"Every time I talk about the Giro d'Italia, I smile" - Mikel Landa determined to enjoy the 2025 season amidst rumours of retirement
Cycling
Mikel Landa has been a leading light of Spanish Grand Tour cycling for over a decade now. As the 2025 season nears and rumours grow of his imminent retirement, the Soudal - Quick-Step climber is determined to enjoy himself in the coming year.
One of the main goals of 2025 season for Landa is the Giro d'Italia, a race he's twice finished on the podium in 2015 and 2022. "Yes, it brings back good memories. I think I made my mark there. I discovered a new side of myself there. Since then, every time I talk about the Giro, I smile," the 35-year-old says of his love affair with the Italian Grand Tour in conversation with Marca. "This year I really want to go back."
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Having not raced the Giro since 2022, Landa expressed his desire to return to Italy with those in charge at Soudal - Quick-Step. "We talked a little bit. We shared our ideas. I had been doing the Tour and Vuelta for years and I wanted to change things up and go back to the Giro, which I missed," he explains. "Winning is a big deal, but I have had some years when I was doing very well and in the end, for one reason or another, I was not able to compete or try my best. Winning, in any case, is a big deal."
The closest Landa came to winning the Maglia Rosa, came in 2015, finishing 3rd and winning two stages. "Nobody expected how far I could go. It was a bit of a discovery for me. I was left wanting to know how far I could push Alberto Contador at that moment. But I learned a lot and, every time I see those stages now, I say 'What a start I had! How things have changed!'" Landa recalls. "We (Landa and Contador) have never talked about it. It is true that we have met in some interviews, but we have not relived those battles. I am looking forward to doing it with him."
"I showed promise there. I aimed high. But I have always been close to that. In that Giro there was not the participation of this year, for example, where it seems that Vingegaard, Roglic, Ayuso, Yates will be there... It was a different Giro," Landa adds in conclusion. "Things have changed a lot. The cyclist is now a much more complete rider. I am a pure climber who suffers on the other terrains. I cannot do better."
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- OCexile, you sound almost contradictory, "greatness that she is capable of" as if it's a question, when you also list all her accomplishments in just 4 years - that already seems kinda great to me! The question seems to be if she can keep this up, especially with a new team. She's a great rider to watch, that's for sure.RidesHills10-01-2025
- What, you did a survey? Of what the whole peleton?Jumpyjohn10-01-2025
- Just because Remco said that he will fully focus on the Tour it doesn't mean that he'll actually be competitive for the winvappaxbipmv10-01-2025
- Well, there we have it, bar injuries the TdF will be like the musketeers or tennis the last decade, a terrifying trio plus one.Jumpyjohn10-01-2025
- I doubt he and Remco will have much to argue over, they can both do their thing. All things considered, I doubt he’d have gotten a better deal. Maybe he’s the type that likes to stick with what he knows?Mistermaumau10-01-2025
- Whatever your feelings he brought success to the team and made the Belgians proud by succeeding in the classics.alsene10-01-2025
- I don't like him either. Makes sense that they'd give him oval wheels.Veganpotter10-01-2025
- She is the strongest and the strongest don't need no tactics. As soon as the road rises, she comes to the front and drops everybodyabstractengineer10-01-2025
- I feel like he is past his peakabstractengineer10-01-2025
- Its the curse of a French rider on a french teamabstractengineer10-01-2025