The battles that took place on the slopes of some of cycling’s most infamous climbs were as fierce as they come in 2014.

While Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) may have won the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France with some of their chief rivals injured or missing from the race, both still faced stiff competition to be crowned champion of their respective races.

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On the other hand, Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) won the Vuelta a Espana against one of the strongest line-ups the Spanish Grand Tour has ever seen, with Quintana (until he crashed out), Chris Froome (Team Sky), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) all present and correct.

The WorldTour’s best climbers have a special place in the eyes of fans thanks to their awe-inspiring talent when the road ramps skyward, so having already brought you the five best sprinters of the season, part two of our Year in Review looks at the grimpeurs who caught our eye.