Fernando Gaviria signs one-year deal with Movistar
The Colombian looks for a new challenge as he leaves UAE Team Emirates after four years.
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Fernando Gaviria will ride for Movistar next season after inking a one-year deal with the Spanish squad.
It has been a busy day of news for Movistar on Wednesday with the team also confirming the signing of Ruben Guerreiro, who cut short his contract with EF Education-EasyPost to join the team, and the 18-year-old Ivan Roméo.
Gaviria joins Movistar after an up-and-down four years at UAE Team Emirates. His time at the team started off well with 12 victories across his first two seasons, but he has struggled to find success in recent times, winning just once in 2021 and taking two this year at the Tour of Oman.
Also read:
- Ruben Guerreiro and EF Education-EasyPost terminate contract as rider joins Movistar
- UAE Team Emirates questions Fernando Gaviria’s ‘focus and motivation’ with sprinter set to leave
The Switch to Movistar sees him racing with a Spanish-speaking team for the first time since turning pro, having previously raced with Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl. He will join fellow Colombians Ivan Sosa and Einar Rubio on the team.
“It’s a new challenge, both for me personally and surely for the team as a whole. I’m joining such a prestigious team which, on the other hand, has been so far focused on the climbing side of the sport,” Gaviria said.
“Having them trust me as a sprinter gives me extra motivation because I want to represent well this organisation, with its stature, its history, all big legends that have raced for it. It makes me happy to have that challenge ahead for next year. The main thing for 2023 is to try and fit the best into the team — I’m really looking forward to meeting all teammates and seek for the best way to become a strong group alongside them, to try and contest as many race wins as possible.”
Gaviria will provide Movistar with a strong sprint leader, which it has been lacking in recent years. He is the third and final rider to be added to the roster with just two riders departing from the squad at the end of the season.
🇨🇴🚀 @FndoGaviria elige #MovistarTeam2023 > https://t.co/gYP3HVe6RF
¡#RodamosJuntos! 💙👊 pic.twitter.com/Zj9OuZSCal
— Movistar Team (@Movistar_Team) October 19, 2022