Mikel Landa has signed a two-year contract with Soudal Quick-Step. The Basque rider has finished on the podium at the Giro d’Italia on two occasions (2015 and 2022), since turning pro in 2011. He has won sixteen races as a pro, including four stages in Grand Tours.
The 33-year-old rider is a strong climber, but also an experienced pro, having ridden 19 Grand and will definitely be a boost to the team’s GC riders.
New team, new goals
“I am very excited at the thought of joining Soudal Quick-Step, an incredible team I have always had a lot of respect for,” he said. “From the outside, I was always impressed by how its riders stick together in all kinds of situations and how they always support their leader. I have been so far on Italian teams, Spanish teams, and British teams, and now I’m looking forward to discovering Belgian culture.”
With a rider like 23-year-old multiple world champion Remco Evenepoel as one of the stars on the team, Landa is excited to help out in the big races.
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“I am happy and motivated by this new challenge and by supporting Remco in his goals. I come here with a lot of experience, especially in the Grand Tours. I’ve been fighting for the podium in those or have helped others win several times in the past. I have always felt comfortable supporting younger riders and I know I will fit in here. I want to give my best in the next seasons, I am convinced I can help Remco a lot, and at the same time, I am confident that when given the opportunity, I can go for a good result myself”, he said.
Evenepoel is getting ready to defend his title at the 2023 Vuelta a España, where he will square off against a two-pronged Jumbo-Visma challenge from Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič.
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