The 2014 Giro D’Italia was one of the most captivating races we’ve seen in recent years. Starting off in Belfast, the 97th Giro was won by the Colombian Nairo Quintana of the Movistar Team, with the second and third places occupied by fellow compatriot Rigoberto Uràn (Omega Pharma - Quick Step) and Italian Fabio Aru (Astana). The Belfast time trial was beset by heavy rain with a huge crash on stage six where only 8 riders managed to avoid the mayhem, the most controversial stage - which featured both the Passo Gavia and the Stelvio on the same day for the first time - was stage 16 where the adverse weather conditions were so difficult that the soon-to-be winner contemplated giving up.

The final stages were marked by the Australian Micheal Rogers (Tinko-Saxoff), who had recently had a doping ban overturned left his imprint on the race by winning both stages 11 and 20 in remarkable fashion. However, Quintana already had one hand on the winner’s trophy and even out sprinted Uràn to finish convincingly.