Despite as below-par as confusing performances in the final events leading to the Giro d’Italia, following his last season’s podium finish Rigoberto Uran was considered one of the biggest candidates to excel in the Italian three-week event, enjoying a role of a protected rider for the first time in his professional career. Finding himself best placed among the serious general classification contenders as the race left the Irish soil, Omega Pharma-Quick Step leader praised tremendous work of his team mates and confessed that he had some doubts about his preparations towards season’s biggest objective.

Uran joined the Belgian squad poised to be provided with an opportunity to test himself as team leader for the three-week events, with the Giro d’Italia being his biggest objective of the 2014 season with a reasonable goal to finish within the top three in the general classification.

“We go with the intention to repeat last year or better it,” Urán told Biciciclismo. “It’s clear that it’s been a good start, but I always prefer to go day by day. It is only the fourth stage and the race is really hard. My sensations have been very good and every day I have been feeling better. The plan is to continue like this. Consistency is very important.”

Reportedly the 27-year old Colombian undergone very thorough preparations during the winter-break spent in South America, but despite his promising debut in the Omega Pharma-Quick Step outfit at the Tour of Oman, Uran clearly lacked his climbing legs throughout the spring season, impressing with his mind-bogglingly improved time trialing skills instead.

The usually grinning Omega Pharma-Quick Step leader confessed that lack of respectable results filled him with doubts about his preparations towards the Giro, but more promising final part of the Tour de Romandie and best possible start to the Italian grand tour reassured him and convinced to leave all concerns behind.

“Yes, I’ve had some doubts about my preparation, because I trained well in the winter and except for Oman the results haven’t arrived. The situation has created some doubts. Without question, the team has given me tranquillity and given me confidence. This year, the big objective is the Giro, now I am good and I have left the past behind me.”

Uran was full of praise for his team mates for providing him with a perfect start to the Italian three-week event with brilliant performance in the opening team time trial and for protecting his early advantage throughout two hectic Irish stages.

“The truth is that it all went really well. We started with a very good time trial and the team couldn’t have covered me better in the other two stages,” said Urán. “It is incredible to have a rider like Petacchi next to me, with his experience and all the races he’s won, and everything in general, he was great in the stages in Ireland. The team is used to racing in the windy conditions, typical of the Classics, and in this they are the best in the world.”

On a different note, the 27-year old Colombian acknowledged that the real racing would start once the Giro returns to the Italian soil, and once the biggest favorites will be eager to manifest their strength and make up for a lost time, his comfortable situation allows him to wait quietly and follow only most dangerous moves.

“Thursday’s stage will be complicated, it is more than 240 kilometres and then there’s the finale in Montecassino,” he explained. “I think that this is the week for riders like Purito to look to prove themselves. I have to wait. I have a little window and will have to try and follow him and Quintana, if they try.”

“Purito is a very expert rider and he knows the race very well, like Evans or Scarponi. They are all good, including Quintana, although there haven’t been any mountains yet and you can’t compare the condition of everybody.”