Garmin-Sharp went into the 2014 Giro d'Italia (open in new tab) with strong confidence and a stellar team that included 2012 champion Ryder Hesjedal, all-rounder Dan Martin (open in new tab) and sprinter Tyler Farrar.

However, on the opening stage in Belfast, Martin suffered a mishap when he hit a drain cover during the team time trial. Cord Fernandez was also forced to retire with an injury. It is hard to imagine a worse group start in recent Grand Tour history.

In the first part of this Peloton Brief podcast, Nathan Haas (opens in new tab), who was also part of the team, talks to fellow team members Martin, Hesjedal, and Farrar about the 2014 Giro d'Italia and how the team fought through after a disastrous start. He talks about the race. With bad weather and mountainous terrain, the riders faced arguably the biggest test of their careers.

"In my opinion, it was the most miserable race of my life, but I think we bonded with everyone by sharing the pain. It brought us together," Farrar said.