Movistar boast big overall ambitions for Tirreno-Adriatico with Nairo Quintana in their ranks, but it is good from a British point of view to see Alex Dowsett active already. Unsurprisingly one of the leading riders as the Spanish team earned third place in the team time trial, the British time trial champion followed it with a place in the break on stage two before attacking solo with little more than 30 kilometres of the stage remaining.

With Lotto-Belisol, Omega Pharma-Quickstep and Giant-Shimano all pulling hard on the front of the bunch, it was never likely to succeed but as he switched into time trial mode, the Essex-born rider certainly got some useful miles in his legs. The benefits of his day in the sun remain to be seen, but the individual time trial which concludes this year’s race will no doubt be high on his agenda. A stage winner at the Giro d’Italia next year, Dowsett will be keen for more big success in 2014 and we are likely to see much more from him before the year is up.