Caja Rural have been unusually aggressive in the transfer market, moving for WorldTour-level talent in both Gaviria and recent ex-Cofidis rider Stefano Oldani. The objective is clear: bolster their sprinting options, score UCI points, and strengthen their case for Grand Tour invitations each year.
Gaviria is expected to share fast-finish duties with Portuguese sprinter Iuri Leitao, forming a duo the team believes can lift their presence in bigger races while giving younger riders a valuable reference point inside the group.
For Gaviria, the motivation landed the moment talks began. “What motivated me most to join Caja Rural–Seguros RGA was the conversation I had with them, in which I sensed a huge enthusiasm for my arrival. It seemed like a very interesting opportunity and I’m confident I can give my best.”
Those words mark a contrast to his fading role at Movistar, where he slipped behind Orluis Aular in the sprint hierarchy and saw his race calendar cut back, riding no Grand Tours in 2025.
Gaviria has had a quiet few seasons for Movistar at World Tour level
A final shot at history
Despite his difficult last season, the numbers behind Gaviria’s career remain formidable: Tour de France stage wins, a points jersey at the Giro, and more than 50 professional victories across a decade at the top. Caja Rural believe those legs — when well-supported and confidence restored — can still deliver.
Gaviria has set his ambitions clearly: “My aim is to work well, help the team as much as I can and try to win races. Riding a Grand Tour would be special and, in the case of the Vuelta a Espana, being able to fight for victories there to complete the set in all three Grand Tours would be really exciting.”
If he were to win a stage, it would complete a unique treble: stage victories in the Tour, Giro, and Vuelta.
A mutually beneficial gamble
Inside Caja Rural–Seguros RGA, the move is framed as both strategic and symbolic. Gaviria brings something their young core lacks — top-end speed, a proven record in WorldTour sprints, and the experience of navigating cycling’s biggest races. In return, he receives a calendar built around his strengths and a team genuinely invested in reviving his career rather than replacing him.
If Gaviria can rediscover even a fraction of the form that once made him cycling’s most feared finisher, this signing could prove one of the most impactful of the 2026 ProTeam market.