Fernando Gaviria wins Stage 3 of the 2016 Tirreno-Adriatico from Caleb Ewen.

Nationality: Columbian
Date of birth: August 19, 1994
Height: 180cm
Weight: 70kg
Team: Quick-Step Floors
Twitter: @FndoGaviria

Columbian rider Fernando Gaviria has been touted as ‘the next Mark Cavendish’, with comparisons drawn between him and the Manx man based on physique and sprinting style.

Gaviria garnered attention on the world stage after beating Cavendish in the final sprint at two stages of the 2015 Tour de San Luis. During the 2016 edition of the same race, he beat Peter Segan to the line on stage two.

He was eventually signed by Etixx Quick-Step – now Quick-Step Floors – and rode for them during a very successful 2017 Giro d’Italia. The Colombian took everyone by surprise after Bob Jungels and his other team mates ushered him through some intense cross winds on stage three to secure the maglia rosa. Though he didn’t maintain the pink jersey, he gained more sprint wins on stage five, stage twelve and stage thirteen- claiming an overall win of the points jersey.

The sprint specialist’s career began on the track, where he won the omnium and madison events in the 2012 Junior World Track events.

He didn’t leave the boards behind completely for the road, taking the omnium title at the 2016 UCI track Word Championships – a feat he also achieved in 2015.

Whilst success on the road in 2015 caught the attention of several teams, he chose to ride for the Colombian national team that year.

Towards the end of the year, Gaviria made his debut ride for Cavendish’s own team at the time – Etixx-Quck Step, at the RideLondon-Surrey Classic.

There, he finished eighth – before going on the race to the win at the Czech Cycling Tour. Then at the Tour of Britain, the young rider took another win, beating André Greipel and Elia Viviani.

Fernando Gaviria wins stage four of the 2015 Tour of Britain

Gaviria continued to ride for Etixx-Quick Step in 2016, where he won his first World Tour level race – stage three of Tirreno-Adriatico, as well as the UCI Track World Championships omnium.

The 2017 season has begun well, with another Tirreno-Adriatico win – this time in the final of stage six.

He also claimed the first stage of Volta ao Algave, along with fifth place at Milan-San Remo and a top ten position at Gent-Wevelgem where he finished ninth.