When he crossed the finish line of the Ruta del Sol in Otura on stage 3, Basque racer Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) was nearly three minutes ahead of winner Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers). However, the big smile on his face when he stopped to receive his recovery drink from his team's soignées was a testament to the Basque racer's strong ride at the end of the stage and the great satisfaction he derived from it.

Speaking to Cycling News at the start of stage 3, Landa said, "I want to finish stronger in Ruta than I started.

When chasing attackers Simon Yates (Team Bike Exchange-Jayco), Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana-Cazakstan), and Leonard Kamuna of Beulah Hansgrohe, he said no one expected him to win so quickly. When asked, he smiled again and replied: "Me too

"It was a way to help the team. It was an important moment, there were important riders from other teams up there, and someone had to get up there," he explained.

In the final stages, after the half-dozen attackers' group had swelled to about 30 riders, Landa was again at the forefront of the action, riding hard for several kilometers.

"It was a smallish group, so I wanted to see what I could do to get away. But the important thing is that my legs felt good."

Landa finished nearly 3 minutes behind at the end of the stage, but despite his strong ride, he said that globally he still wanted to start the season more gently than in other years.

"I wanted to finish the Giro in the best shape possible, because I wanted to head into the Tour in the best shape possible. I want to go into both Grand Tours as fresh as possible," he insisted.

A repeat of his 2021 run at his home race, La Itzuria, was unlikely, if not entirely unlikely, he insisted.

"Given the situation we are experiencing (the pandemic - editorial), everyone is making major changes to the race program," he admitted.

"I want to be in stage races, preferably the Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour de Alps. Then I will do a high-altitude training camp in Teide before the Giro d'Italia."

Landa brushed off suggestions that he was trying to bury the memory of last year's bad luck at the Giro d'Italia, when he suffered a serious crash and abandonment in the first week.

"I'm used to it now," he said, sarcastically referring to his roller-coaster career, which also saw him crash badly in the 2017 Giro.

"I've had some good luck and some bad luck. I want to forget as soon as possible. My goal is to be in two Grand Tours, the Giro and the Tour. I've done well in both in the past and I like the idea."

"I've done well in both in the past and I like the idea.

While the 2015 Giro is his only Grand Tour podium finish, Landa finished fourth in the Tour de France and said GC will be his goal in both races.

"The first week of the Tour is very nerve-wracking, so I will check my options right there," he explained.

As for who might support him in the Giro d'Italia, he said it is difficult to predict the lineup right now because the race program is constantly being changed by Covid 19.

"But definitely it will be a good team that will help me just like last year. I have a lot of faith in them."

His one request to the cycling gods in 2022 is to stay healthy.

"I don't care what happens. The rest will take care of itself," he said.