Mark Cavendish’s rival Fernando Gaviria aims for WorldTour and Tour de France
Tour de San Luis sprint sensation Fernando Gaviria has already attracted interest from WorldTour teams

Mark Cavendish will see more of Fernando Gaviria in the coming years as the 20-year-old Colombian aims to join a WorldTour team by 2016. Already, five top-tier squads have enquired about signing him.
"This year, I can't make any moves. I'm under contract through 2015 with Colombia-Coldeportes, and I want to fulfil it," he told Ciclismo Internacional.
"My dream is to race the Tour de France, and I'll talk to interested teams for the 2016 season."
Gaviria said that since he beat Cavendish – considered one of cycling's best sprinters with 25 Tour de France wins – in head-to-head matches at the Tour de San Luis that first division began knocking at his door.
"He shot out early to beat Cavendish," Claudio Corti, general manager of team Colombia told Cycling Weekly.
"He was doing the same thing in the Tour de L'Avenir last year, but fading. Now he's winning. He can go far, he just needs to work on that sprint and mature."
>>> Mark Cavendish loses second sprint to Fernando Gaviria in Tour de San Luis
The Italian manager said that his second division team has had an eye on Gaviria since last year. Since winning stage one and stage three, however, first division teams are interested, as well.
"I'm in the best shape of my life," Gaviria said.
"I did not know what to expect in San Luis, but once I won the first stage, my confidence grew. Everyday, I'm learning more about myself as a rider and as a person."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCfFwQYldSQ
Gaviria comes from La Ceja in west-central Colombia, just south of Medellín, at 2200 metres. He first believed he would be a climber like the famous Colombians Nairo Quintana and Rigoberto Urán, but he was dropped in races. His father Hernando, who runs the Clecilja Club, took him to the track.
His speed took him to the 2012 Junior Worlds, where he won the Madison and Omnium. At the London World Cup in December, he won the Omnium. The rest of the month, however, he trained to be ready for San Luis.
"He's a track rider, so he's very fast and he can go super long," Cavendish said.
"Being able to sprint from a distance like that is a sign of a track rider. It's very impressive."
Cavendish won the Madison World title in 2005 and 2008 before completely switching to the road.
Gaviria will switch to the road, too. He is building towards the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but after the Track Worlds on February 18 to 22 he will race the Under 23 Tour of Colombia, the Tour de L'Avenir and the road World Championships in Richmond, Virginia.
Along the way, he could secure a contract with a first division team for 2016 that will see him sprinting against Marcel Kittel, André Greipel and Cavendish. First, however, Gaviria will face Cavendish for another time in stage seven on Sunday in the Tour of San Luis.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
-
Dr Hutch: WLTM someone to join him on long rides
Doctor Hutch leaves sightseeing for others and dedicates his long rides to the pursuit of solitary suffering. But now he’s looking for ride-mates - A GSOH is a must
By Michael Hutchinson • Published
-
Carolin Schiff makes huge solo effort to take victory at women's Unbound Gravel 200
German off-road pro takes a massive solo victory at gravel's premiere event, Unbound
By Henry Lord • Last updated
-
21 things you didn't know about Mark Cavendish
From working in a bank to breaking records on the Champs-Élysées
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Mark Cavendish's Astana team refutes claim it breached sunglasses contract
Team says it "fully respected" its sponsorship deal with sunglasses supplier Scicon
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Mark Cavendish buys second guard dog for £20,000 after knife point raid
Peta Cavendish said family home had become a reminder of "threat and fear" after home invasion robbery in 2021
By Adam Becket • Published
-
In photos: Mark Cavendish through the years, all his teams and the kit he's worn
18 years, six teams, 161 wins. Will 2023 be a last hurrah for the British champion?
By Adam Becket • Last updated
-
CW Live: Mark Cavendish to start season at Oman; Giro wildcards unveiled; UCI updates Covid rules; Amsterdam builds underwater garage for 7,000 bikes; Cavendish family 'terrorised' by robbery; and LTNs do not push traffic onto boundary roads
All the news you need in the world of cycling this Thursday. It's cold!
By Adam Becket • Last updated
-
Last chance saloon: Why has Mark Cavendish ended up at Astana? And will it work?
The British champion has joined the sixth different team of his professional career in the hunt for one more Tour de France stage win
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Mark Cavendish signs for Astana-Qazaqstan and will remain on the WorldTour for 2023
The transfer saga is over, Mark Cavendish has officially found a team, and will chase the Tour de France stage win record
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
CW LIVE: Mark Cavendish threatened with knife in home robbery; Israel-Premier Tech and Uno-X receive wildcard invites to the Tour de France; Sonny Colbrelli looking to enter politics and concerns raised over Van Aert and Van der Poel appearance fees
All the latest news from the world of cycling
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated