🇪🇸 #LaVuelta23 💥 A crash in the finale affected the sprint preparation on stage 19. TBV boys @kamilgradek and @MatevzGovekar finished in the top-20. #RideAsOne #rideforGino 📸 @SprintCycling
"I definitely want to go for it" - Mikel Landa doesn't settle down for 5th place ahead of last decisive stage
CyclingSaturday, 16 September 2023 at 01:00
After nineteen days of racing in the Vuelta a España, Mikel Landa, leader of Bahrain Victorious, is in fifth place in the overall ranking. A podium place no longer seems to be in the cards for the 33-year-old Basque. However, Landa does have good credentials to knock off compatriot Juan Ayuso from fourth place. In an interview with Es Ciclismo, the experienced home rider confirms that he is starting the 207 kilometer penultimate stage with confidence.
"Achieving a podium place seems to be difficult," Landa opens his story, referring to the dominance of Jumbo-Visma, which occupies the first three places in the battle for red with Sepp Kuss, Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic. But fourth place is still possible. "I definitely want to go for it," he says ambitiously.
In 2015, the penultimate day of Spanish grand tour was characterized by a tough monster stage. It was the day that Tom Dumoulin had an off-day in the Madrid region and lost his leading position. On Saturday, September 16, 2023, the Vuelta a Espana will visit the same region again. "I have fond memories of that difficult day in 2015," Landa reflects. "This year the penultimate day is a bit different, because the climbs are different. They are now shorter and more explosive. Personally, I would have liked it better if we had also sought out some heavier mountains."
Like classification leader Kuss, Landa expects many teams to go all-in on Saturday. "I think there are quite a lot of like-minded people in the peloton and that they will be on the same page." Is a gap of 19 seconds to Ayuso too much? Landa suspects not. "Not necessarily. I think it's manageable. That's why I'm going to try anyway."
Read also
claps 1visitors 341
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Thanks Dadmobk22-12-2024
- Hard to believe with the advancment of modern medicine he can not find a cause for this.frieders321-12-2024
- You continue to platform these two cheats. With that in mind I can no longer use your site. I know my leaving means little, but, sometimes you have to take a stand. See ya!DJ21-12-2024
- Look at what Froome’s won since his last TdF, stop denying there is still more than possible one outcome to the future.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- Bruyneel understands nothing about clean competition.Sweep21-12-2024
- Exactly. Remco won 3 WT races/stages last year compared to Pogocar's 19. Remco's single stage win in last years TdF earned him a meager 12 seconds over Pogocar who shellac'd him by 9 minutes in GC.Sweep21-12-2024
- Fortunately and as you point out, more than one strategy is possible and worth trying and I’m sure all concerned riders are well informed and counselled on this subject and don’t need such basic personal advice through media from an outsider.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- The main SPOTY award is "decided" by public vote but the BBC "expert panel" decide who you can choose from, that choice has an equal split of genders and is focussed on the sports BBC show and a disabled athlete. Oh yea the ubiquitous "Pub Games" candidate there too, Darts and Snooker are not sports. The other awards are decided by the "Expert Panel" again it's about the sports BBC show, cycling has had it. Cav got his for his years and achievements in the sport, not just that 35th TDF win. Unless the BBC get access to Pro Cycling it will never feature "adequately" on SPOTYslappers6621-12-2024
- Ahhh..... you have to understand the "strange" diversity concepts of the BBCslappers6621-12-2024
- Avoiding him is a good strategy, you get more wins and then you can compete in the TDF relatively relaxed. Pit yourself against Pogi and not only there will be no wins, it will be considerable mental setbackabstractengineer21-12-2024