Mark Cavendish was beaten in the sprint in the opening stage of the Ninth Tour De San Luis in Argentina.
The opening race on the UCI World Tour calender attracted a strong field which included World Champion Michael Kwiatkowski of Etixx-Quick Step, race favourite Nairo Quintana of Movistar and the only British rider in Mark Cavendish.
Three riders in Ignacio Perez of the San Juan team, Leandro Messineo of San Luis Somos Todos and American David Williams of Jamis Hagens were clear on a 186.8km stage from San Luis to Villa Mercedes on a cloudy day with the threat of rain after Kleber Da Si had taken the opening climb at La Cumbre after 18.5kms.
On flat roads, the trio were able to take a two minute lead at an average speed of 49kmh which extended to four minutes and six seconds with 45kms gone.
Eight kilometres was the first sprint of the race and it was Leandro Messineo who took the points ahead of David Williams and Ignacio Pérez.
Messineo took the second sprint after 97kms as the trio's lead dropped to 1.35 with 55 kilometres left.
The peloton upped the pace and the three escapers were caught, setting up a sprint for the line.
There was crashes but twenty-year-old Colombian Fernando Gaviria of the Colombia-Coldeportes got past Mark Cavendish and Lampre's Sacha Modola to win in 4.40.13 and take the leaders jersey going into stage two.
Result
1 Gavira, Cavendish, Modola, Marini, Toloso, Gatto, Gene, Canola, Mareczko, Fonseca.