Bad luck struck Mikel Landa (Soudal) once again this Tuesday, as the cyclist from Araba crashed during the second stage of the Itzulia, which ran between Pamplona and Astitz. Fortunately, he managed to reach the finish line despite injuries that raised alarms about his physical condition.

Landa fell on the descent of San Miguel de Aralar, approximately 9.5 km from the finish, and remained on the asphalt for several minutes, accompanied by race assistants and doctors who stayed by his side. With immense willpower and courage, the cyclist from Araba got up and was able to reach the finish line on his bike, albeit at a considerable distance from the first-place finisher.

The Soudal team leader finished in 67th place, 13.11 minutes behind the winner, and is awaiting medical tests to rule out any potential injury that might prevent him from starting the third stage of the Itzulia this Wednesday in Basauri. In fact, as confirmed by this newspaper, he is currently being examined by Mikel Sánchez at his clinic in Vitoria.

Finish line cameras showed Landa without apparent serious damage, heading towards the team bus after overcoming an incident that seemed potentially severe. In any case, bad luck continues to plague the cyclist from Araba, whose last major misfortune occurred in the first stage of the Corsa Rosa 2025, with the finish in Tirana. With five kilometers remaining, he suffered a hard fall that forced him to abandon in an ambulance, thus saying goodbye to his main goal of the year. In 2024, he also had to withdraw from the Itzulia for a similar reason.

Meanwhile, French cyclist Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) repeated his victory this Tuesday in the second stage of the 2026 Itzulia-Tour of the Basque Country, a 164.9-kilometer route starting in Pamplona and finishing in Lekunberri. The general classification leader showcased his dominance on the climb to San Miguel de Aralar, effectively sealing the race. The young Frenchman continues to carve out his place among the world's cycling elite.