Landa takes an axe to home trainer - Video

Mikel Landa has jokingly taken an axe to his home trainer, venting his frustration at being in lockdown and unable to train on the open roads. 

The Basque rider posted a short video on Twitter of him approaching his home trainer with an axe. He looks angrily at the camera and then swings the axe. The video does not show Landa destroying the home trainer, with footage of a funeral celebration edited into the video, seeming to symbolise the funeral of the home trainer.

The video has already been seen over 270,000 times on Twitter and over 50,000 times on Instagram. It sparked hundreds of comments, including from fellow professional riders such as Jacopo Guarnieri and Luis Angel Mate, and recalling Landa's unique sense of humour and his often unusual take on life.

Landa rode for Movistar and recently starred in the team's Netflix documentary series after clashing with fellow team leader Nairo Quintana at the Tour de France. He joined Bahrain McLaren for 2020 and nominated as team leader for the Tour de France.

He was hit by a car while training in February, fracturing a rib and slowing his training. Landa made a  promising season debut at the Vuelta a Andalucia three weeks later, finishing third overall but opted not to ride Paris-Nice and did not race again before all racing was suspended due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

On Wednesday, Cyclingnews learned that Bahrain McLaren riders have been forced to take a 70 per cent pay deferral for three months. The riders were notified via a team briefing on April 1, with their March, April and May pay all affected. 

"As with most businesses around the world, our income during this period is subject to great uncertainty. As such we are acting in the longer term interests of our riders and staff, to ensure we have the means to operate at a competitive and viable level once this crisis abates," Bahrain McLaren said in a letter sent to riders and staff. 

"We recognise the temporary reduction in our riders’ earnings will be difficult, but ask that you understand the seriousness of the challenge we face as a team. The contribution and support of every rider and member of staff – before, during and after this pandemic, is greatly appreciated."