Mikel Landa considering changing goals to Vuelta a Espana: "At the moment a podium place seems far away to me"
Cycling
Mikel Landa got back to his true potential this year, having had a perfect run at the Giro d'Italia which earned him a place at the final podium, having shown great form in the mountains where he was expected to perform. The Vuelta a Espana may be a different scenario however.
"I haven't raced for a long time and have now started again. The goal in the Vuelta a Burgos was to get back into it," Landa told AS. Having raced without pressure and in support of Santiago Buitrago, Landa rode to an anonymous 44th spot in the final classification. It isn't a surprising results, before the Giro d'Italia he often rode in service of the team, to later reap the rewards when it mattered the most.
"It was clear that Burgos would sort of set the goals for the Vuelta. Especially if I will be competing for the overall classification or if I have to go for a ride," he added. With the feedback given, he now looks ahead to the Vuelta.
“At the moment a podium place seems far away to me," he argues. "The Vuelta is a more explosive race than the Giro, it suits them better. There are bonus seconds every day, which serve them well". With that said, there are still 11 days for the start of the race, and as in every Grand Tour, it is crucial to have fresh legs towards the final week - something the veteran excels at.
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With a third place at the Giro it can be argued that the 32-year old will not be seeking a GC tilt again this year, instead giving the freedom to Jack Haig and Gino Mäder who thrived last year, aswell as the expected presence of the likes of Buitrago and Wout Poels. Stages would in that case be his priority, in a route packed with days where he is capable of thriving.
“I really like the first week. After we start in the Netherlands, we go to the north [of Spain] and all those stages will be special. There will certainly be a lot of opportunities there," he said regarding the stages in his home the Basque Country.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
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📈 It was a demanding finale at the @VueltaBurgos, and @SantiagoBS26 finished in the top ten overall, in 8th place. #RideAsOne #VueltaBurgos 📸 @SprintCycling
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