Peter Sagan and Fernando Gaviria are rivals in the sprints but they are also good friends off the bike. They go shoulder-to-shoulder at 70 kph but they also train together and hang out when they're both in Monte Carlo. Their friendship and mutual respect are only put aside when the finish line approaches.
"In the races, you compete against everyone but in normal life, things should be different, right?" Sagan suggested at the Vuelta a San Juan after finishing second to Gaviria on stage 4, and before the final sprint stages of the race on Saturday and Sunday.
"For sure we're friends. I first started to speak to Fernando two years ago, and we became friends; when we're in the cycling world but also outside of cycling. We both live in Monaco and it's always a pleasure when we can meet for dinner or some drinks together."
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Gaviria helped arrange a holiday for Sagan and his friends in November and they both work with rider agent Giovanni Lombardi.
Sprinters are not often friends; their competitive spirit and adrenaline-fuelled aggression in sprints can lead to conflicts and falls outs. Sagan and Gaviria are perhaps not as highly strung as some of their rivals, and so are able to be competitors on the bike but friends out of the saddle. They are unlikely to be overly aggressive against each other in the sprints and they share tactical information when it can be mutually beneficial.
Sagan revealed how their friendship turned into a champagne challenge at the Tour de France.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/sagan-and-gaviria-good-friends-and-sprint-rivals
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