"The goal is for him to be at Vuelta" - Quick-Step DS is excited about Mikel Landa's comeback from injury
Cycling
Mikel Landa's 2025 season was ruined by a heavy crash in the opening stage of the Giro d'Italia. That injury not only prevented the Basque from playing his cards in the race's GC, but also sidelined him from Tour de France, where he was to be Remco Evenepoel's star domestique.
Moreover, a possible return in time to at least race the Vuelta a España seemed impossible..., until now. Soudal - Quick-Step's sport director Davide Bramati gave Marca some very exciting news about the Basque cyclist's condition.
Landa remains one of the pillars of the Belgian team. Last May, the veteran rider signed a one-year renewal, that is, for the entire 2025 season. Soudal's confidence in Mikel Landa is intact, and in fact they are dreaming of a miraculous recovery to get him to the Grand Départ of La Vuelta.
"The goal is for him to be in the Vuelta a España. There's still more than a month left and he has to keep training, but he'll surely get there," Quick-Step's sport director began excitedly revealing.
"He is training well, and we hope that he will improve little by little. But the most important thing is that he's back in training. For him and for the team, it's the best possible news," Bramati added.
A very hard Vuelta for Landa
Mikel Landa's hypothetical return to the Vuelta a España could leave him as team leader to fight for the GC. But in a race that will most likely feature Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, adding the fact that he will return far from his best form, the challenge could be gigantic for the Basque, who would probably focus more on chasing a stage while he recovers his sensations.
For Soudal - Quick-Step, the most important thing is that Landa can return to the level of a mountain helper he was at the 2024 Tour de France. If they get him back, convincing Remco Evenepoel to stay and not leave for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe would be much easier.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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