Medical expert gives worrying prognosis on Mikel Landa after Giro d'Italia crash: "His season is over"

The 2025 Giro d’Italia got off to a devastating start with a serious crash that has ruled Mikel Landa out of the race — and possibly the rest of the season. The Spanish rider, considered one of the key contenders for the maglia rosa, went down just 5 kilometres from the finish of the opening stage. He was taken away in an ambulance, and scans later confirmed a fractured vertebra.

The injury is a major blow not only for Landa but also for his team, Soudal Quick-Step. A medical expert speaking to Eurosport indicated that the fracture will sideline Landa for at least three months and could spell the end of his 2025 campaign.

“He’ll need to respect the immobilisation period, followed by physiotherapy,” the trauma specialist explained. “He’ll have to rebuild strength in the lower back and core before he can think about getting back on the bike. In my opinion, his season is over — the riding position will continue to cause pain until he's fully healed.”

This injury definitively rules Landa out of the Tour de France, where he was expected to play a crucial support role for team leader Remco Evenepoel. The Belgian’s ambitions of challenging Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard will now face an added challenge with Landa’s absence.

There had been some hope that Landa could recover in time for the Vuelta a España, which runs from August 23 to September 14, or the World Championships in Rwanda later in the year. However, based on the medical assessment, both now seem unlikely. Landa was widely expected to be one of the leaders of the Spanish team under the new direction of Alejandro Valverde.

Barring a remarkable recovery, fans are unlikely to see Landa in competition again until the 2026 season. Fortunately, he secured a contract extension with Soudal Quick-Step ahead of the Giro, ensuring he’ll remain with the Belgian squad for another year.