"It will set me up for the Tour" - Mikel Landa puts positive spin on disappointing Dauphine performance

It's hard to see how finishing 22nd in the general classification of the Critérium du Dauphiné, nearly 13 minutes down on the race winner Jonas Vingegaard can be seen as good Tour de France preparation for Mikel Landa. The Spaniard however, is trying to remain positive.

"I already knew before the race that I was not in the best shape. But I really needed this race to grow to my best form towards the Tour," explains the 33-year-old Bahrain - Victorious leader explains in a post-Critérium du Dauphiné press release."

“It was a tough week," Landa continues. "I suffered a lot, but overall I did well. It will set me up for the Tour. In the next few days, when I recover, I will notice it."

A much better performance came from Landa's Bahrain - Victorious teammate, Jack Haig. After a disappointing Giro d'Italia that was full of bad luck for the Australian, Haig bounced back, finishing 5th in the general classification, something Landa was happy to see. "He's done a great job," Landa concludes.