Fabio Aru headed into the Giro d'Italia as a joker on the Astana team that was mostly built to support Michele Scarponi but when the veteran fell out of GC contention due to a crash, the young Italian took over the captaincy role. Despite winning a big mountain stage and almost beating Nairo Quintana in the mountain time trial, he never thought about the overall victory though.

Fabio Aru ended a fabulous Giro d'Italia by stepping onto the podium in Trieste after having secured third overall in just his second grand tour. Along the way he won the big mountain stage to Montecampione and was the only rider to challenge Nairo Quintana in the Monte Grappa time trial.

Over the course of the Giro Astana Pro Team lost riders Jani Brajkovic to a broken arm and Michele Scarponi to the accumulated physical breakdown that came as a direct result of his own crashes early in the three-week race.

With Aru freed from the initial pressure of leading the General Classification, and a clearly-stated objective to focus more on the Tour de France in July, Astana survived and even thrived in a Giro that saw its lead Maglia Rosa change five times in three weeks.

Aru showed tremendous strength on key climbs, and won stage fifteen to Montecampione in grand style, creating an enormously favorable impression in Italian media and cycling publications around the world.

“My podium place is something I’m proud of and it motivates me to continue to do things as well as possible," he said. "I still have a lot to learn and, for me, a chapter has closed, and mow my sights a fixed on the end of the season.

“I never thought about winning the Giro. I was already surprised and happy to be up among the best riders. I’ve always tried to give the best of myself, but I know my limits. In last year’s Giro I learned a lot. This year, I have taken giant steps ahead. I learned a lot about racing, and I got through some difficult certain moments.

"I haven't got a lot of experience and just tried to do as well as possible. I'm satisfied with my Giro.

"I didn't even really believe in what I could do in this Giro, it was already a surprise to be up there fighting with the best. I gave my best but I kept my feet on the ground because I didn’t know my limits.

"There will be a lot more expectation on my shoulders, but I hope that will give me the pride and determination to do as well as possible.

"I developed gradually as an Under 23 rider and only won my first race in my third season. That has given me the determination to train hard and live a life of sacrifices. You need to be hungry in cycling. I've got a lot to learn and still have to prove virtually everything."

"Last year, I rode for Vincenzo [Nibali], and he showed his strength at the start of the Giro. Nairo showed his strength more in the last week, but they’re both great champions."

“Considering all that bad luck we had in the first ten days - the crashes, the trauma, the day-to-day survival – to have at the end of this Giro d’Italia one spectacular stage victory and a well-deserved podium is a distinctly satisfying result," sports director Dmitriy Sedoun summed up the race.