"I was broken again" - Mikel Landa reflects on first season with Soudal-Quick Step

At 34, Mikel Landa has shown remarkable resilience and adaptability in his debut season with Soudal-Quick Step. Taking on the role of super domestique for Remco Evenepoel, Landa proved himself invaluable, especially during the Tour de France, where he seemed to be in peak form, finishing a commendable 5th overall. Though one challenging day at the Vuelta a España held him back from a closer podium position, he still delivered a strong performance, finishing 8th.

Reflecting on his first season with Soudal-Quick Step in a conversation with El Correo, Landa recounted his "worst moment" of the year, a crash in the Itzulia Basque Country that left him with a fractured collarbone and several broken ribs. “I was having a very good moment and suddenly, in a second, I was broken again,” he recalled. “You know the recovery times and I didn’t count on it. I spent a month at home thinking about everything. Then you get back in shape, you train again, and you forget everything. It was a tough moment.” Landa’s journey to recovery was nothing short of remarkable, enabling him to return to top form in time for the Tour de France in July.

Rediscovering his passion for cycling has been one of the standout aspects of this season for Landa, who shared how a fresh training approach and a new team environment made a significant difference. “I’ve really enjoyed myself again. I hadn’t really enjoyed cycling for a couple of years,” Landa admitted. “They made it very easy for me to adapt to the team, I completely changed trainers. I had been in different teams before, with the same trainer, and I was a little tired of the training method we had.

“I found a very nice Dutch guy, with a different system, and I had fun again.I felt really good in the group, they let me make a good calendar, so, in general, I really enjoyed it.”

Although he confessed, “I finished the Vuelta a little tired,” Landa remains motivated for the future. He plans to wait for Remco Evenepoel’s 2025 calendar before finalising his own race schedule but expressed a desire to take on new challenges, potentially exploring the Giro d'Italia and even the iconic Strade Bianche.

Landa also shared a humorous insight into life as a cyclist and father, describing how physical exertion off the bike can sometimes leave more of an impact than training itself. “You go out to do four shops and come home with muscle aches, because we’re good at riding a bike and little else,” he joked. Recounting a recent experience at the Vuelta with his two-year-old child, he said, “I caught him playing for half an hour. The next day I woke up with back pain,” he shared, mimicking the discomfort. The following day, when he picked up his son again, he had a moment of clarity, “I know what happened to my back.” Reflecting on the unique physical conditioning of cyclists, he added, “Cyclists are very weak, very fragile, but to ride a bike that’s what it takes.”

With his sights set on fresh opportunities and continued growth, Landa’s outlook on cycling has evidently been rejuvenated, making him a rider to watch as he embarks on another season with Soudal-Quick Step.