froome and Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) both race the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France for the overall win. Froome won the first and placed third while helping Thomas win the Tour. Dumoulin finished second overall in both the Giro and the Tour.
However, due to the FIFA World Cup in Russia, the 2018 calendar was blessed with an extra week between the two Grand Tours. A tighter turnaround in 2019 could make life harder.
Nairo Quintana (Movistar) tried the Giro/Tour in 2017, finishing second in the Giro but suffering in the Tour, finishing 12th overall.
Colombian Quintana would be one of Movistar's two leaders in the 2019 Tour with Landa. The edition features a relatively low number of time trial kilometres that suits the climbers.
Landa is also racing with an eye on 2020 with next year being the last in his current Movistar contract.
"What I achieve in the races will affect my future," he said. "I hope to give headaches to those who have to renew me or those who want to sign me."
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
-
-
E-bike rebates: Are you taking advantage of your city or state programs?
A nation-wide rebate program could be coming soon but here’s how to save on an e-bike purchase now
-
Gallery: The cyclocross race that existed before gravel was cool
The annual Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross race traverses the Yorkshire Dales annually - here's our gallery from Britain's toughest race
-
Opinion: There will never be another bike rider like Annemiek van Vleuten
The flying Dutchwoman could almost win it all, but now her era has almost ended, she should be remembered as the greatest
-
Will Barta's Canyon bike snaps in Giro d'Italia stage 10 crash
Movistar rider was caught up in incident in sodden day at Giro d'Italia
-
Alejandro Valverde to return to racing with new Movistar gravel squad
Spanish veteran will pin on numbers in his first ever gravel race at ‘La Indomable’ in Spain on 23 April
-
Women’s WorldTour calendar 'a mess' and 'a nonsense' says Movistar boss
The UCI must invest in the bottom of the pyramid to ensure the sport’s future says Sebastián Unzué
-
Movistar quick to quash Mark Cavendish signing report
Italian press speculation over future of sprinter denied by Spanish team
-
Van Vleuten confirms her superiority with Ceratizit Challenge GC victory
Elisa Balsamo takes the final stage bunch kick on the Madrid circuit after consummate work from Trek-Segafredo
-
Silvia Persico takes Ceratizit Challenge stage victory after a tense aggressive final
Olympic champion Anna Kiesenhofer comes close to pulling off a repeat of her Tokyo triumph with a 158km solo break
-
Van Vleuten in a class of her own winning the second stage of the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta
The Movistar rider attacked on the penultimate climb dropping all her rivals to take the overall lead with three stages remaining
