Cycling - Colombian Gaviria only has eyes for gold

By Martyn Herman RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Only gold will do for Fernando Gaviria as he attempts to become Colombia's first Olympic track cycling champion when the 'ironman' event of the sport, the omnium, starts on Sunday. World champion in the six-discipline test that spans two days and requires a delicate balance of endurance and raw speed, Gaviria will start as favourite. But he faces tough opposition from the likes of Germany's Roger Kluge, Australia's Glenn O'Shea and former road teammate and Tour de France sprint king Mark Cavendish of Britain. Gaviria has been keeping a low profile since arriving in Rio for his first Olympic Games, focusing on the various disciplines; the scratch race, individual pursuit, elimination race, time trial, flying lap and points race. In the build-up, however, he laid down his targets. "If you gave me a piece of paper which guaranteed I'd get bronze, I wouldn't sign it, because I'm somebody who never wants to take the easy option," the 21-year-old, who rides for the Etixx-QuickStep professional road team, said. "I would prefer to finish fourth in the omnium and be lying on the ground exhausted and dizzy after 160 laps than go in with a strategy designed specifically on making the bronze. "I want to use every last drop of energy to try and win the Games outright." He can expect plenty of South American support in the velodrome as he tries to surpass the feat of fellow Colombian Rigoberto Uran who won a silver medal in the road race in London four years ago. Omnium, which replaced the individual pursuit, the points race and the Madison for the 2012 Games, is comparable with decathlon and heptathlon in track and field - a test to find the best all-round cyclist. Gaviria, tipped for a stellar road career, says it is all about pacing and recovery. "It's a race you have to take very calmly, which is going to be anything but easy, because in the Olympics the first three segments of the omnium (scratch race, individual pursuit and elimination race) are all on the same day," he said. Kluge, runner-up to Gaviria at the world championships in London says, the Colombian will be the target for the field. "He is the two-times world champion, he is the big favourite," he told reporters last week in Rio. "I have been working at getting a bit more speed in the legs for the flying lap, but it's a balance. You must not deflect from the events which are your strength, like the points race." (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Bill Rigby)