Mikel Landa the latest rider forced out of Giro d'Italia as scans reveal pelvis fracture that was missed initially

Mikel Landa, the experienced Grand Tour rider for Soudal-QuickStep, has been forced to withdraw from this year’s Giro d’Italia after scans revealed a previously undetected fractured pelvis. The injury stems from a crash during stage two of the Itzulia Basque Country, where Landa was hit by a race organisation vehicle. Although he managed to finish that stage, subsequent medical examinations confirmed the fracture, which had initially gone unnoticed due to its subtle nature. Landa’s withdrawal follows closely on the heels of João Almeida’s decision to miss the Giro due to poor form, marking a significant blow to the race’s competitive field. A former podium finisher in the Giro, Landa has a strong history in the event, including top-three overall finishes in 2015 and 2022, a mountains classification win in 2017, and three stage victories. His absence removes a key contender from the general classification battle, altering the dynamics for the remaining riders and teams. In a statement, Landa expressed his disappointment but emphasised the importance of focusing on recovery. He acknowledged the difficulty in diagnosing the injury at first and highlighted his motivation to return to racing after a challenging winter and previous crashes in the Giro. The rider is now prioritising his health with an eye on future goals later in the season, though no timeline has been given for his return to competition. Soudal-QuickStep have yet to announce a replacement for Landa in their Giro squad, but the team is expected to shift its focus towards supporting young sprinter Paul Magnier. Meanwhile, the race’s top general classification favourite remains Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike, who will make his Giro debut on 8 May. With Landa and Almeida out, the contest for the pink jersey opens up further, promising an intriguing battle among the remaining contenders.