Mikel Landa leaves the door of retirement open: "At the end of 2025 I will decide if it's time to quit cycling"

One of the big names in Spain's lineup for Sunday's elite men's road race at the Zurich 2024 World Championships is Mikel Landa. The Spaniard is not one of the main favourites but is an interesting outsider in a route that fits the climbers; but most importantly he opened the topic of retirement in the coming years.

The 34-year-old has had a great season, and has made a place in the '8' announced by Pascal Monparlier to fight for the rainbow jersey, alongside the likes of Juan Ayuso, Pello Bilbao and Carlos Rodríguez.

5th in the Tour de France as Remco Evenepoel's main domestique, another Top 10 in the Vuelta a España in 8th place and second at the Volta a Catalunya are the Basque's top results of a strong season, and in words to Marca he talks about the upcoming race:

"I've had a tough end to the season, but I want to have a good World Championships. I've rested as little as possible so as not to relax too much. I've tried to maintain the form I had in La Vuelta".

In addition to the World Cup, Landa also spoke about what the next season with Quick-Step will hold for him, as the possibility of renewal is up in the air. On that, he revealed that he might even consider retirement at the end of 2025.

"I have all of 2025 ahead of me and at the end of the year I'll decide whether it's time to quit or continue. It could be that the former will happen, right now I don't have it in mind, but it could be if it turns out to be a bad year and I stop enjoying it".

Along with the bombshell that he may consider retiring from cycling at the end of next season, Landa has indicated that he has not yet planned his calendar, but has let it be known that he will return to the Tour de France:

"I want to choose it very well. Other years I might have rushed it. I have to listen to the team, because I'll be with Remco. I'd like to analyze it well," he says, perhaps hinting that Evenepoel is also thinking of a return even before the climb.