Colombian ace Julian Arredondo (Trek Factory Racing) was in sublime form as he stormed to a comprehensive victory in the King of the Mountains classification at the Giro d’Italia.

Having been frustrated in his original target of challenging overall after losing time in the crash-laden opening week, Arredondo bounced back in perfect style as he and his countrymen ruled the mountains in Italy.

And having been named in the team for the Vuelta a Espana, along with Tour de France top-ten finisher Haimar Zubeldia and rising Luxembourg star Bob Jungels, Trek Factory Racing will be targeting mountain-top stage wins.

Arredondo has raced just once since the Giro, at the Tour of Poland where team bosses admitted he was short of form, but they have backed the Colombian to improve as the Vuelta goes on.

If he can do so, and replicate the stunning climbing form he showed at the Giro, he could become just the third rider – after Manuel Fuente and Andres Oliva, who achieved it twice – to be crowned King of the Mountains at both the Giro and Vuelta in the same year.