Mikel Landa's numbers in 2023 are pretty good. The Bahrain Victorious leader has raced a total of five races and has managed to finish in the top 10 overall in all of them against some of the best riders in the world. As he builds towards the Tour de France the signs are quite promising.
Mikel started the season by finishing seventh in the classification of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in a race in which he helped teammate Pello Bilbao to victory.
In the Vuelta a Andalucía he finished second overall behind an unapproachable Tadej Pogacar. However, it was Enric Mas who gave the best sensations in the Andalusian race, holding the Slovenian better in the mountains. Landa took advantage of his consistency to net an important runner-up spot.
The Tirreno Adriatico had a course not very suitable for his characteristics, with short and explosive climbs, and with a strong headwind blocking the only mountain stage. He tried on some of those climbs, but without luck, and finished seventh overall.
VOLTA A CATALUNYA
In the Volta a Catalunya Mikel was a luxury spectator of the fight between Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic, but nothing more. He finished fifth in the general classification, being surpassed by the UAE Team Emirates duo João Almeida and Marc Soler in the fight for the podium.
In the Itzulia, Mikel clearly improved his performance compared to Catalunya and was more active, motivated, we imagine, by riding at home. He tried some attacks from a distance, although without much luck. In any case, he had no chance against Jonas Vingegaard, the final winner of the race. He deservedly finished second in his best race of the year.
GOAL: TOUR DE FRANCE
Mikel Landa's big goal in 2023 is the Tour de France and that's where we will see his real level compared to the rest of the competitors. With Pogacar and Vingegaard in a superior, we will have to see if he is ready to fight with the second level of favourites and is capable of putting on a show.
He is highly motivated for the start in Bilbao, but the first stages in the Basque Country are not suited to his characteristics and it will be difficult for him to shine, but he will be motivated.
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