"He just renewed his contract. That will give him the peace of mind to recover properly" - Quick-Step DS hopes Mikel Landa's season-ending Giro crash won't be a career ender

There were high hopes for Mikel Landa heading into the 2025 Giro d'Italia. Granted full leadership of the Soudal - Quick-Step team, the Spaniard was hopeful of finally ending his wait for a Grand Tour win. Sadly though, disaster struck as soon as stage 1, with Landa suffering a broken back in a nasty crash that looks to have even ended his season.

Understandably, whilst for Landa this crash is a nightmare, Soudal - Quick-Step sports director Davide Bramati is also concerned about where the team go next at the 2025 Giro d'Italia. "It’s not easy. But we’re called the Wolfpack for a reason. We have to motivate the riders," he tells Bici.Pro. "We have to keep looking ahead, even though it hurts. We all know crashes are part of cycling, but we also knew Mikel was ready. He’d done everything to arrive at this Giro in top form, and sadly, we lost him after just one stage."

"We’ll take it day by day. After the crash yesterday, we didn’t have anyone in the front group — we’re already a bit behind. But we’ll see if we can get back in the mix," Bramati continues. "The goal now is to assess each stage, understand what kind of day it is, and whether a breakaway might stick. We’ll try to get someone in the break and aim to win at least one stage."

As mentioned, due to the severity of the injuries sustained by Landa, this already looks like being a season-ending crash. Given the fact the creator of 'Landismo' is turning 36 by the end of the year, there is real reason for concern regarding the future of the much-loved climber in the sport.

Bramati though, who went with Landa to the hospital, is keen to keep the faith. "I wanted him to feel we were close, that we care. Now it’s important to keep his spirits up so he can recover quickly," concludes the DS. "He just renewed his contract, and we’re very happy he’s staying with us. That will give him the peace of mind to recover properly."