2014 Giro d'Italia 2014 Giro d'Italia The 2014 Giro d'Italia was the 97th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tour races. The Giro started off in Belfast, on 9 May, with a team time trial and concluded in Trieste, on 1 June, with a flat stage. A total of 198 riders from 22 teams entered the 21-stage race, which was won by Colombian Nairo Quintana of the team. The second and third places were taken by Colombian Rigoberto Urán and Italian Fabio Aru, respectively. Quintana became the first Colombian to win the Giro. He won the secondary young rider classification.
2011 Giro d'Italia, Stage 12 to Stage 21 on the course as the first-category Monte Crostis, a new climb which was to be used for the first time in this year's Giro, crests from the finish. The Crostis is nearly as steep as the Zoncolan, and is taller, with its summit at . Even before the Crostis were a second-category climb and two third-category climbs, leaving hardly a single kilometer of flat racing in this stage. Giro favorite Alberto Contador reconned both the Crostis and the Zoncolan climbs in the weeks before the Giro, saying that he liked the Zoncolan, but that he was afraid of the Crostis.