Mikel Landa ready to 'put on a show' at the 2025 Vuelta

“I came to the Giro in great condition,” he recalled to Marca. “I had studied it, made sacrifices, and to see it slip away was hard. I couldn’t watch the race, it made me feel jealous. I only watched the videos to understand the crash, because I wasn’t sure how it happened. In a technical descent I got squeezed between a rider and the curb, with no time to react. It was my mistake.”

Although it was a hard crash with severe damage, retirement never crossed Landa's mind. ‘Last year I was affected morally by the fall at Itzulia, but now it has been the opposite. I have enjoyed the bike and the team so much that I never thought about the end, I don’t even see it close.’

Following months of recovery, the Vuelta a Burgos was the moment of truth. 18th place overall was not a headline result, but for Landa, it mattered less than the feeling. “Burgos helped me to get rid of fears and recover sensations. I thought I would be worse, but I had a freshness that is unusual at this point of the season. That, together with the desire to come back, helped me to look ahead.”

Even with his confidence restored, Landa is cautious about what to expect in Spain. "I don’t have concrete ambitions. Any result will be fine, but above all it is important on a moral level. I want to finish the season riding a Grand Tour, forget how the Giro ended and start 2026 from zero. I would like to put on a show in this Vuelta."

For Landa, the highlights will be close to home. “It is a very hard Vuelta. I am excited about the stage in Bilbao, for the fans and the family on the roadside. Also the stages in Asturias, especially the return to the Angliru, and the Morredero.”

Looking at his rivals, Landa knows the scale of the challenge. “In the Tour Vingegaard was at his best, but Pogacar was even better. Here, he will be the big favourite. The explosive finishes may cost him, but he will control the race with a great team.”

Asked about Evenepoel’s move to Red Bull in 2026, Landa admitted it will inevitably change the dynamic. "I enjoyed supporting Evenepoel a lot," he said. "Now, without him, it is time to change the mindset and help the young riders. His move makes me sad because I won’t ride with him more, but it also means I may have more protagonism in 2026. The team will strengthen and I will keep enjoying it. I know that new interesting riders will come, and I am sure there will be a good group in 2026."

And what of his own horizon? “I don’t know, maybe on December 31, 2026. I have unfinished business with the Giro and the luck of being able to choose when to hang up the bike.”

For now, his outlook remains simple. “To win. And in the meantime, to keep enjoying the bike and the love of the fans, which is the most important thing for me at this stage of my professional career.”