Fernando Gaviria, the 28-year-old cyclist from Antioquia, a member of the Spanish team Movistar, achieved an impressive victory in the last stage of the Tour de Romandie.
With a time of 3 hours, 58 minutes and one second, Gaviria won the fifth and final stage of the competition, which allowed him to equal Nairo Quintana’s record as the Colombians with the most professional victories in cycling history, with a total of of 51 wins each. Gaviria’s last triumph in Europe had been in August 2021, in the Tour of Poland.
In the final sprint, at an average speed of 43 kilometers per hour, Gaviria crossed the finish line ahead of the German Nikias Arndt (Bahrain), who came second, and the British Ethan Hayter (Ineos), who came third.
This is Fernando’s second achievement this season, after winning a stage in the Vuelta a San Juan, in Argentina. Before him he was second in Milan-Turin, third in a fraction in Tirreno-Adriatico, second in another in the UAE Tour and seventh in the Clásica de Almería.
The Movistar team, in which most of the paisa’s teammates are climbers, Gaviria’s conquest has a special meaning, as it shows strength and skill to be able to reach the final packaging and fight for the privileged positions. The Colombian will now arrive more motivated and confident at the Giro d’Italia, which begins on May 6.
The title of the Swiss competition was held by Englishman Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates), while American Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) and Italian Damiano Caruso (Bahrain) completed the podium.
For his part, Egan Bernal (Ineos), who in 2022 almost lost his life after an accident while training on the roads of Cundinamarca, achieved his first top-10, after the adversity he experienced. In Romandie, his good recovery and his great level were reflected in the eighth place he achieved, finishing 1.53 behind Yates. The Colombian cyclist was happy with his result and described it as a “small great victory.”
Gaviria’s victory in the Tour de Romandie and Bernal’s good performance demonstrate the high level of Colombian cycling today, and augur a good future for Colombian cyclists in upcoming competitions.