Mikel Landa said he expects to compete in the Tour de France and Vuelta a España this season after moving to Soudal-Quick Step in 2024.

Landa, a two-time Giro d'Italia podium finisher, was arguably the most sought after rider in the Belgian team's extensive recruiting efforts this winter to support Lemko Evenpoel, who is preparing to make his Tour de France debut.

But as Landa said, even if he ends up working for Evenpoel next July, the Basque athlete could still be racing as a GC contender in the 2024 Vuelta a España. [Landa said at a reception with fans hosted by the Basque cycling club C.C. Amurio, "We have a plan for the season in general.

"The team's training camp is going very well and I got to see firsthand how important they consider the Spring Classic to be. I'm very motivated this season because it's a new challenge."

Landa has run as a team worker many times in the past, from Fabio Aru at the 2015 Giro d'Italia to Sky's Chris Froome and Movistar's Richado Calapaz.

He has twice finished fourth overall in the Tour de France and has competed in 20 Grand Tours, starting with the 2012 Vuelta a España.

Last year, with Jumbo Visma dominating GC at the Vuelta, Landa finished fifth overall ahead of local favorite Enric Mas (Movistar), but received little attention.

However, this was Landa's best overall result to date in the Vuelta, most memorably winning the "toughest stage in Vuelta history" in Andorra in 2015.

"I think I'm going to start in the Volta ao Algarve," Landa said in a chat with fans as he took to social media on New Year's Day, dressed in his new team kit.