Giro d'Italia 2014 - 21st stage : Gemona del Friuli - Trieste (172km)

Nairo Quintana triumphed and is the shining winner of the Giro d'Italia 2014. He then hoisted the golden trophy aloft in Trieste. At the same time, in addition to the pink jersey, he is also the wearer of the white jersey.

by Bruno Fleckenstein

The last flat stage of this year's Tour started rather leisurely. A few small breakaway attempts about 44 kilometers before the finish were then thwarted by the peloton. It was not the spectacular race for the overall victory, but almost a harmonious run-in to the trophy presentation. Quintana was seen riding arm in arm with his colleagues. Rigoberto Uran probably didn't have the strength to attack and make up the three-minute lead in order to maybe still challenge Quintana for the title.
In the mass sprint of the peloton, Luka Mezgec (Giant-Shimano) held his ground in the end ahead of Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek) and Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) and became the last stage winner at this year's Giro.

Conclusion of a great tour

One of the favorites eventually won the Giro, although for a long time it was not clear who it would be in the end, because remarkably all the favorites wore the pink jersey.
Cadel Evans took over the pink shirt from his compatriot Michael Matthews first with the 8th stage. He was replaced by Rigoberto Uran in the time trial on stage 12. The latter kept the leader's jersey until the 16th stage, when Nairo Quintana took the overall lead and did not lose it again.

The attack at the Stelvio Pass brought the turning point for Nairo Quintana, after he had been waiting for a long time and was not recognizable as the favorite. But from this stage he controlled his fiercest rivals and Rigoberto Uran was no longer able to threaten the Cup victory. This 16th mountain stage was a stroke of bad luck for Rigoberto Uran, because according to misleading information from the organizer, some riders allegedly assumed a neutralization due to the weather conditions, including him, which worked to Quintana's advantage. But it is fair to say that Quintana extended the lead to the end and is a worthy winner. Cadel Evans' chances of winning the title were definitely gone by stage 18, and he found himself in 9th place in the overall standings after that.

Nairo Quintana is the first Colombian to win the Giro d'Italia. And he also wins the white jersey, which is awarded to the best young rider under the age of 25. As last year, his compatriot Rigoberto Uran comes in second. Fabio Aru was third on the podium at his home tour and is now considered a hopeful rider in the future.
Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ.fr)is the winner of the points classification and thus the red jersey. He distinguished himself with the victory of the 4th and 10th stages.Julian Arredondo (Trek), who won the 18th stage, was the winner of the mountain classification with 173 points, which is marked with the blue jersey.

Overall classification after the last 21st stage:

1st Nairo Quintana (COL) Movistar 88h14:32
2 - Rigoberto Uran (COL) Omega-Quick Step +2:58min.
3rd Fabio Aru (ITA) Astana +4:04min.
4th Pierre Rolland (FRA) Europcar +5:46min.
5th Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA) AG2R La Mondiale +6:32min.
6: Rafal Majka (POL) Tinkoff-Saxo +7:04min.
7th Wilco Kelderman (NED) Belkin +11:00min.
8: Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC +11:51min.
9th Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) Garmin-Sharp +13:35min.
10th Robert Kiserlovski (CRO) Trek +15:49min.

f.l.t.r.: Rigoberto Uran, Nairo Quintana, Fabio Aru