Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Report: Landa was close to Movistar

According to Sergi López-Egea, the same journalist who broke the "news" yesterday that Mikel Nieve might leave for Movistar, Mikel Landa was awfully close to joining the same team before opting to renew his contract with Euskaltel.

The 22-year-old climber allegedly started negotiating with Movistar boss Eusebio Unzué back in January, and a deal was practically in place to take the Fundación Euskadi product to Spain's biggest team.

This happened without the Euskaltel bosses knowing a thing, according to the El Périodico scribe.

All that was lacking was Landa's signature, but by May the rider supposedly got impatient and wanted the deal done and dusted with. Unzué wasn't in a hurry though, and Landa thus went on to prolong his stay with Euskaltel not long after.

If this is the whole truth, and why Landa suddenly got a change of heart, I don't know and he doesn't say. What is true though is that Landa will stay an Euskaltel rider at least 'till the end of the 2014 season.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

damnit, I'm really tired of Unzué stealing our guys.

If EE can't infuse more cash into their program to keep this from happening, then what are we doing here? Landa stays, for now, but Nieve is looking over towards Movistar's pasture.

I will be gutted if Mikel leaves.

Stephen said...

He's hardly putting himself in the shop window this week, can only assume that he is sick

Kristof said...

But why all our guys want to sign Movistar? Is it only money? Is it so much better there?

arnout said...

Don't forget the team was in the balance for the first months of the year. There was no guarantee of going concern after this year, so I can't blame riders considering their option (even though Landa would probably get a place elsewhere without problems).

 

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