"I'd be happy if he wins it" - Mikel Landa full of praise for Ben O'Connor after another battling display at the 2024 Vuelta a Espana
Cycling
Mikel Landa took a gamble on Lagos de Covadonga with a long attack to try to test the favourites on stage 16 of the 2024 Vuelta a Espana. He attacked just before the dreaded Huesera, but could not take more than ten seconds and when Enric Mas attacked behind the group of favourites he was caught.
Then, he was left behind the trio of Carapaz, Roglic and Mas, but he held on well and only lost a few seconds to them. He knows that the podium is not easy for him, but he will keep trying without the pressure, knowing that he has nothing to lose by going for it from afar.
"The previous climb I was attentive and here I wanted to try from below to see if anyone failed, but no one failed and it was a matter of seconds," he explains in his post-stage interview. "It was to try to see if Enric, Richard or Roglic failed. Every day that goes by it's more difficult, but we'll have to keep going."
After learning that Ben O'Connor had saved the race lead and kept the Red Jersey by just 5 seconds, Landa was full of praise for the battling Aussie. "I'm happy for him, he's riding bravely, he's riding very well himself and the team, I'd be happy if he wins it."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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An incredible @MikelLandaMeana battles through the fog and the rain to cement his place in the top five of #LaVuelta24 after Lagos de Covadonga. #Landismo #WayToRide Photo: @GettySport
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