Etixx - Quick-Step to Prudential RideLondon & Surrey Classic

Etixx - Quick-Step has announced the riders that will participate in Prudential RideLondon & Surrey Classic, a 200km single day race on Sunday, the 2nd of August.

The parcours starts through mostly flat kilometers in London, but the middle portion of the race features plenty of up-and-down. First there is Leith Hill, then three laps in the Surrey Hills area which includes three KOM opportunities on Ranmore. Following that circuit there is then a Box Hill KOM, and then the race heads toward Wimbledon Village before finally arriving at The Mall for a 500m finishing sprint.

British rider and sprinting legend Mark Cavendish will be at the start, as well as the Colombian Fernando Gaviria making his debut as a stagiaire for Etixx - Quick-Step.

"It's always special for me to race back in Britain," Cavendish said. "The home fans, and the noise they make supporting us, makes this race even more enjoyable to ride than a lot of races. It is a truly iconic finish, which the riders, teams and fans love too. For a British rider this is one piece of road that stirs great emotion for sure. Etixx - Quick-Step also have an exciting young sprinter Gaviria racing who has a big future in the sport. Keep an eye out for him. The team and I are looking forward to hearing that roadside noise again."

Gaviria, Contreras to Ride as Stagiaires in Upcoming Races

Fernando Gaviria, 20, won the Omnium of the 2015 UCI Track World Championships, and also won two stages on the road at Tour de San Luis. He will participate in Prudential RideLondon & Surrey Classic, as well as the Czech Cycling Tour and Tour of Britain with Etixx - Quick-Step as a stagiaire. He will also race Tour de l'Avenir with his national team.

Rodrigo Contreras, 21, is another stagiaire for the team in the next races. The Colombian rider will race Czech Cycling Tour with Etixx - Quick-Step, and then Tour de l'Avenir with the Colombian National Team. He was the Best Young Rider at Tour de San Luis and won the 2014 U23 Time Trial at the Pan American Games.

Both Gaviria and Contreras reached agreements with Etixx - Quick-Step for the next two years.