2014 Giro d'Italia, Stage 1 to Stage 11 2014 Giro d'Italia, Stage 1 to Stage 11 The 2014 Giro d'Italia began on 9 May, and stage 11 occurred on 21 May. The 2014 edition began with a team time trial in Belfast. The first three stage of the Giro began in Northern Ireland, while the Giro returned to Italy on 13 May, after the first rest day. Due to an uncleared landslide in the town of Polla, the stage was lengthened from its original itinerary of , to a distance. On this stage, members of the team wore a white cockade, in memory of the people who died
2012 Giro d'Italia, Stage 12 to Stage 21 soloed away to his first Giro stage victory, although he – and directeur sportif Giuseppe Martinelli – remained disappointed with his Giro as a whole. Behind, Hesjedal attacked once again, and was not chased down; eventually gaining thirteen seconds on Rodríguez, reducing the latter's advantage to 17 seconds ahead of the final two stages of the race. Scarponi, who finished fourth on the stage behind Rodríguez, moved into third place overall; a 20-second margin over Basso on the stage swung third place in the defending champion's favour by six seconds. Both Rodríguez and Basso felt that the Giro title was