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
2016 Giro d'Italia and were obliged to attend the race. The first wildcard invitation was secured at the end of the 2015 cycling season by . While riding as , they won the season-long "Coppa Italia" series; the winners of the series are automatically awarded an entry into the following year's Giro d'Italia. Two of the remaining three wildcard places were awarded to Italian teams ( and ); the final place was awarded to the Russian team . There were therefore 22 teams in the Giro, each of which consisted of nine riders; there are therefore 198 riders in the peloton at the