Cyclists have callus on elbows and knees from so much fall. Mikel Landa also has another callus under his skin. Invisible but painful. Either because his team managers did not trust him, or because of falls, or due to bad luck, he has almost never been able to get as far as his legs go. It happens to many. Him too. And from so much stumbling, he has become silent. On Friday, when he lost a minute and a half on a fan, he revived his ghosts. He dispelled them the first time, in the two stages of the Pyrenees where he was left alone with the three best, Roglic, Bernal and Pogacar. She felt in her place. His ambition returns. “Although it will be difficult, I don’t see the yellow jersey unattainable. The rivals are very solid, but there is still a lot of mountain ahead, “he warns.
Landa, who has finished fourth, seventh and sixth in the last three editions of the Tour, is now in tenth place, 1.42 behind Roglic. The comeback is his usual itinerary. In the past, Giro cut Roglic almost five minutes in the last week. «My feelings are good, but I couldn’t compare it to another year. As the days go by, they will be confirmed and I will go further. I’m optimistic, “he says during the first day of rest. There are many rivals. There have not yet been big differences despite the fact that Roglic and Pogacar have been stronger. The others are still there and have shown no signs of weakness. Bardet already knows what it’s like to be on the Tour podium. Martin is the one who is surprising us », goes over the Alava.
He is used to turning the page as soon as possible. After a misfortune, it always dawns. “After wasting time on the fan on Friday, we had a bad night. We were all worried. But you have to look ahead and the feelings of this weekend have encouraged us. The podium is still possible. You have to hold on to that and fight to the end. Without that minute and a half that the wind took away from him on his way to Lavaur, he would be third overall, after Roglic and Bernal. “Ideally, you would not have wasted that time. Without that, the rest of the first week has been perfect.
Although he also dragged the falls that have reduced his team, the Bahrain-McLaren. «The loss of Valls is important, and although Poels is not well (he has a damaged rib) I feel protected. I am enjoying it because I feel very well surrounded. The team pushes me to go further and give one hundred percent. I am very happy and comfortable in this situation», Thanks. Finally, leader of a team on this Tour that still has two weeks left and “a lot of mountains”.
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