Biniam Girmay said he is "full of confidence" as his NSN Cycling team announced their lineup for this year's Tour de France.

NSN are the third team to reveal their eight riders for the French Grand Tour, which begins next Saturday, 4 July, and will primarily be looking for sprint success with Girmay.

The Eritrean won three stages and the green jersey in a historic 2024 edition, but didn't get closer than second last year. Now with a new team, he is looking to once again shine on cycling's biggest stage. It will also be the first Tour for NSN, the team which was formerly Israel-Premier Tech.

"Everybody who knows me understands how special the Tour de France is to me – but I’m more interested in creating more special moments than looking back on what I’ve achieved in the past," Girmay said in the team's press release.

"I know my form is good, but it’s also great knowing that I have a really committed team around me. We have worked hard since the start of the season to discover the best ways to work together, to build trust in each other, and to score the best results possible.

"I’m going into this year’s race full of confidence and with a real sense of anticipation for the first sprint opportunities."

Girmay has won three times this season, including a stage of the recently-completed Baloise Belgium Tour; his first shot at victory will come on stage five to Pau. However, the race beings in NSN's home city of Barcelona, where they will be looking to make a mark.

He will be joined by Lewis Askey, George Bennett, Marco Frigo, Matîs Louvel, Krists Neilands, Jake Stewart, and Tom Van Asbroeck.

"We’ve got a good group of riders for the race, focused predominantly around Bini and the sprints," head sports director Sam Bewley said.

"But the race is 21 stages. We want to have a purpose and a goal across the entire race, so it’s important to have guys like George, Krists, and Marco in his first Tour there so we can keep NSN in the race across as much of the three weeks as possible.

"We feel confident with the guys we have to be able to deliver some good stage outcomes from breakaways, mountain stages, or how the Tour plays out, in addition to our primary focus of the sprints."

Saturday 28 February

Men’s
Distance: 207.2km
Start: 10:05 Finish: 14:50 (GMT)

Women’s
Distance: 137.2km
Start: 12:35 Finish: 16:20 (GMT)

Omloop Nieuwsblad is the start of the Classics, one part of Opening Weekend. It heralds the full-on racing season, and the cobbled one-day events which are to come.

The race forms part of a double-header across the weekend, with Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne following on the Sunday for the men, and Omloop van het Hageland for the women.

This is the 81st edition of the men's race, and the 21st of the women's, so it has some serious pedigree. Here's everything you need to know for the 2026 race.

Five things to watch out for

1. A sprinter’s race?

The men’s edition of Omloop last year finished in a sprint for the first time since 2021; it is the kind of race which seems to either have a solo winner or quite a large bunch in Ninove. With less of the relentless climbing that other Classics have, it could be a race which favours a rider like Biniam Girmay or Jasper Philipsen.

2. Dutch dominance

Five of the last seven women’s races have been won by the Netherlands; no particular surprise when you think of the Dutch dominance of women’s racing. If there’s a solo attack this year, you’d pin your hopes on Demi Vollering, while if it’s a sprint, Lorena Wiebes seems unbeatable. The record might well be extended.

3. British hopes

The list of top competitors for Omloop is peppered with Union Flags. Cat Ferguson, two-time victor this season already, is a serious contender in a selective sprint, while Tom Pidcock will be looking to beat his previous best result of fifth. That isn’t it though, with Anna Henderson, Matthew Brennan and Fred Wright all down to race.

4. Kuurne time

The younger sibling of Opening Weekend is Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, which takes place on the Sunday. It’sa 1.Pro race, so not all the big stars will turn out, but those that do will fight hard. It is the ultimate opportunity for someone to make up for a disappointing Saturday, if they have the legs. For the women, Omloop van het Hageland provides the same opportunity.

5. Classics narrative

Omloop is just five weeks out from the peak of the Classics season at the Tour of Flanders, followed a week later by Paris-Roubaix, and it might be Opening Weekend, but things that happen here have an impact throughout the rest of the season. If Mathieu van der Poel or Vollering win, then they will increase their favourite status. If there are surprise performances from unheralded riders, then they will be marked for the next few races. Anything could happen, and this is the start.

Focus on Muur van Gerrardsbergen

Omloop Nieuwsblad effectively runs as a mini-Tour of Flanders, but doesn’t include the Koppenberg, Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg triple. Instead, it uses the old Flanders one-two finish of the Muur van Gerrardsbergen followed by the Bosberg.

The race will be decided on these cobbled climbs, even if there is a lone attacker at this point. De Muur is an iconic climb, and might only be 6.8% over 910 metres, but always has a say in Omloop. Whoever is first to the chapel at the top might just win the race.

How to watch

How to watch

It is on TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland, accessible via a TV package or a Discovery+ subscription. In the US, it's on FloBikes. Check out our full how to watch guide for more.

Last year's podium

Last year’s podium

Men

1. Søren Wærenskjold (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
2. Paul Magnier (Fra) Soudal Quick-Step
3. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Decuninck

Women

1. Lotte Claes (Bel) Lotto Intermarché
2. Aurela Nerlo (Pol) Winspace Orange Seal
3. Demi Vollering (Ned) SD Worx-Protime

Riders to watch

Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling) ****

The double-Olympic mountain bike champion has never finished higher than fifth at Omloop, but will be a well-marked rider given his ability to attack from the front. If he gets a clear run from the Muur, he will be hard to drag back.

Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) *****

Somehow, Vollering has never won Omloop. Last year, she was the best of the rest as a surprise breakaway made it to the finish. She will surely be attempting to make up for missed opportunities. Expect her to try and attack from far out and solo away.

Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) *****

The Dutch sprinter’s record is verging on outrageous. Wiebes essentially hasn’t lost a bunch sprint since 2024, and if it does come down to a large group in Ninove, betting against her would be like betting against it raining in the UK at the moment. Her SD Worx team will try and keep the race together.

Biniam Girmay (NSN Pro Cycling) ***

Four years on from his watershed Gent-Wevelgem victory, Girmay is back in winning form, and he always seemed suited to the tough racing of the Classics. In a new team, NSN will be all-in to back their Eritrean superstar. Expect Lewis Askey to do a lot of work for him.

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) ****

The Belgian is no longer world champion, but that will not make her any less marked. Free from targeting GC at stage races, Kopecky is free to do what she is best at, winning one-day races. Expect fireworks.

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) *****

Making an appearance at Omloop for the first time is one of the best Classics riders of all time, Mathieu van der Poel. He is yet to race this season, but don't expect that to hold him back – he will be the hot favourite.

Startlist

Men's

*denotes unconfirmed team

Alpecin-Premier Tech
Edward Planckaert
Florian Sénéchal
Jasper Philipsen
Kaden Groves
Lennert Belmans
Mathieu van der Poel
Tobias Bayer

Bahrain Victorious
Alec Segaert
Attila Valter
Kamil Gradek
Matej Mohorič
Pau Miquel
Robert Stannard
Vlad Van Mechelen

Burgos Burpellet BH
Alexandre Mayer
César Macias
Clément Alléno
Daniel Cavia
Georgios Bouglas
Josh Burnett
Vojtěch Kmínek

Cofidis
Alex Kirsch
Alexis Renard
Dylan Teuns
Hugo Page
Jenthe Biermans
Piet Allegaert
Stanisław Aniołkowski

Decathlon CMA CGM
Oliver Naesen
Oscar Chamberlain
Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen
Sander De Pestel
Stan Dewulf
Stefan Bissegger
Tobias Lund Andresen

EF Education-EasyPost
Colby Simmons
Kasper Asgreen
Luke Lamperti
Marijn van den Berg
Mikkel Frølich Honoré
Noah Hobbs
Vincenzo Albanese

Flanders Baloise
Dylan Vandenstorme
Michiel Lambrecht
Milan Lanhove
Siebe Deweirdt
Victor Vercouillie
Vincent Van Hemelen
Ward Vanhoof

Groupama-FDJ United*
Axel Huens
Bastien Tronchon
Clément Russo
Cyril Barthe
Johan Jacobs
Thibaud Gruel
Valentin Madouas

Ineos Grenadiers
Artem Shmidt
Ben Swift
Ben Turner
Kim Heiduk
Magnus Sheffield
Michał Kwiatkowski
Samuel Watson

Jayco Alula
Amaury Capiot
Anders Foldager
Dries De Bondt
Dries De Pooter
Jelte Krijnsen
Kelland O'Brien
Robert Donaldson

Lidl-Trek
Albert Withen Philipsen
Edward Theuns
Mathias Vacek
Otto Vergaerde
Søren Kragh Andersen
Tim Torn Teutenberg
Toms Skujiņš

Lotto Intermarché
Arnaud De Lie
Cédric Beullens
Jenno Berckmoes
Luca Van Boven
Roel van Sintmaartensdijk
Sébastien Grignard
Vito Braet

Movistar
Carlos Canal
Filip Maciejuk
Iván García Cortina
Jon Barrenetxea
Manlio Moro
Orluis Aular
Roger Adrià

NSN Cycling
Biniam Girmay
Guillaume Boivin
Lewis Askey
Matis Louvel
Riley Sheehan
Ryan Mullen
Tom Van Asbroeck

Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling*
Aimé De Gendt
Brent Van Moer
Fred Wright
Frederik Frison
Kamil Małecki
Tom Pidcock
Xandro Meurisse

Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
Arne Marit
Gianni Vermeersch
Jarrad Drizners
Jordi Meeus
Laurence Pithie
Mick van Dijke
Tim van Dijke

Soudal Quick-Step
Casper Pedersen
Dries van Gestel
Dylan van Baarle
Jasper Stuyven
Paul Magnier
Pepijn Reinderink
Yves Lampaert

Picnic PostNL
Frank van den Broek
Henri-François Renard-Haquin
John Degenkolb
Julius van den Berg
Sean Flynn
Timo de Jong
Timo Roosen

Visma-Lease a Bike
Axel Zingle
Christophe Laporte
Edoardo Affini
Matthew Brennan
Per Strand Hagenes
Pietro Mattio
Timo Kielich

TotalEnergies
Alexys Brunel
Anthony Turgis
Baptiste Vadic
Samuel Leroux
Sandy Dujardin
Thomas Bonnet
Thomas Gachignard

Tudor Pro Cycling*
Aivaras Mikutis
Luca Mozzato
Marco Haller
Matteo Trentin
Petr Kelemen
Rick Pluimers
Stefan Küng

UAE Team Emirates-XRG
Florian Vermeersch
Juan Sebastián Molano
Julius Johansen
Nils Politt
Rui Oliveira
Rune Herregodts
Tim Wellens

Unibet Rose Rockets
Joren Bloem
Karsten Larsen Feldmann
Lukáš Kubiš
Martijn Rasenberg
Matyáš Kopecký
Niklas Larsen
Tomáš Kopecký

Uno-X Mobility*
Carl-Frederik Bévort
Erik Nordsæter Resell
Jonas Abrahamsen
Markus Hoelgaard
Rasmus Tiller
Søren Wærenskjold
Sven Erik Bystrøm

XDS Astana*
Aaron Gate
Alberto Bettiol
Alessandro Romele
Arjen Livyns
Davide Ballerini
Lev Gonov
Mike Teunissen

Women's

*denotes unconfirmed team

AG Insurance - Soudal Team
Alana Castrique
Gladys Verhulst-Wild
Ilse Pluimers
Letizia Borghesi
Marthe Goossens
Shari Bossuyt

Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto
Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka
Anastasiya Kolesava
Chiara Consonni
Kasia Niewiadoma
Tiffany Cromwell
Zoe Bäckstedt

Citymesh Customm Pro Cycling Team*
Britt De Grave
Britt Knaven
Cleo Kiekens
Eline van Rooijen
Femke Van Goethem
Yonna van Dam

Cofidis
Kristýna Burlová
Malwina Mul
Marion Borras
Martina Alzini
Valentine Fortin
Victoire Berteau

EF Education-Oatly
Alexandra Volstad
Alexis Magner
Babette van der Wolf
Cédrine Kerbaol
Mirre Knaven
Nina Berton

FDJ United-SUEZ*
Demi Vollering
Elise Chabbey
Eva van Agt
Franziska Koch
Juliette Berthet
Vittoria Guazzini

Fenix-Premier Tech
Christina Schweinberger
Evy Kuijpers
Flora Perkins
Lotte Claes
Marthe Truyen
Millie Couzens

Human Powered Health
Daria Pikulik
Kathrin Schweinberger
Lily Williams
Maggie Coles-Lyster
Marta Jaskulska
Thalita de Jong

Laboral Kutxa Fundación Euskadi
Arianna Fidanza
Idoia Eraso
Irati Aranguren
Marjolein van 't Geloof
Naia Amondarain
Sara Fiorin

Lidl-Trek
Anna Henderson
Elisa Balsamo
Fleur Moors
Loes Adegeest
Margot Vanpachtenbeke
Shirin van Anrooij

Liv AlUla Jayco
Caroline Andersson
Jeanne Korevaar
Letizia Paternoster
Noa Jansen
Quinty Ton
Ruby Roseman-Gannon

Lotto Intermarché Ladies
Anna van Wersch
Katrijn De Clercq
Lani Wittervrongel
Lea Lin Teutenberg
Linda Riedmann
Marieke Meert

Ma Petite Entreprise*
Alison Avoine
Clémence Latimier
Ilona Rouat
Margot Marasco
Noémie Abgrall

Mayenne Monbana My Pie*
Allison Mrugal
Constance Valentin
Fiona Mangan
Justine Gegu
Kiara Lylyk
Natalie Quinn

Minimax Cycling Team*
Camilla Rånes Bye
Clara Lundmark
Émilie Fortin
Gwen Nothum
Katja Verkerk
Ursula Linden

Movistar
Arlenis Sierra
Aude Biannic
Carys Lloyd
Cat Ferguson
Liane Lippert
Sheyla Gutiérrez

Picnic PostNL
Audrey De Keersmaeker
Daniela Hezinová
Josie Nelson
Lucie Fityus
Mara Roldan
Mia Griffin

SD Worx-Protime
Anna van der Breggen
Elena Cecchini
Femke Markus
Lorena Wiebes
Lotte Kopecky
Mischa Bredewold

St Michel-Preference Home Auber93
Alicia Gonzalez
Alison Jackson
Caroline Wreszin
Clémence Chéreau
Elyne Roussel
India Grangier

UAE Team ADQ
Brodie Chapman
Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini
Elynor Bäckstedt
Karlijn Swinkels
Lara Gillespie
Megan Jastrab

Uno-X Mobility*
Alessia Vigilia
Ingvild Gåskjenn
Laura Tomasi
Linda Zanetti
Susanne Andersen
Teuntje Beekhuis

Visma-Lease a Bike*
Daniek Hengeveld
Imogen Wolff
Katharina Sadnik
Nienke Veenhoven
Rosita Reijnhout

VolkerWessels Cycling*
Amber van der Hulst
Anne Knijnenburg
Esmée Peperkamp
Maud Rijnbeek
Quinty Schoens
Sophie von Berswordt

"Do you ever feel like maybe it's not worth it?" Asked Anders Mielke of Mads Pedersen two years ago. An excerpt from this video, included right at the end of this page, was published just days after the Dane fractured his collar bone and wrist at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana on Wednesday. Pederson answered, "Yes."

For every good race is the risk that it might end in disaster; in a broken collar bone, in severe burns and skin abrasions, or worse. And the question of rider safety is never far from the industry's collective mind, most recently been embodied in the AeroBag, a self-inflating protection mechanism worn under riders' clothes. Whether they will take the peloton by storm remains to be seen, but the company confirmed to Cycling Weekly that Picnic PostNL and Visma Lease a Bike have received kits and are ready to start testing.

But it's not all serious in this week's social media round up. We've got rider make-overs, artistic tributes to brilliant bikes and Matthew Brennan struggling to see. Eclectic. Enjoy!

1. Tadej Pogačar has been seen sporting a new hair do inspired by his childhood rap hero, Eminem. “Can the real one stand up please?” wrote Mathieu van der Poel in the comments below.

2. Matthew Brennan finished second in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race on Sunday after launching an early sprint having mistaken a 300m sign for a 200m one. "I felt like I had really good legs there, so I'm just going to get my eyes tested" Brennan joked after the race.

3. After a brief bout of self-depreciation online, Brennan joined the seven-time grand slam winning tennis player Carlos Alcaraz on a plane ride home. Currently ranked first in the world, Alcaraz joined the Brit fresh off the back of his Australian Open win. A good omen for our British star?

4. Movistar also left Australia for rainier places this week. British track champion, Carys Lloyd shared a post celebrating the “many highs and a few lows” of life down under.

5. A few weeks ago, James Shrubsall wrote a piece about the state of the cycling kit industry, after Rapha closed some of its Clubhouses, Le Col lost its founder and Endura staff face redundancies amid a location switch. But have we been asking the wrong questions…?

6. After sustained criticism of Ineos Grenadiers’ questionable white-grey shorts, the team have confirmed that they will be swapping to black for the 'European spring'. Polish national champion and 2024 Tour de France Femmes winner, Kasia Niewiadoma knows something of the white-kit struggle: "One thing I learnt since becoming national champ.. white kit maintenance is nearly as difficult as staying calm when being half wheeled on an easy recovery ride."

7. "Tell us it’s not AI,” pleads the official Giro d’Italia Instagram account next to this video posted by Chris Froome. "Any guesses how many grand tour wins are sitting at this table?"

8. Ever loved a bike so much it made you make art? This illustrator has made a ten-page digital zine dedicated to his electric Surly cargo bike.

9. Biniam Girmay’s Valencia win, live from the NSN team car. Warning: prepare for screaming.

10. "Do you ever feel that it’s not worth it?" Anders Mielke asked Mads Pederson in an interview for the Paris 2024 Olympics. "Yes" he replied. The video was posted a day after the former World Champion fractured his collarbone at the beginning of this month. "Hope to see you back chasing cobbles soon."

Biniam Girmay has said it is "great to be back" after he won on debut for NSN Cycling, and the first time since 2024, at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana on Wednesday.

The Eritrean moved from Intermarché-Wanty over the winter, and repaid his new team at the first opportunity on stage one of Valenciana.

It ended a barren run for the 25-year-old, who last tasted victory for the first time since the 2024 Tour de France, where he won the green jersey. There were a dozen top-five finishes last season, including at the Tour, but no success. However, that drought has now been ended.

"I struggled last year, and got second many times, but it was not enough," he said post-race. "I'm just super-happy, motivated and looking forward to 2026. It's great to be back."

"This is just my second time in a race lead, and being in the lead here in Valenciana gives me good memories.

"To be honest, they surprised us on the climb, but I was in a good position and we managed to have someone in the front to keep an eye on what's going on. Pellizzari was super-strong; he had 20 seconds til the last kilometre, but thanks to my teammates bringing him back, we managed to catch him and win. So this victory for them."

A bunch sprint looked in danger after Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) attacked with 18km to go, and was only reeled in in the closing kilometre. After Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers) launched the sprint, Girmay had the speed to round him to victory, and held off Arne Marit (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) and Giovanni Lonardi (Polti VisitMalta).

Red Bull showed their intent by setting a fierce pace on the sole classified climb of the day, the Puerto de los Madroños. They have Remco Evenepoel at the race, whose 100% win record in 2026 ended on Wednesday, although he will have the opportunity to taste a win again in an individual time trial on Thursday.

The other event of note was Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) crashing out of the race, who was then taken to hospital for assessment.

Days after it was announced he was leaving Intermarché-Wanty, Biniam Girmay has been revealed as an NSN Cycling rider.

The Eritrean joins the team formerly known as Israel-Premier Tech on a three-year deal, a press release on Monday morning said. He will be "a marquee rider ahead of a bold new era for the team".

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Biniam to NSN Cycling Team," general manager Kjell Carlström said. "Not only will 2026 mark a new chapter for the team, but it also represents one for Biniam and I couldn’t think of a better time to embark on a new chapter together.

"Biniam represents everything we love about cycling. His talent is obvious, but his humility and drive are what make him an extraordinary cyclist. From the first conversation, it was clear he shares our vision both on and off the bike and I have no doubt he will be a fantastic fit and will be a leader of our team, inspiring our riders and the entire cycling community."

Girmay himself said: "I’m really happy to be here, especially with a new atmosphere and a new beginning, for me and for the team. As a rider, I always like to have a good environment, especially inside the team and I already heard a lot of positive things from my new teammates. When I look back at the last two years of the team, the team has improved so much. There is a really good team spirit.

"Looking at the team’s sprint train, they were always really strong, especially how they stayed together and motivated each other. I heard them many times during races, motivating each other so much, so I’m really looking forward to working together. I see a great opportunity with NSN Cycling Team and I feel that this is the best thing for my future."

The sprinter, a three-time Tour de France stage winner, had a contract with Intermarché-Wanty which ran until 2028, but amid the Lotto-Intermarché merger, has been allowed to leave.

After joining that team in 2021 from DELKO, Girmay became the first black African man to win a Grand Tour stage at the Giro d'Italia in 2022, and went on to become the first African male to win the green jersey at the Tour in 2024, when he won three stages. He also made history by winning Gent-Wevelgem in 2022.

However, Girmay said his eyes are on the future, not on what he has achieved in the past. "To be honest, I never look back at what I achieved. I always look to the future," he said. "I always care what the next step is. What’s done is already done, so I don’t want to look back or be satisfied. I always want to do more. My main objective for the future, because I’m still only 25, is simple – to win bike races.

"I really love to win at the Classics, and, for the moment, I only won Gent–Wevelgem so I still want to achieve more together with the team. I believe one day we can win one of the biggest races in cycling together."

NSN Cycling was created earlier this month after the Israel-Premier Tech licence was bought. The squad is expected to be at WorldTour level next year.

Biniam Girmay has terminated his contract early with Intermarché-Wanty ahead of an expected deal with NSN Cycling, the team formerly known as Israel-Premier Tech.

The Eritrean sprinter, a three-time Tour de France stage winner, had a contract with the Belgian team which ran until 2028, but amid the Lotto-Intermarché merger, has been allowed to leave.

“It has been a wonderful journey for me with Intermarché-Wanty," Girmay said in a statement. "I am still grateful for the belief they showed in me five years ago and for giving me the chance to become a World Tour rider.

"Over these years, we built a strong bond based on mutual trust and grew together, step by step, from a lower profile to the top level of world cycling. Along the way, we worked hard and pushed each other to keep improving. We achieved great things and showed what is possible when everyone is aligned.

"I truly enjoyed working with this team — the riders, the staff, and the management — everyone contributed something important. At times, we have to embrace change. Now it is time for a new chapter, I want to thank everyone at Intermarché-Wanty for the past five seasons."

After joining the team in 2021 from DELKO, Girmay became the first black African man to win a Grand Tour stage at the Giro d'Italia in 2022, and went on to become the first African male to win the green jersey at the Tour in 2024, when he won three stages. He also made history by winning Gent-Wevelgem in 2022.

He is now expected to move to NSN Cycling, although the deal is yet to be confirmed. The new entity was created last week after the Israel-Premier Tech licence was bought. The squad is expected to be at WorldTour level next year.

"I look back on many happy and memorable moments with Biniam," Jean-François Bourlart, Intermarché's CEO, said. "We are proud of the journey we shared, where we helped transform this immense talent into a key figure in world cycling. Naturally, some moments will remain forever etched in memory, such as his medal at the U23 World Championships in Leuven, his victories at Gent-Wevelgem and the Giro d’Italia.

"The win at the Circuit Franco-Belge, in front of our partners and just a stone’s throw from our Service Course, was also a highlight. And then that victory in Turin, our first on the Tour de France, and the green jersey in Nice – these are moments forever marked in our history. Yekenyeley, Biniam!"

Other than the final ten kilometres or so, is there really any point in watching the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris? That’s the question many of my non-cycling friends have regularly put to me over the years when I would religiously tune in to the final day’s procession into the French capital. And to be fair, they probably did have a point.

There’s rarely any exciting racing in any shape or form until the various sprint teams start to get organised ready to tee up their elected fast man for the bunch kick along the Champs-Élysées for the unofficial sprinters World Championships. Unwritten tradition dictates that the race operates in that way on the final day, but surely a bit of variety could do no harm once in a while.

I’ve often sat and urged someone to try something completely unexpected with the aim of spoiling the party for the sprinters. That’s not because I dislike watching a high-octane sprint unfold, but more because mixing it up a little gets people excited and draws new viewers in.

After all, surely that’s why we all watch sport? To be entertained and to be surprised by what’s unfolding before us. I can remember being completely transfixed as a kid when Alexander Vinokourov won in Paris in 2005, and it would make for great viewing to see another rider pull off something similar in the years ahead.

This is why ASO’s reported idea to adjust the final stage of this year’s race to include the Butte Montmartre cobbled climb, made famous by the Paris Olympics road events, should be applauded, however unrealistic it may or may not be. The possibility of the Olympics circuit within Montmartre being replicated by the Tour was quickly ruled out in August by the Tour’s technical director Thierry Gouvenou, although an article in Le Parisien this week suggested that the idea isn't dead completely.

If it does get off the ground, then it will open the race up to an array of different dramatic possibilities, particularly given the high calibre of riders currently operating at the top end of the sport. But, in spite of the exciting prospect that the idea represents, it also still leaves a lot of questions.

For one, how would the riders final general classification times be calculated and would the stage then no longer be for purely ceremonial purposes? If so, whilst it is unlikely, it could mean that there is a very slim possibility that the action could literally go down to the wire in the fight for overall victory. Surely that alone is a thought that many cycling fans would relish, as would the perennial showman Tadej Pogačar if he finds himself a handful of seconds down on Jonas Vingegaard going into the final day this year.

But on the other hand, completely losing the tradition of a bunch dash for the line on the Champs-Élysées could impact the race in other unwelcome ways. What other incentive would then remain for 95% of the race’s sprinters to finish the event if they didn’t have their opportunity to shine on stage 21?

Sprinting is rapidly evolving and changing. There are multiple riders that now regularly contest the green jersey who could probably use a cobbled climb in Montmartre to their advantage and still win the stage - Wout van Aert, Biniam Girmay and Michael Matthews being three obvious examples, although what would then be left for the more purist sprinters, the likes of Jasper Philipsen, Dylan Groenewegen and others. The answer is not a lot.

Given that riders in that ilk add drama and excitement to the race in different ways to the more Classics-orientated riders and Grand Tour winners, it would be a shame to completely eradicate their final chance for glory and to see a fair few of them abandon early on.

Ultimately, the prospect of change is good and should be applauded. The success of the final stages in and around Nice last year showed that an adaptation to the course, enforced or not, can work for the race in the future. But erasing the possibility of a bunch sprint in Paris should only be brought into play for one year only. It would make for an exciting and interesting final day once, but bringing in a spectacle like that indefinitely to the race could do more harm than it really would be worth.

Tom Pidcock will no longer line up at this week's Grand Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal, after sustaining a concussion at the Tour of Britain Men.

The 25-year-old was involved in a crash on stage six of his home race, and abandoned ahead of the finish in Felixstowe.

In a statement released on Monday, Ineos Grenadiers said: "[Pidcock] will return home for recovery and remain under the supervision of our medical team whilst he follows our concussion 'return to training' protocol.

"Unfortunately this will mean he is unable to race in the upcoming Canadian races. We wish Tom a speedy recovery and hope he will be back to racing soon."

Pidcock was set to go up against Tadej Pogačar at the two Canadian races as he builds towards the Road World Championships in Switzerland later this month.

The GP Québec takes place on 13 September with the GP Montréal following two days later.

Despite the Brit's absence, the two events boast multiple high-profile names, including UAE Team Emirates' Pogačar and Biniam Girmay of Intermarché-Wanty, the yellow and green jersey winners from the Tour de France.

Jayco-AIUla’s Simon Yates and Michael Matthews are also named on the start list, along with Visma-Lease a Bike’s Matteo Jorgenson.

Other big names confirmed to take part include Alberto Bettiol, who recently completed a mid-season move to Astana Qazaqstan, Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step), and other French stars including Benoît Cosnefroy (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich PostNL) and Valentin Madouas of Groupama FDJ.

Israel-Premier Tech’s Derek Gee and Hugo Houle are two of a handful of Canadian riders who will be racing on home ground.

Montréal and Québec will be the final opportunity for the likes of Pogačar to test his form as he gets set to head to Zurich to challenge for the rainbow jersey later this month. The Slovenian completed the Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double this year, the first rider to do so since Marco Pantani in 1998, and will be a hot favourite for victory in Montréal after his win in 2022.

"Since the creation of the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal, we have worked tirelessly to establish races that stand out on the world stage for their high standards, professionalism, and the warm welcome from the Québec public," Joseph Limare, general manager of the two Canadian races, said in a press release.

"Every year, we have the privilege of welcoming the biggest names in cycling. This year, the presence of riders like Tadej Pogačar and Biniam Girmay is clear proof of that. The quality of this year’s field is a recognition of our constant commitment to offer exceptional events, with a large enthusiastic audience."

The World Championships are set to return to Montréal in 2026 after they were last held in the Canadian city in 1974 when Eddy Merckx claimed the rainbow bands. Limare said that his ambition was to see both of the Canadian races continue to grow in the years ahead after they became part of the WorldTour in 2010.

"As we move towards the 2026 UCI Road World Championships, in Montréal, our ambition is to continue to elevate these races to new heights, to the delight of cycling fans around the world," he explained.

It’s probably impossible for us to imagine quite how famous Biniam Girmay is in Eritrea, his home country, right now. 

The Intermarché-Wanty rider won for a third time on stage 12 of the Tour de France in Villeneuve-sur-Lot on Thursday, proving that he is the most in-form sprinter in the race in the process. 

But he is not just the best sprinter in this race, but one of - if not the most - successful Eritream sportsman on the planet right now. He is, also, the first ever Black rider to win a Tour stage, a second Tour stage, and now a third Tour stage. Girmay could – probably will – also win the green jersey, as he leads the points competition by over 100 from his nearest challenger. It should not be forgotten that he is the only Black rider here, too.

In this race of history-making, the 24-year-old’s performance has been seriously impressive, given how difficult his journey to the top has been, given the chronic underrepresentation of ethnic minorities and Africans in cycling has been. It is not just another win.

Given all that, Girmay is a big name in Eritrea.

"Already my phone was going crazy after the first stage,” he explained. “Now it’s better if I don’t use my phone. One time after my second victory on my normal phone [there were] close to 600 messages. I even had a problem with my team because I couldn’t see [team messages] because I kept getting new messages. I always ask my roommate what the plan is for today. The reaction is already high, especially in my country, and it’s going a bit crazy now.”

The Tour de France has had Eritrean trailblazers before - Daniel Teklehaimanot, Natnael Berhane, Merhawi Kudus, among others - but Girmay has hopefully opened the door for many more black Africans to follow.

“I’m comfortable in myself,” he said. "To be honest, cycling is not a global sport like other sports, so I’m super happy to show and deliver that it is more global. We are seeing more and more from different continents, which is nice. It’s a good vision for young talent, because if you work on that, especially on European teams, if they invest a lot in African cycling, we can have a more global sport. This year, I am the only one, black rider in the peloton, which is not nice. I wish there were more black riders in the peloton. For me, it’s pretty comfortable, because I enjoy every single moment.”

Girmay being the only black rider at the Tour is the rule, and the exception, too. Of 524 male WorldTour riders, there are just five black Africans: Henok Mulubrhan (Astana Qazaqstan), Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier and Natnael Tesfatsion (both Lidl-Trek), Welay Hagos Berhe (Jayco AlUla), and Girmay. 

The barriers to getting into professional cycling are enormous, and are insurmountable to many. However, Girmay being here and in such good form should provide a beacon to all.

There is usually a sprinter in the race who stamps their authority - Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) last year, Mark Cavendish (then Deceuninck-Quick Step) in 2021 - and it is often a rider we think of as the best sprinter of his age group. For Girmay to be in this company is very impressive. 

“I think I’m here with the best shape of my life,” he said. “I felt super good every single moment. I wake up every day and say in the mirror, 'let’s do it again, let’s show'. To win three stages… for me, I knew given how hard it is to get any pro victory that it’s unbelievable, it’s super motivating, and it gives me good power for the rest of my career.”

The Intermarché rider is only 24, and has most of his career ahead of him. If he can harness this power, then he could go on to great things, even if Cavendish’s record seems out of reach; “I haven’t had 35 pro victories, so it’s going to be tough to win 35,” he joked.

Something has clearly changed for Girmay, who has become almost dominant at this race.

“To be honest, the last two years were pretty hard,” he said. “2022 I showed I could do good results, and then everything was on my shoulders, a lot of pressure. Everyone expected a lot of me. This gave me a lot of pressure inside myself. Last year was the time to learn, the time to improve. Everything social media, and they way people look at me, I learned quite a lot. I put pressure to myself to the limit… I changed a lot of things on my training schedule this year, even my philosophy. I learned quite a lot from last year's Tour de France, and this year I am working on my mistakes from last year.”

If this is Girmay learning from his mistakes, then who is to say he can’t learn from his successes and become the world’s best sprinter? The making of history hasn’t finished yet, and nor will his fame in Eritrea.

Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) is making a name for himself during this year’s Tour de France with three stage wins to his name already. In winning stage three, he became the first Black African to win a Tour de France stage, and by winning again on stage 8 and then stage 12, Girmay is on target to becoming the next sprint king. 

These wins come after a strong start to his 2024 season, which included two top-three stage finishes at the Santos Tour Down Under and a third place stage finish during stage three of this year’s Giro d’Italia. 

Girmay, 24, is the first Black African rider to wear the coveted Green Jersey in the Tour de France, and he's fighting to keep hold of it as the Tour surpasses its half way point. Here are 13 things you should know about this living legend. 

1. Girmay hails from Eritrea, a country in eastern Africa that borders the Red Sea and has a population of approximately 6.34 million. He grew up in Asmara, the country's capital city.
2. Girmay began cycling thanks to his cousin, Meron Teshome, a former professional cyclist. 
3. Girmay’s dad is a cycling fan and as a child, Girmay used to watch the Tour de France each July on TV with his father, who would explain to Girmay how hard the Tour is and that it is the “number one sport in the world.”

4. Girmay joined the World Cycling Centre as a junior elite cyclist and became the triple junior cycling champion of Africa by winning the road race, individual time trial and team time trial in 2018. 
5. Girmay’s first professional win was in 2019 with the Eritrea National Team, where he won stage three of the La Tropicale Amissa Bongo stage race.
6. Girmay signed with Intermarché-Wanty in 2021 after having been let go from the Delko team roster earlier that year. 
7. In 2021, Girmay became the first Black African rider to finish on the podium at the UCI Road World Championships when he finished second in the U23 road race. 
8. When he was 21, Girmay became the first rider from a sub-Saharan country to win a single-day classic race when he took first place at the Gent-Wevelgem race.

9. In 2022, Girmay became the first Black African rider to win a stage at the Giro d’Italia when he won stage 10, fending off Mathieu van der Pol in a sprint finish. (Due to an unfortunate podium accident, he had to abandon the race the next day.)
10. Girmay is married and has one daughter who is three. His wife and daughter currently live in Eritrea. 
11. When Girmay won stage three of this year’s Tour de France, he became the first Black African rider to win a stage in the Tour. Girmay then won stage eight, outsprinting Jasper Philipsen and Arnaud De Lie.
12. Girmay is also the first African rider to wear the Green Jersey, which he hopes to win outright at the end of this year’s Tour de France.
13. Girmay’s idol throughout the sport has been primarily Peter Sagan, but he’s also a Mark Cavendish fan.

It was difficult to detect any sign of disappointment in Jasper Philipsen as he arrived back at the Alpecin-Deceuninck team bus in the Colombey-les-Deux-Églises drizzle on Saturday afternoon, a stark contrast to the mood in Dijon after his relegation on Thursday. 

Yet again, Philipsen finished in second place in another Tour de France stage, this time narrowly beaten by Biniam Girmay, but there were no histrionics this time, no fists slammed onto car bonnets or objects thrown inside the bus. 

Instead, just a few words were exchanged with the waiting wives and girlfriends of the riders, an over-excited puppy was given some attention and then the Belgian fastman climbed inside the bus for the sanctuary of a hot shower and a brief few minutes peace to gather his thoughts before facing the throng of waiting journalists and television crews gathering outside. 

Did he make any mistakes on the uphill finishing drag at the base of the hill below the Mémorial Charles-de-Gaulle? "Not that I know of," Philipsen said.

"I think in the end it was a pretty tough finish and I didn't feel great today so I was a bit surprised I was still second. But I think it's a finish that Girmay also suits very well though so he deserved to win.

"I think we just need to get it right and we need to have smaller adjustments and then the win will come also."

"I think it will turn around," he added regarding his team’s fortune. "If we can be second, we can win as well. And once we have a bit better luck then we're on the move."

Philipsen won four stages at the Tour 18 months ago on the way to winning the green jersey in Paris. This time out he has managed three second places so far, with one of them not standing after he was judged to have blocked off Wout van Aert during the sprint in Dijon won by Dylan Groenewegen. 

"I didn't have the best legs today," Philipsen explained. "It was a tough day. I think we had a deserved winner and we have to look at the next opportunities.

"I think the numbers are good.  We just need a little bit more luck and some momentum and then the result will come."

Alpecin-Deceuninck head sports director Christoph Roodhooft echoed Philipsen’s stance on the result, suggested that he was beaten by the better man in Girmay and hinted that the team had also held back slightly with the key gravel stage to come around Troyes on Sunday. 

"Frustrating is not the correct word," Roodhooft said. "He was beaten by [Biniam] Girmay… when you see the peloton in the end, a lot of good riders dropped out of nowhere. So it was a really hard, tough day and Jasper launched his sprint at I think a good moment and he's beaten by Girmay."

Philipsen’s Alpecin teammate, Mathieu van der Poel is, on paper, a rider that normally would be expected to flourish on the gravel stage. The current road world champion has had a relatively uneventful opening week to the race, but Roodhoft suggested he had held his prize asset back with the gravel in mind after he hadn’t been involved in Philipsen’s leadout. 

He said: "Tomorrow is another day also for Mathieu and that's why we wanted to keep him a bit where he wanted to be and he did not even do the leadout because he was not feeling really strong," Roodhooft said

"After the race, it's always easy to say how you should have done it in the end of course, but I think this team was strong enough today without Mathieu."

In writing his name into the history books on stage three as the first black African to win a stage of the Tour de France, Biniam Girmay wasn’t just ticking a box that should have been filled-in much earlier, but instead starting his path to sporting stardom.

On stage eight, another day of frequent rain showers, Girmay, resplendent in the green jersey as the leader of the points classification, outsprinted Jasper Philipsen and Arnaud De Lie in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises to win his second stage of the race, a tally that very few, if any, would have predicted before the race got underway.

The uphill finish certainly fitted the Intermarché-Wanty man’s characteristics, but yet again the Eritrean got the better of other fastmen, who were tipped to dominate sprint days. 

“I couldn’t believe it in Turin as it was really an opportunity for the fast sprinters and the biggest guys, so to win in front of them, and also for my first Tour de France victory, was something I couldn’t believe at the time,” Girmay said afterwards. “Today we planned it really well and I knew I could do a good sprint.”

A third of the way through the 2024 edition, Girmay, a 24-year-old born at 2,300m of altitude in a country that had never before produced Tour de France stage winners, is the race’s new sprint king and has a lead of 88 points in the points classification.

Will he hold green all the way to the race’s finish in Nice in two weeks’ time? “If we continue going like this, it will be perfect,” Girmay said. “But there are still two weeks to go, lots of mountain stages, and so for me personally I try to finish safely, but I don’t have any pressure to go crazy.”

Speaking to Cycling Weekly 24 hours before his latest triumph, Girmay said that “if no one guy continues winning [the sprints], it can be good for me, and the way I am sprinting gives me confidence. I will try to give everything to keep this jersey.”

Girmay’s idol as he was making his way through the sport was Peter Sagan, a seven-time winner of the Tour’s points classification, often achieved by winning intermediate sprints on rolling and mountainous days. The Eritrean, however, won’t be emulating his hero’s tactics. “He was better on the climbs so he always collected intermediate points there, but we will see – maybe I will do that in the last week,” Girmay said.

“It’s best if we let them go [a breakaway] because they [intermediate sprints] don't count a lot of points. I need to be really close to the top three in every single sprint at the end to keep the jersey, otherwise if I am a bit far back from the top-three I will lose a lot of points.”

It’s a strategy that is paying dividends so far. Following his success in Turin, Girmay finished second on stage six, upgraded from third after Philipsen’s relegation, and won again two days later. “From my childhood it was a dream to win a stage of the Tour de France, so the first time was the best one, and the second time was more relaxed,” Girmay added. “Now is the time to enjoy my victory and I am so happy in the green jersey. I have no pressure.”

He predicted that tables, bottles and TVs would be thrown and broken in Eritrea after his historic triumph on Monday, so what about this time? “More and more happiness, celebrations and people having fun,” he said. “To win in the green jersey today blows their mind. They will be happy.

“Since Turin I almost didn’t open my phone because there are a lot of messages. I can't imagine now to see [the celebrations] after winning a stage in the green jersey. It will be absolutely crazy.”

His teammate Mike Teunissen said that Girmay “is slowly getting there” when asked if he now ranks as one of the peloton’s best sprinters, but admitted that neither he nor his team expected him to be as successful in the Tour as he has been. "Definitely not,” the Dutchman said. “But all the sprints we have done he has shown a really good level, and today especially the finish suited him perfectly. We had all the confidence and he showed up with a really nice win.”

Girmay made his Tour debut in 2023, his best result being third on one stage, but the Eritrean, who won a stage of the 2022 Giro d’Italia, didn't make his mark on the race as some had hoped for. “I think last year was a learning experience for him,” Teunissen said. “It really was not easy, but that experience gave him some morale and less stress to bring to this one. 

“Bringing Gerben [Thijssen, fellow sprinter, to the Tour] was a good move from the team as Biniam feels less pressure. On the first stage he showed up and sprints and wins, and now he has the confidence and today he does it again. Hopefully he can do even better in the next stages.”

It will not have escaped your attention that Biniam Girmay made history at the Tour de France on Monday’s stage three, by becoming the first black African to ever win a stage of the French Grand Tour. He was also the first Eritrean, and the first Intermarché-Wanty rider, to achieve the feat. The 24-year-old has a habit of making history. 

He did the same at the Giro d’Italia in 2022, when he became the first black African to win a stage of that race, and of any Grand Tour. A couple of months earlier that year, he’d become the first black African to win a Classic, at Gent-Wevelgem. As I said, he has a track record as a history maker.

The outpouring of pure joy at the victory was huge, and well deserved. It should be, it could be, a watershed moment for the incredibly white, and still Europe-centric sport of cycling. Girmay himself, already a superstar, will be elevated to a whole new level, an inspiration for an entire continent. 

On social media after the momentous win, Girmay posted: “Let me open the door”. 

This is noble, magnanimous, but he can not do it alone. Cycling cannot relax now, pat itself on the back, and think “job done”. There is so much work to be done to make the sport more representative, more open to people from backgrounds like Girmay, and others from non-traditional cycling countries. 

The Eritrean might be the first black African to win a Tour de France stage, but he is also the only black rider in the whole peloton of 176, and is one of only three Africans - Ryan Gibbons and Louis Meintjes are both white South Africans. 

This is nothing exceptional either. Of 524 male WorldTour riders, there are just five black Africans: Henok Mulubrhan (Astana Qazaqstan), Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier and Natnael Tesfatsion (both Lidl-Trek), Welay Hagos Berhe (Jayco AlUla), and Girmay. There are other non-white riders, and other non-Europeans, but white Europeans are still an overwhelming majority.

The barriers to this number increasing are enormous. As we have covered, visa issues are a big problem, with many young African cyclists denied entry to Europe because of strict controls on immigration and foreign nationals working there. It is almost impossible for young boys and girls from countries like Eritrea, Rwanda and Ethiopia to come and train in Europe, let alone race there.

The increase of data in cycling, in some ways, has meant that there are more avenues for riders to come into the sport in non-traditional ways, like the Zwift Academy. However, most of this requires access to training platforms and a good, regular internet connection, which is out of reach for many people in developing countries across the globe, still. We might all be able to hop onto our Wi-Fi or mobile data whenever we like, but not all are so lucky. Girmay has spoken before of having to go to an internet cafe and use a dodgy connection to chat to his coach and use Training Peaks; this is an entry-level barrier.

Cycling is an incredibly expensive sport to get into, with or without the internet and training platforms. This is why it remains such a middle-class venture in Europe, let alone in the rest of the world. Think about your bike, your computer, your kit, your nutrition, and also the availability of free time to train. Add in all the other complications, and it’s a mountain.

The sport continues to be overwhelmingly white, and rooted in the culture of its European homelands. We can all celebrate the significance of Monday, but we should not rest on our laurels, think that the job is done now.

Girmay’s victory was a historic moment, but his rise to the top of cycling is also miraculous. He might have opened the door, but it is only ajar. A lot still needs to be done to force it open for anyone else to follow.

This piece is part of The Leadout, the offering of newsletters from Cycling Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here.

If you want to get in touch with Adam, email adam.becket@futurenet.com.

Biniam Girmay - who yesterday became the first black African to win a stage of the Tour de France - almost had his career derailed by issues obtaining a visa, an obstacle still facing talented riders taking their first steps into the professional world.

The 24-year-old Eritrean fought to get a visa approved late in 2019 and into early 2020, before signing with Team Delko. With entry to Europe approved, he was able to chase his dreams, signing with Intermarché-Wanty in 2021 and becoming the first black African to win a Grand Tour stage in 2022, at the Giro d'Italia. 

His history-making career almost ended early.

"Biniam's visa issues were so challenging," Team Africa Rising's Kim Coats told Cycling Weekly. The not-for-profit organisation helps riders across the continent, and Coats says that many are still facing the same battle. 

As an example, Coats highlights the story of 19-year-old Florence Nakaggwa of the Masaka Cycling Club in Uganda, who recently agreed a deal with the Canyon-SRAM Generation development squad. Several months after signing, Nakaggwa has still been unable to secure the documents needed to move to Europe, where she can cut her teeth racing in larger pelotons. 

"She's a fantastic cyclist, she's only 19 years old, and she was signed by Canyon-SRAM. She submitted her visa paperwork three weeks ago for the third time, and they still don't have any word back on her," Coats said. 

"I'm also trying to get four young women from Benin to a month-long training camp in France. It's a really big challenge, and it will derail some of their careers, sadly enough," Coats said.

Speaking at a press conference following his stage win in Turin, Gimay highlighted the need for young African riders to access the European racing scene. 

"We need to come as junior riders to Europe," he said. 

"I remember when I was a junior, I needed to learn the culture in Europe because it's totally different to Eritrea. I needed to learn English and to learn the cycling language which took a while.

"If you come at 23, 24 you already lose some time. I don't know what the problem is these last few years. The UCI already stopped having African riders on the development team. There is a lot of talent in Africa but it always depends on how the others look to support African riders."

Sadly, the situation is not improving. 

"It's getting more challenging as the years go on," Coats adds. "There's so much talent and when I hear people say things like 'they just have to show what they have, get 'em to the race and they just need to show up’ they can't show up, they have to overcome so many hurdles, both financially, with visas and with international politics."

The moment Girmay crossed the finish line in Turin, Coats' phone exploded with "hundreds of messages" from riders across Africa. 

"This win by Biniam takes it to a whole new level. This is the Tour de France. This is the pinnacle of where all these guys and girls want to be someday. I guarantee you the belief level has gone through the roof with all of our riders. 

"You just have this huge groundswell of development and enthusiasm for the sport. Biniam [has] showed every single one of these kids that they can do it too, because representation matters."

Speaking after his win, Girmey implored cycling's major stakeholders to invest in talent from outside of Europe. 

"Please continue to search for young talent and give them support and help them to continue to be part of the European cycling culture. [Ecuadorian Richard] Carapaz wearing yellow and an Eritrean winning a stage shows that cycling is starting to become even more global right now. 

"I hope we can continue to inspire young talent from Africa and I hope the big teams also start to look at talent that isn't just in Europe."

The Tour de France hoped – expected? – for history on stage three in Turin, but the occasion that ensued was different and much more significant than Mark Cavendish winning a 35th stage; Biniam Girmay triumphing ahead of the best sprinters in the world to become the first black African cyclist to win a stage in the race is a watershed moment for the sport, a ceiling, at long last, punched through.

While Cavendish, and almost every other bike rider in the professional peloton, had the opportunity as a child to watch the Tour de France on holiday, a young Girmay never had the chance to watch his heroes, which included Cavendish, in the flesh.

As a small and slight boy growing up in Eritrea's capital city of Asmara, some 5,000km from France, Girmay was introduced to cycling by his carpenter father at the age of 11. Every July, his dad would sit his family down after lunch and say "'come on, guys, turn on the TV – now it’s time to watch the Tour de France',” Girmay remembered. “He always showed us how the Tour de France is, how it works, how difficult it is, and that this is the number one sport in the world.” 

Eritrea is cycling-mad, but it never had a cycling hero on the global stage until 2015, when Daniel Teklehaimanot wore the King of the Mountains jersey at the Tour for four stages. That was the moment when everything changed for a 15-year-old Girmay. “When Daniel won, I said, ‘Maybe this is possible, to be part of this [the Tour] one time," he said. "Daniel showed us everything is possible and that we [African cyclists] can win stages. My father said to keep believing."

Girmay progressed through the domestic ranks in Eritrea, but African bike racing is a world away compared to European cycling: pelotons are a fifth of the size, races are much shorter, and opportunities are few and far between. “There are a lot of obstacles, lots of ups and downs, and especially for African riders it’s not easy to be a professional,” Girmay explained. “We train and race in local races, but we don't have a lot of time to show our potential [on a wider scale].”

Unperturbed, Girmay was not to be defeated; he was obsessed with cycling. Living at 2,300m, he felt that he wasn’t born to go up mountains, but instead to push fast on the flat. “We don’t see a lot of black sprinters: everybody has slim bodies and less weight which means we are more used to the climbs, "he said. "But I grew up as a sprinter. [Peter] Sagan was my idol, also Cav.” He remembers going for rides where all he did was sprint intervals. “I always trained to improve my speed.”

At 18, Girmay was selected to train and live at the UCI’s World Cycling Centre in the Swiss Alps, but life was difficult: there was a language to learn, a new culture to adapt to, and friends to be made, all while being a long, expensive flight away from his family. “For one year I almost didn’t do anything because I needed to learn,” he recalled. “I knew nothing about Europe, it was totally different to Eritrea. I needed to learn English, to learn the cycling language, and that takes a while.” The racing education was the toughest, but bit by bit he adapted to bigger pelotons, faster racing and more difficult parcours.

He became a pro in 2020 with Nippo Delko One Provence, and progressed to the WorldTour in late 2021 with Intermarché-Wanty, first as a stagiaire. The following spring he won Gent-Wevelgem and then a stage of the Giro d’Italia. Limits were being reset, expectation was rising, and the question became ubiquitous, asked everywhere Girmay lined up: “Will you be the first black African to win a stage of the Tour de France?”

He shirked his response, finally settled into a rinse-and-repeat answer, but never felt truly appeared comfortable with the hope of an entire continent resting on his shoulders. But then, on July 1, 2024, the day when the cycling world was preparing itself for a different kind of history, a 24-year-old Girmay delivered the definitive answer to that question. He darting out of a perfect leadout, and won in Turin. For the first time in 121 years of Tour de France history, a black African is a stage winner. 

“Today I think everybody will believe that African cyclists can do everything,” Girmay declared. “It means a lot personally for me, but especially for the continent. Eritrean cycling has a long history in cycling – we really have cycling inside our blood, we know so much about the Tour de France, and to win today is amazing. To see myself with the fastest in the world is unbelievable.”

The magnitude and significance of the victory was immediately present inside the  Intermarché-Wanty camp. “My first words to the guys on the radio were, ‘We made history today,” smiled Aike Visbeek, the team’s lead sports director. “This is super important – there is a whole continent that has been waiting for this.”

Back in his home country, the scenes, Girmay predicted, would be pandemonium. “I think for sure a lot of things will be broken,” he laughed. “A lot of TVs I think. I remember two years ago when I won in the Giro d’Italia, I read that a lot of people said because of my victory they were in front of bars throwing bottles and tables because they were super happy. But today I think it will be…” he tailed off. “Crazy. I can’t imagine. It will be on fire.” 

Sometimes in sport, the best lessons don’t come from finishing on the top step of the podium, but from finding yourself the underdog: there in the heat of competition but not quite having enough to overcome your rivals and revel in the glory of a medal winning ride.

The junior ranks of cycling are no exception, something 18-year-old Ugandan Kamya Richard found out during his World Championship debut in Glasgow last weekend.

Richard, who rides in Uganda for the Masaka cycling club, travelled to Glasgow to make his first Worlds appearance with one of Masaka's patrons Ross Burrage.

After missing an early move that split the main field in the race, Richard was pulled from the action having lost time on the leaders, but as he tells Cycling Weekly, he now knows what he needs to do in order to follow in the footsteps of African WorldTour stars like Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay in the years ahead.

"Even just starting out riding in the bunch was just very amazing for me," he told Cycling Weekly.

"Every rider was there fighting for position and for me, I just ended up looking on and going to the back. I didn't get a chance to get in front of the peloton as it was very, very difficult for me. The other guys were just so much faster," he said, adding that the experience was "fantastic" and one which he "learned so much" from.

“Most of my life back in Uganda, I thought that I was the best junior rider, but last Saturday I soon realised who the best juniors are in the world.”

“In Uganda when we've been watching the Tour de France, we think 'ahhh we can go with those guys. They are not much better than us,' but here only the juniors go and show me what I'm missing,” he adds with the biggest smile in Scotland, clearly full of gratitude for just having the chance to test himself against his peers.

A surprise phone call 

Prior to travelling to the championships, Richard had never left Uganda before; recalling the moment he found out he’d been selected for competition, he told Cycling Weekly: “One day I was home from training and I was just sitting on my bed,” he explains. “Chairman Mirro [Masaka cycling club chairperson and founder] called me. He said 'hey Richard', I said 'yes chairman' and he said 'Richard, you've been selected for the Scotland World Championships' I just couldn't believe it and started crying. I got up, thanked God and said ‘Mum, I'm going to Scotland!' It was just unbelievable.”

Before Richard leaves Scotland, he’ll ride Friday’s men’s junior time trial in Stirling and have the opportunity to test himself at the highest level once more.

He explains that without the influence of Burrage, Sam Mutton - who has been instrumental in introducing Masaka's riders to the Zwift platform - and his coach Owen Fidler, his experiences at the Worlds would never have been possible. 

“Before the road race, Ross [Burrage] told me that whenever they leave you, just keep on fighting,” he says. “I listened and just kept on fighting until they burned me out in the legs. It just showed me that everything that the coaches were telling me at home, it was very true."

Back at home, Richard regularly races in the Ugandan capital Kampala, where the team is rapidly building a reputation as being one of the best in the region - thanks, according to Richard, to the expert guidance of Fidler.

“The races we're used to riding in Kampala can be very tough on us,” he says. “But then we got Coach Owen, he taught us how to ride in a race, the tactics that you need and then we started winning in Uganda.

"We always say that if you didn't get the first position at least try to have two riders on the podium. Now our team is very very strong. Even in Kampala they're now saying our team is very organised and very strong and one of the best.

“When I heard I was coming to these worlds, I went straight to Coach Owen and said 'Coach Owen, I need to work on myself. Can you help me to get to the level of these guys, because I'm not anywhere,'" he adds. “But now after this I'm ready and I have learned so much.

“Everything Coach Owen told me, now, I've seen it with my own eyes and I now know how to get better and ready for next time." We'll be watching. 

Biniam Girmay is to miss the Glasgow World Championships due to injury, his team has announced, amid reports that the Eritrean had faced issues gaining a visa.

On Wednesday morning, GCN News reported that Girmay, along with his Eritrean teammates Natnael Tesfatsion, Merhawi Kudus, and Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier, had all been denied visas to enter the UK for the worlds.

However, later on Wednesday, Girmay's team, Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, published a press release saying that he would miss the worlds due to an injury sustained at last week's Clasica San Sebastián.

Intermarché's statement read: "[Girmay] crashed at a speed of more than 60 kilometres per hour and suffers from contusions and pain in the hip, preventing him from defending his chances at the Elite World Championships."

Girmay added that he was "very disappointed" to be missing the World Championships which he said was his “main goal for this season since last winter".

Girmay said in the statement. "I had a good feeling after the Tour de France, but my crash in the Classica San Sebastián caused too severe pain to be able to defend my chances in the worlds.

"My priority is now to recover from this crash and then the preparation for the last part of the season, with nice goals in one day races such as the Grand Prix de Plouay and Canadian classics.”

GCN reported that while Girmay, Tesfatsion, Kudus, and Ghebreigzabhier were facing visa issues, their three other Eritrean teammates Natnael Berhane, Henok Mulubrahn, and Dawit Yemane had all been granted entry.

It is unclear why the four were denied visas. CW understands that Girmay has a Schengen visa, which allows him to travel through the EU unimpeded, although he would have needed to apply for an extra visa in order to travel to the UK. 

He lives in San Marino, a state enclaved within Italy, along with Tesfatsion and Ghebreigzabhier. GCN reported that the four were still hoping to obtain visas and travel to Glasgow for the worlds.

Girmay would have been among the favourites for the road race on Sunday, with its Amstel Gold Race-like course suiting his qualities as a rider. He became the first African to win a cobbled Classic at Gent-Wevelgem last year and followed this up by being the first Black African to win a stage of the Giro d’Italia.

He raced the Tour de France this July, finishing third on stage seven to Bordeaux.

Intermarché, Girmay's agent, the Eritrean Cycling Federation, and the UK Home Office were all contacted for comment on the visa issue, but had not responded by time of publication.

There were 168 race days across the men's WorldTour season, with the World Championships added in, and 75 race days in the Women's WorldTour, meaning deciding which were the best triumphs of 2022 is a quite difficult endeavour.

I mean, it would be difficult were it not clear which was the best win of the year already: Annemiek van Vleuten's World Championship road race victory in Wollongong was the most memorable end to a race of the year, and possibly one of the most incredible finishes ever, such was the drama.

However, it would be quite a boring list were this to just contain Van Vleuten's Australian adventure, so there are eight more on here for you to recall; some you might have forgotten, and some you almost definitely have not.

Seeing as there is such a breadth of racing to take a pick from, from both women's and men's races, there should probably be some ground rules.

Firstly, all these races are from the WorldTour, the highest level of racing, or the World Championships, or we would get stuck in a never ending list of our own making. Secondly, there can only be one pick per race, otherwise some would dominate while others were forgotten.

The Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes were great, but they can only be represented once. Interestingly, one wonders whether these seem so great in our memory because they were the events of the year, with all the hype; memory is a fickle thing.

Finally, only one pick per rider, or it could be a bit imbalanced towards certain riders, so only one win from Wout van Aert, Tadej Pogačar or Annemiek van Vleuten.

So, off the back of these rules, honourable mentions must go to Mark Cavendish at the British nationals, Tom Pidcock at the Tour, Annemiek van Vleuten at the Giro d'Italia Donne, and Lotte Kopecky at the Tour of Flanders, among others. If you disagree, please feel free to get angry, but remember, this is just my opinion, not a comprehensive list. 

Anyway, here we go, chronologically...

Lotte Kopecky - Strade Bianche

Lotte Kopecky had a great season, which was made all the more impressive by it being her first year with SD Worx, a super team where she could have been crowded out by other talents. Instead, she thrived under pressure. I could have picked her victory at the Tour of Flanders, which I was there for, with all the emotion of a Belgian winning in the Belgian tricolor, but her win at Strade Bianche was more impressive.

The 27-year-old was off the front of the race on three separate occasions, twice with Annemiek van Vleuten, the only rider to have ever won the race twice. The all-conquering Dutchwoman was clearly the rider to watch, and was part of the large group which came into Siena together, along with Kopecky.

However, with the help of her teammate Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, the Belgian timed her attacks perfectly, sprinting around the final corner into the Piazza del Campo in front of Van Vleuten, preventing her from winning a third, and showing what a powerful and shrewd racer she has become.

She used the right line around that last bend, forcing Van Vleuten wide in the process, guaranteeing her the best shot at that famous finish in the middle of the medieval city. It was a perfect start to her time at SD Worx.

"You’re never confident [of beating van Vleuten], but I had a good feeling today, and I knew the person to follow was Annemiek and first, I had to let her go a bit," Kopecky said after. "I don’t know what happened in my head, but I just kept going, and when we turned to the right, I passed her, but then the other corner, she passed me again, and it was really just one sprint to the last corner. It is amazing to win this race."

Tadej Pogačar - Strade Bianche

Back to Tuscany once again - there is something about Strade Bianche that makes it a must-watch, and seems to always produce fantastic racing.

Back in March Tadej Pogačar took a different approach to Kopecky had done earlier the same day, and rather than sticking with the favourites until the final climb, decided to go it alone from far out, very far out in fact. The kilometres to go ticker had barely gone down past 50km when the Slovenian powered off the front on a gravel sector.

It wasn't as much a stinging attack as gliding away, and then holding onto that lead for well over an hour. By the final climb into Siena the race was over, and it looked like a year in which Pogačar would conquer all again - this might not have exactly come true, but there were still golden moments.

Christophe Laporte - Paris-Nice, stage one

Jumbo-Visma seemed on fire throughout the year, and we will come back to their brilliant teamwork a bit later, but this statement victory at the beginning of Paris-Nice set the tone.

Jumbo-Visma used a short third category climb six kilometres from the finish to unleash panic in the peloton and to put themselves into a commanding position that set them up for the win and denied the sprinters the chance they had been hoping would arise.

The trio of Primož Roglič, Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte flew up the final ascent with the peloton behind them unable to respond, before the three riders descended in unison and then crossed the line as one, Laporte being afforded the honours of taking the stage win with Roglič coming home in second. The peloton were 22 seconds in arrears.

Roglič ended up winning overall, after his team controlled the race from start to finish. Not a bad start to the stage racing season.

Matej Mohorič - Milan-San Remo

With the help of an innovation - a dropper seat post - Matej Mohorič descended to victory at Milan-San Remo, taking his first Monument in the process. 

With the bunch settling momentarily as the Poggio was crested, the Slovenian took his chance to attack, descending with nerves of steel and managing to create a slender gap back to the bunch. There were a couple of nervy moments as he went wide into a corner or two, but he kept it going to power to the line.

As he told Cycling Weekly before Christmas: “To have a plan come together like this is probably a once in a lifetime experience.”

Marta Cavalli - Amstel Gold Race

As we will see, when Annemiek van Vleuten makes a decisive attack, that is usually that, race over. However, back at the Amstel Gold Race it did not go the Dutchwoman's way - although it would at Liège-Bastogne-Liège three weeks later. On this Sunday, though, on her home roads, it was not a day for AVV but for Marta Cavalli.

The Italian caught her companions in the lead group by surprise with just under 2km to go, on the final ascent of the Cauberg, and stormed to victory. In an FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine-Futuroscope shorn of their natural leader in Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, the French squad had to get inventive, and were aggressive all day. That spirit did not end, with Cavalli proving her mettle.

Despite the presence of two SD Worx riders - Ashleigh Moolman Pasio and Demi Vollering - and other fast finishers like Kasia Niewiadoma and Elisa Balsamo chasing, Cavalli picked her moment to perfection, and once she got going, no one could stop her. It was an attack full of bravery.

The Frenchwoman would go on to triumph at Flèche Wallonne a fortnight later, proving herself as the Queen of the Ardennes races for 2022.

Elisa Longo Borghini - Paris-Roubaix

There have only been two editions of Paris-Roubaix Femmes to date, and yet we appear to have stumbled upon a formula for the race already: A Trek-Segafredo rider goes on a perfectly timed solo attack, and wins alone in the velodrome. We will have to wait until April to see if this stands up for a third time in a row.

In 2022 it was Elisa Longo Borghini's turn to power to victory across the cobbles. The Italian champion attacked solo with 38km of the race remaining, and though her lead was never secure, her Trek-Segafredo team mates behind made the case difficult.

Behind her, a group of seven women formed in pursuit, but with two team mates in attendance the chase was unable to gel and the Italian took a lead approaching 30 seconds into the Roubaix velodrome.

The win had been set up from early on, with Ellen van Dijk forcing the pace on the first cobbled sector, and by the time Longo Borghini went, no one could match her. A glorious day for the Italian.

Biniam Girmay - Giro d'Italia, stage 10

As landmark wins go, this was a big one, with Biniam Girmay becoming the first Eritrean and first black African rider to win a Grand Tour stage.

The win was a lot more than that though, with stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia becoming more and more chaotic on the run in to the finish in Jesi. The difficulty of the finalé can be seen in the varied names of competitors who finished behind Girmay: Mathieu van der Poel, Richard Carapaz and Romain Bardet were all close.

Coming into the final 500m, the Eritrean hit the front as he launched off of teammate Domenico Pozzovivo's rear wheel. The Eritrean superbly managed to fend off Van der Poel in the closing stages with his superior strength.

Recognising he didn't have the legs to beat Girmay, the Dutchman gave his rival a thumbs up while crossing the finish line. It was beautiful.

Sadly, an incident with the Prosecco cork on the podium meant he had to depart the race early, but the young man will be back at the top. 

Wout van Aert - Tour de France, stage four

Another race in France, another masterclass from Jumbo-Visma. This time, Wout van Aert was the beneficiary of excellent teamwork from Tiesj Benoot and Christophe Laporte, with the final categorised hill providing the launch pad for his audacious attack with 11km to go. Simply put, no one could catch the Belgian in yellow once he had gone.

Jumbo had dramatically upped the tempo on that final climb, splitting the peloton up the hill. Only Ineos Grenadiers were attempting to keep pace through Adam Yates, but Van Aert attacked again and was never seen again.

Such was the surprise of his solo attack that Jasper Philipsen didn't even realise that his sprint for the line was for second place, and the Belgian celebrated as if he had won. The problem was, Van Aert was already warming down ahead of the peloton.

It wasn't the last of Jumbo-Visma's impressive attacks at the Tour - the Col du Granon stage which saw Jonas Vingegaard crack Tadej Pogačar was a highlight, but the day in Calais stands out as a great win.

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig - Tour de France Femmes, stage three

Uttrup Ludwig's biggest victory to date came at the end of a long, tough, lumpy day from Reims to Épernay, and from an elite group that contained the yellow jersey, Marianne Vos, and the eventual overall winner, Annemiek van Vleuten. It also followed an opening couple of days of the Tour where things had been tough for Uttrup Ludwig’s FDJ-Suez- Futuroscope team, with her losing lots of time on GC on stage two, and Marta Cavalli being forced to abandon. 

Even with 200 metres to go, the Dane looked out of it, with Vos, Ashleigh Moolman Pasio and Kasia Niewiadoma looking like they were in the driving seat, but Uttrup Ludwig would surge around the trio in the final 100 metres, to take the biggest win of her career. 

The whole race was a stunning advertisement for women's cycling, Van Vleuten's dominance excepted, and stage three was just another part of that. 

Speaking to Cycling Weekly in December, Uttrup Ludwig could barely believe her success still: “The Tour definitely stands out as the highlight of the season. It was more the circumstances of that day having lost so much time on GC, and having lost Marta [Cavalli] the day before, and everything looking so black and dark, and the team being so down. The day after, to win, to go through such a roller coaster, was very special and kind of amazing. 

“I didn’t know I had won until I had almost crossed the line. OK, the last few metres, when I couldn’t see anyone, but it was not until I crossed the line when I was like, ‘Did this happen?’ I didn’t really think that much, it was just getting to the line. I wanted to make sure no one could overtake me, I wanted this so bad. I was just fighting.” 

Annemiek van Vleuten - World Championships road race

Just remember that Annemiek van Vleuten had a broken elbow when she did this, when she won the worlds for a second time. The Dutchwoman had crashed heavily in the mixed relay TTT just days before the road race, her participation was in doubt, the race looked decided, and then she just went and won the whole thing.

The race looked to be decided by a group of 13 riders heading into the final, with fast finishers like Lotte Kopecky and Arlenis Sierra up there, ready to pounce in the last hundred metres. However, Van Vleuten, who looked like she was out of it, suddenly came out of nowhere in the last kilometre, powering past to claim the win. The moment where nobody jumped onto her wheel decided the whole race; perhaps they were so surprised that they just could not make a decision.

Van Vleuten is a serial winner, but often her victories are not highly entertaining, such is the way she crushes her rivals into submission. But in a wet day in Wollongong, it was an incredible turn of speed which saw her sprint to victory. Simple.

"I’m still waiting for the moment for someone to tell me it’s not true,” Van Vleuten said after the race. “I had such a different plan beforehand. Today I was just a domestique with a broken elbow. And now I’m world champion."

There’s one piece of advice that 19-year-old Kiya Rogora has never forgotten. It was a warm September morning in 2021 and the Ethiopian was in the gothic Belgian city of Leuven, grabbing a coffee with his new hero Biniam Girmay.

The day before, the teenager had watched on as the Eritrean became the first Black African to win a medal at the Road World Championships, claiming silver in the men’s under-23 road race. Until that moment, Rogora had never seen someone like himself, someone with black skin, on a podium in Europe. 

In Girmay’s feat, Rogora saw what was possible. He was desperate to know what he had to do to reach the same level, so he planned out a few questions and went to meet the silver medallist.

“He told me to think, ‘That guy has two legs and I also have two legs.'” Rogora tells Cycling Weekly. “There’s nothing different. Hard work makes the difference.”

Little did Girmay know what this mentality would lead him to achieve in 2022. When he lined up at the Giro d’Italia in May, he was already a history-maker. The 22-year-old’s victory at Ghent-Wevelgem five weeks prior made him the first Black African to win a Classic, and now his sights were set on becoming the first to claim a Grand Tour stage. 

That moment came in Jesi, an unassuming, medieval town in the east of Italy. Frustrated by a string of top-five finishes, Girmay lashed down on his pedals in the finale of stage 10 and tore away from Mathieu van der Poel, the man who beat him to the pink jersey on the opening day. This time, the Dutchman was defeated. Van der Poel sat down in his saddle, gasped for air and dealt his opponent a congratulatory thumbs up. Girmay had done it again.

“I realise I’m making history,” the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux rider said after the race, but sadly he wouldn’t continue. Almost blinded by a stray bottle cork on the podium, the sprint ended up being Girmay’s last action in the Italian Grand Tour. Its impact, though, had been felt worldwide.

For Rogora, Girmay became an even bigger role model. “I’m riding with a lot of nations from Africa right now at the World Cycling Centre and they are all inspired,” the 19-year-old says. “I think we have all seen that it’s possible and we’re trying to be the next one. For me personally, I have gained a lot of confidence from his wins.” 

Today, Rogora is Ethiopia’s road and time trial champion. He has also taken top-20s in one-day races in France and Switzerland, always keeping Girmay’s advice in mind. “This year I got a lot of good results because I was thinking we’re all the same. White people, Black people, we’re the same. If you can do it, I can do it.”

It’s this feeling of belief, shared across young African riders, that is likely to be the real legacy of Girmay’s season. 

Speaking to Cycling Weekly, South African former cyclist Xylon van Eyck says that, by having role models at the highest level of the sport, Black Africans can now start to trust more in themselves and their future careers. 

“They say that you can’t be what you can’t see, and it’s just natural to relate to people who look like you,” Van Eyck says. “We should have 20, 30, 40 Biniams. It is possible. He’s showing that it’s possible.”

In his career as a media executive, Van Eyck has worked with a number of African teams and riders. He says he was never good enough to go professional himself, but felt his opportunities were capped when he first started racing in his local scene.

“We were told before that cycling is a European thing. They’d say, ‘It’s going to take you 10 years to get used to riding in the bunch and how to sit on the wheel.’ 

"Merhawi Kudus openly speaks about first getting into the pro peloton and riders actively not wanting to sit on his wheel, because they assumed he didn’t know how to ride in a bunch.

“What Biniam is doing now is he’s showing we can do this. We have the talent to do this. We can beat the best and be the best. I don’t think it’s long before he wins a Tour de France stage. I absolutely think he’s going to be the first Black African to win a Tour de France stage. It’s going to happen.”

In order to reach the same heights, Van Eyck stresses, up and coming African riders need “access” across the sport of cycling. “Access to Europe, access to development, access to teams,” he adds. “There were zero Black riders in the Tour de France this year because of lack of access, not lack of talent or because the pool is small.

“Biniam is taking it to a whole new level, showing that it’s not just making up the numbers, it’s actually being competitive.”

Today, owing in part to Girmay’s successes, more and more talent scouts are looking to Africa for the next cycling champion. Rwandan 20-year-old Eric Muhoza hopes it might be him. “I want to ride the Tour de France,” he tells Cycling Weekly. “I want to do the best competitions in the world.” 

Next season, Muhoza will join Continental team Bike Aid in Germany, edging closer to his ultimate goal. “I have the dream to be like Biniam Girmay,” he says. “Biniam is my favourite rider from Africa. I want to be like him. I want to ride in the WorldTour.” 

Double Ethiopian champion Rogora is also joining the European Continental ranks for 2023, hoping to follow in the footsteps of the man he met for coffee last September. “I want to be the next African history writer,” he says. “I want to do something in cycling that African cyclists won’t forget, like Biniam Girmay”.

As long as he has two legs, the Eritrean might tell him, anything is possible. 

This feature originally appeared in Cycling Weekly magazine on 15 December. Subscribe now and never miss an issue in 2023. 

“On paper they should beat them” is a phrase regularly heard in conversations about football.  As people gathered around televisions in their homes as well as pubs, cafes and bars world wide to watch Argentina play Saudi Arabia in the FIFA World Cup it will no doubt have entered conversations once more.

A team containing superstars such as Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria and Julian Alvarez would “on paper” surely beat Saudi Arabia's line-up of Hattan Bahebri, Saleh Al-Shehri and Riyadh Sharahili?

Apparently not, as the Saudi’s ran out 2-1 winners in the biggest upset of the competition so far. 

You don't have to search for cycling parallels, but if you did you'd probably end-up alluding to Biniam Girmay scoring victory at Gent-Wevelgem this year, outsprinting the Lionel Messi of the cobbled classics, Mathieu van der Poel. 

That’s exactly what Saudi Arabia coach Hervé Renard has done when explaining his team's shock victory to French news outlet beIN Sports in a television interview.

Renard said that his team’s performance was like an unknown classics racer managing to cross the line before heavyweights Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar.

“We joked about the win with my staff, because we are all keen on cycling,” Renard said. “Against Argentina it was a classic, we were with Van Aert, Van der Poel  and Pogačar too, and then they looked at each other, we managed to get away and we crossed the line as winners,” he added.

BEATING LIONEL MESSI IS LIKE BEATING MATHIEU VAN DER POEL

Saudi Arabia turned around a one goal deficit from a Messi penalty to win the game 2-1, which players said afterwards was thanks to an inspired team talk from Renard at halftime.

The Saudi’s then lost 2-0 to Poland in their following game which leaves them in a difficult position with one group match still to play.

“It will now be necessary to beat Mexico to qualify,” Renard said. “Of to draw and count on a victory for Argentina,” he added. 

With the recent dominance of the three riders mentioned by Renard, upsets like the one caused by Saudi Arabia are rare in some of cycling’s biggest one day races. When Girmay outsprinted van der Poel at Gent-Wevelgem, history was made as the Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert rider became the first black African cyclist to win the Belgian classic. 

With one eye to next season, Girmay recently said that he is planning to go one better in 2023 at the Tour of Flanders, one of the sport's prestigious five monuments.

“I hope to participate in the Tour of Flanders and the Tour de France next year. After my first encounter with the Flemish classics, it is certainly a goal to prepare myself even better for these races,” Girmay said.

“Winning would be a dream come true.” 

After tasting success in last year’s Gent-Wevelgem, Biniam Girmay is planning to go one better and target the Tour of Flanders in 2023. 

The Eritrean rider had a sensational start to the year for Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert, taking the honours at Gent-Wevelgem, becoming the first African rider to do so in the process. 

Girmay then continued his scintillating form, outsprinting Mathieu Van der Poel - the two time Tour of Flanders and Strade Bianche champion - to land a stage victory at the Giro d’Italia. 

Now he has officially become the first black African to win a Belgian classic, and the first black African to win a grand tour stage, Girmay is hungry for more. 

According to WielerFlits, Girmay is training for potential Tour of Flanders participation. Based on his performances in 2022, the Eritrean can realistically  target victory in the monument. 

Girmay said: “I hope to participate in the Tour of Flanders and the Tour de France next year. After my first encounter with the Flemish classics, it is certainly a goal to prepare myself even better for these races.”

As well as the Tour of Flanders, Girmay admitted that being included in his team's lineup for the Tour de France is also high on his list of 2023 targets. 

“It would be a dream come true,” Girmay added. 

Girmay has big ambitions, but the rampant success that he experienced at the start of the year comes at a cost. He explained that he expects to have a marker on his back next year, making his aim of the Tour of Flanders increasingly difficult as he will no longer be afforded the space to lie low within the peloton. 

“Yes, clearly it will be harder. It is good to see that my respect in the peloton has grown, but the bad thing is that they will be watching me more,” Girmay added.  

The opening week of the 2023 Tour features multiple punchy stages in the heart of the Spanish Basque country, something which could very much work in Girmay’s favour when team management at Intermarché begin to draw-up their squad. 

After the recent Tour route presentation in Paris, Aike Visbeek, the performance manager for the Belgian team admitted that the opening week very much suits the talents of the team's star man. 

“The many climbs in the initial stages increase Biniam's chances,” Visbeek said. 

“This is the type of course we had hoped for with the selection we had in mind,” Visbeek added.  

Biniam Girmay is back in racing action at the Tour de Wallonie for the first time since suffering a freak eye injury at the Giro d’Italia in May. 

Prior to starting the Belgian race, Girmay shared an image on his Instagram stories on social media. The image had clearly been taken at a cafe stop during a training ride, and featured a striking new helmet design as well as a delicious looking slice of cake.

The Eritraen's Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux team is sponsored by helmet brand Force, and Girmay had neatly positioned a new custom painted Orca lid next to his cup of coffee. On the side of the blue custom design is a - pun intended -eye-catching angry cork to make reference to his injury. 

Girmay made history at the Giro d’Italia by winning stage 10, beating the likes of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) to become the first African rider to ever win a stage at a grand-tour. 

Disaster - or more specifically a cork - would then strike, turning what was a dream day for the Eritrean into a calamity. On the podium, Girmay accidentally fired the cork from the celebratory bottle of stage winner's Prosecco stage winners received into his face. Initial injuries and the need for further checks forced the 22-year-old to then abandon the race. 

To add a touch of comedy to the new headwear, the cork is even wearing a pair of red boxing gloves to remind the world of when Girmay was given a good whack. 

Outside of his freak injury, Girmay has grabbed the headlines on other occasions this year.

The 22-year-old was left stunned after becoming the first African rider to win Gent-Wevelgem in March taking a hugely unexpected victory at the Belgian classic. 

Earlier in July, when discussing the lack of black African cyclists at the Tour de France Nic Dlamini said he hopes that other aspiring young black african riders can follow in Biniam Girmay’s footsteps as they look to further develop within the world of professional cycling. 

Depending on how his comeback goes in the coming months, the Eritrean is reportedly targeting the World Championships in Australia later in the year. 

"I WANTED TO SHOW THAT THE JERSEY GIVES ME WINGS"

Girmay isn’t the only cycling superstar with his own custom lid.

Throughout the recent Tour de France, the Jumbo-Visma phenomenon Wout Van Aert, was seen wearing a Red Bull helmet.

When Van Aert won stage four in Calais whilst wearing the yellow jersey, he flapped his arms like a bird when he crossed the line in celebration. Red Bull’s catchphrase is of course that the energy drink ‘gives you wings’.

At the time, Van Aert was quick to play down the celebration and insisted that with his flapping arms, he “wanted to show that the jersey gives me wings”, nothing to do with being sponsored by the brand of course.  

Typically, the Belgian was seen wearing his Red Bull helmet during Cyclocross races but announced at the beginning of the year that he planned to wear it on the road.

The UCI doesn’t have any rules stopping riders from displaying personal sponsorship during races. Instead teams are the decision makers and regulate what personal sponsors their riders are allowed to showcase.

Three other professional cyclists have previously been seen wearing the same Red Bull helmets. Anton Palzer (Bora-Hansgrohe), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Justin Williams (L39ION of Los Angeles).

Biniam Girmay's Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux team have confirmed that he hasn't suffered any permanent eye damage, but he isn't able to train or race for the next week. 

Girmay made history on stage ten by becoming the first black African to win at the Giro d'Italia, but disaster - or more specifically, a cork - struck. 

During the podium celebrations, the cork from the winner's bottle of Prosecco struck the Intermarché rider in the eye. He suffered a haemorrhage in the anterior chamber of his left eye, and subsequently withdrew from the rest of the Grand Tour. 

The Eritrean underwent additional medical examinations on Tuesday in Belgium, which showed he hasn't suffered any permanent eye damage but does need some rest. He will now return to Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, before he begins training again with the team.

"I feel better, I'm happy I will not have any after-effects," Girmay said. "I would like to thank the doctors and my team for the support. I hope to be able to race soon after some rest at home in Asmara. I kept following the team in the Giro, I'm so happy for their success."

Indeed, Intermarché have enjoyed strong performances at this year's Giro, securing two stage wins (so far) through Girmay and Jan Hirt, and a further nine top-five finishes. Both Hirt and Pozzovivo are also in the top-ten on GC, making the edition a real success for the team from Wallonne. 

It is not known when Girmay will compete again, and certainly don't expect him to be at the Tour de France. The Tour isn't on his schedule, and Intermarché's success this season has been built on sticking to a specific strategy.

The team's directeur sportif, Aike Visbeek, told Cycling Weekly that there is a specific goal in plan for Girmay over the coming months, which doesn't involve riding the Tour de France. Recognising he is still just 22-years-old, Visbeek suggests there is still plenty of time for Girmay to race there in the future. 

"At the moment, it is not our plan," Visbeek said. "We have a plan for August and September with clear goals there. The thing that decides most of this is his injury and what his doctors say, but at the moment we will leave his plan as it is. 

"Biniam is a top cyclist, his goal is to win races, not to just win the Tour de France. At the moment, it is also in the mind to not be busy with that." 

Biniam Girmay has withdrawn from the Giro d'Italia and therefore won't start stage 11 of the Grand Tour today, after sustaining an eye injury during the stage ten podium celebrations yesterday. 

Celebrating his historic Giro d'Italia victory on Tuesday, the cork from the winner's bottle of Prosecco struck the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux rider in the eye. Race and team doctors checked over Girmay, the first black African to win a Grand Tour stage, before taking him to hospital for further examinations.

Intermarché confirmed that medical examinations at the hospital in Jesi revealed the Eritrean had suffered injuries to his left eye, meaning he can no longer continue in the Italian race. 

"Following an incident on the podium, medical examinations revealed a haemorrhage in the anterior chamber of the left eye of Biniam Girmay," Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert's team doctor, Piet Daneels, said.

"His injury is evolving in the right direction and will be followed up by a medical team in the next days. In order to minimise the risk of expansion of the haemorrhage and the intraocular pressure, it is strongly recommended to avoid physical activity. 

"Our priority is a complete healing of the injury and that's why we decided together with the rider and the sports direction that Biniam will not appear at the start of the eleventh stage."

The official announcement of Girmay's withdrawal also included a video message from the 22-year-old. While this isn't the way he would have wanted his Grand Tour debut to end, he still seemed in high spirits after achieving such a historic feat on stage ten. 

Fortunately, he still managed to celebrate his win as well, despite having to accept he wouldn't continue racing in Italy.  

“Yesterday was incredible," Girmay said. "I am very happy with what the team has done. This win is not just for me, but for the whole team. We are just at the beginning and I am sure we will continue to win in the future. Thanks to everyone.

“When I came back from the hospital yesterday, I was able to celebrate a bit with my team. I'm happy again now. I was a little sad about what happened to the champagne, but when I got back to the hotel everyone was happy, even if they were a little concerned.

"Unfortunately I won't start today, because my eye still needs a rest. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season. Thanks everyone for all the support. Things are going well now. I'll see you soon."

Eritrean rider Biniam Girmay (Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux) today made history by becoming the first Black African rider to win a Grand Tour stage.

The 22-year-old out-sprinted Dutch superstar, Mathieu van der Poel, to win the 10th stage of the Giro d’Italia. Praising Girmay for his superb finish, the Dutchman  gave Girmay a thumbs up as he came across the line in second. 

Some 1200-kilometres away, American pro rider and POC advocate, Ayesha McGowan, burst out in an “OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG” in her Girona home. 

In 2021, McGowan herself made history by becoming the first African American woman to get signed to a professional road cycling team. 

“With the way Biniam has been riding, this was only a matter of time. I'm honored to have seen this in my lifetime,” the Liv Racing–Xstra rider told Cycling Weekly.

“Seeing a Black man on the top step at the Giro d'Italia is no small thing when it comes to representation in cycling. A lot of folks have laid the path towards making this a reality and Biniam Girmay has made them extremely proud. He crossed the finish line solo, but we all won today.”

On the express train to world-wide stardom, Girmay has been collecting one historic cycling milestone after another. 

In September of last year, the youngster became the first Black African rider to achieve a podium finish in the history of the UCI Road World Championships. He did so by earning the silver medal in the U-23 road race. He followed that up by becoming the first African winner of a Spring Classic when he bested Christophe Laporte, Jasper Stuyven and Dries Van Geste to win Gent-Wevelgem WorldTour this past March. 

And this is still only his first full World Tour season, having transferred from the French UCI Pro Team Delko ( (now defunct) ) to Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux in August of last year. 

“He’s an inspiration,” McGowan commented. “And to me, the most exciting thing is seeing him get the respect from his peers that he deserves.”  

Which was easy to see on screen. Van der Poel was the first to congratulate the Eritrean, even before he’d gotten off his bike. That was followed by maglia rosa winner Juan Pedro López who wrapped the 22-year-old in a hug.

Is Cycling Progressing? 

“I feel like it’s happening at a snail’s pace but it’s happening,” McGowan said.

“Especially in Eritrea, there has been a lot of effort put into developing talent and creating opportunities and getting folks out there. He’s not the first person to come out of that country with talent, he’s just the first person to be able to really get to the very top and cross the finish line in this way. While people can look at this as just him being really talented and working really hard, which is absolutely true, I do think it would be a disservice to ignore all the effort that has gone into building that pathway to get him to a place where he could succeed in the first place.”

This development is happening in the US as well, McGowan acknowledged. The racially diverse L39ion of Los Angeles and Miami Blazers teams are changing what cycling looks like.

McGowan has been struggling with health issues all season, forcing her to abandon the majority of the races she started. As such, she said that the chance is slim that she’ll be the first Black American to copy Girmay’s feat in the women’s Giro later this year.

“The chances of it happening for me are quite slim if I’m being honest with myself. But I think there’s a lot of stuff happening in the background right now and talent that’s been developed with a lot of potential for the near future,” she said. “So we might not be that far off. I think it’s very possible in the next few years to see [more Black American in the WorldTour].”

In all the celebrations and history making that Girmay is doing this season, McGowan cautioned that it’s important to remember that however talented, Girmay is still just one man. 

“I hope people will understand that this is exciting, this is fun but it shouldn’t have to become a situation where now that he’s done it, he’s got to keep doing it. I think he will because he’s talented but there’s been a lot of talk about how he’s got the weight of the whole community, the whole country on his shoulders, which seems really unfair,” she said.

“He’s really good, he’s having a good time, he’s going for it and I think everybody can see that this is not a fluke.I think he’s going to have a really substantial career, and it’s going to be really fun to watch.”

There was a sour end to Biniam Girmay's historic day out at the Giro d'Italia as the Eritrean rider was taken to hospital after an accident on the podium.

During his celebrations, the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert rider was struck in the eye with the cork while opening the bottle of Prosecco presented to stage winners.

He missed the planned post-race press conference with the media in order to be attended to by medical staff, after suffering the injury to his left eye.

Minutes earlier, Girmay had powered across the line in Jesi ahead of Mathieu van der Poel to become the first black African to win a stage of a Grand Tour. The painful end to the day is not the one that he or his team would have envisaged when he looked so ecstatic post-victory.

The 22-year-old is not the first to suffer problems with the cork on the podium Prosecco at this year's Giro. On stage one, Van der Poel hit himself in the face while fiddling with the opening of the bottle on the podium after his victory.

Race organisers said that the Eritrean was checked over by race and team doctors and then taken to a local hospital following the incident.

A Sporza reporter outside the hospital caught the stage winner as he left the hospital with a heavily bandaged eye. It seems the up-and-coming star is unlikely to be able to continue the Giro, though his team has yet to make an official announcement. 

More to follow in the morning...

Missing a turn with about 7km to go to the finish might have spoiled everything for a lesser rider. Not Biniam Girmay. The Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert rider might have gone right when everyone else went left, but he wasn't ruffled (or, if he was, it didn't show). The Eritrean rejoined the lead group, and prepared to win. 

Seven minutes later, Girmay outsprinted Mathieu van der Poel - yes, the two-time Tour of Flanders, Strade Bianche, Tour de France stage winning Mathieu van der Poel - in Jesi on stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia.

In case it wasn't already abundantly clear, Girmay is the real deal. The first black African to win a Grand Tour stage, and the first black African to win a Belgian Classic at Gent-Wevelgem earlier this year, he is a champion who - at 22 years-old - will go on to win many, many more races.

"It’s amazing," his directeur sportif Valerio Piva said. "We believed from the morning… we tried to motivate all the team, and we saw a fantastic team around him today. He finished in an amazing sprint against a big champion like Van der Poel. This victory is more important because he beat one of the top riders in the world."

Girmay's sheer delight, relief even, at the finish line was clear, as he finally won in this Giro after coming close on stages one, three, five, six, and eight. His popularity was also clear- immediately he was congratulated by Van der Poel as the pair crossed the line, and then one of the first people to give him a hug was maglia rosa winner Juan Pedro López.

Some questioned why Girmay was not racing the Tour of Flanders after his success at Gent-Wevelgem, but at the time he was clear in his wish to return home and spend time with his family ahead of the Giro. It clearly worked for him. No one would bet against him taking more wins on the few opportunities left for fast men at this Giro, or from claiming the points jersey in the process.

"Unbelievable," was all Girmay could say at first in his post-race interview. It feels it.

"The team controlled the race from the start," he continued. "I don’t have any words for my team, but what they did today… I’m really happy. Unbelievable.

"All the team, everybody was pulling, even the GC riders, like you saw [Domenico] Pozzovivo, Jan Hirt, Rein Tarrame everyone. They did a super great job and in the end end Pozzo was amazing. He just said come in the last 600m, he did a really good leadout and then amazing.

"Until I started the Giro, we had a possibility to win, to make good results, so this is part of the success, my team, my family, everybody. Every day new history comes, so I’m really grateful and happy with what I did."

Girmay is a superstar. Eritrea is a cycling-mad country and legions of fans have been following him around Europe this year. The turnout for a race like Eschborn-Frankfurt of Girmay-mad spectators was incredible.

This success will only propel him further into stardom, both in his home country, and across Africa. But the young man has the form and the power to deliver the results his compatriots crave.

What makes this result all the more notable is that Eritrea was colonised by Italy in the 19th century, during the 'Scramble for Africa', which it remained until the Second World War, before coming under British control and then part of Ethiopia.

No Italian has yet won at this Giro, yet an Eritrean has, in a watershed moment for cycling, for sport, even. European imperialism might still cast a shadow over Africa, but there is hope in the emergence of those like Girmay.

"It means a lot. A new continent comes at the top of cycling, that is the future," Piva concluded. 

Girmay is the future, but he is also the present. Unbelievable.

Biniam Girmay (Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux) created history on stage ten of the Giro d'Italia, by becoming the first Eritrean and first black African rider to win a Grand Tour stage.

Coming into the final 500m, Girmay hit the front as he launched off of teammate Domenico Pozzovivo's rear wheel. The Eritrean superbly managed to fend off Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) in the closing stages with his superior strength, as both riders absolutely pounded the pedals metres from the line. 

Recognising he didn't have the legs to beat Girmay, Van der Poel gave his rival a thumbs up while crossing the finish line to offer some sort of congratulations in what proved a thrilling finale. 

Juan Pedro López (Trek-Segafredo) also leads the Giro 2022 GC standings to retain the maglia rosa for yet another day too, the Spaniard keeping pace at the front of the peloton to ensure João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) stayed 12 seconds behind him in the GC.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The peloton came into stage ten of the Giro d'Italia refreshed and revitalised, having enjoyed a rest day on Monday following a difficult final three stages of last week. 

Juan Pedro López (Trek-Segafredo) lined up in Pescara still wearing the maglia rosa, though his GC lead was slashed to just 12 seconds by João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) after the finish up Blockhaus on Sunday. A further ten were within 90 seconds of the leader as well, meaning plenty of riders were in contention for overall victory heading into the full second week. 

The race started with a host of attacks, but during the first 15km none of them were able to stick. It wasn't until Alessandro De Marchi (Israel-Premier Tech), Mattia Bais (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli) and Lawrence Naesen (AG2R Citroën) had managed to create a gap that the peloton settled down to allow these three riders to open up further distance.

During the first half of the race, taking place over pan-flat terrain, the breakaway group was allowed up to seven minutes on the peloton. Bais won the intermediate sprint to Civitanova Marche midway through the race, just before the punchy climbs began on the route into Jesi. At this point, the peloton started to work more efficiently than the leaders, managing to cut the time gap to under three minutes while still riding at a comfortable pace. 

Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) crashed with 80km to go, but fortunately for the Ecuadorian he managed to get back on his bike unscathed. At the same point, Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) dropped off the back of the peloton, with Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) and Wout Poels (Bahrain-Victorious) soon joining him.

Keen to win the second intermediate sprint to Filottrano, Bais put in another acceleration 43km from the end to add some further points to his and Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli's total. The trio up front were slowly being caught at this stage though, with their time gap reduced to 70 seconds with 35km left. Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux were working hard to close the distance, in an attempt to bring Biniam Girmay into play for the stage win. 

With 30km to go, De Marchi launched a solo attack away from the chasing duo behind him, building up a 45 second buffer as Bais and Naesen were both caught. De Marchi's lead wouldn't last much longer though, with the peloton's pace considerably quicker going into the final 20km as the pack came together once again. 

On the final, notable climb of the race to Monsano - a 4.2km long ascent at 4.2% - Tobias Foss (Jumbo-Visma) attacked but could do little to steal a march on the Alpecin-Fenix riders drawing in the peloton. Both Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and Girmay were ever-present at the front of the pack, the Eritrean aiming to become the first black African rider to win a Grand Tour stage. 25 riders-or-so were also involved, with the majority of the main GC contenders in play. 

Attacks from Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Qazaqstan), Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates) and Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco) came and went in the final 10km, but Van der Poel, without any other Alpecin-Fenix riders in the front group to help him, attacked with 4.5km left. His move didn't stick though, with the main bunch too strong to reel him back in.

Into the final kilometre, riders jostled for position as they attempted to launch their attack at the right time. The Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux team worked perfectly though, clearly throwing everything they had at this stage to try and secure Biniam Girmay the victory. The Eritrean launched from the lead out with less than 500m to go, but Van der Poel followed him.

The pair were neck and neck into the final 200m, both powering the pedals with as much strength as they could muster. Girmay just proved too strong for the Dutchman, though, who gave the Eritrean a thumbs up while crossing the line. 

Girmay's victory is the first Grand Tour stage win for any rider from his country, and he also becomes the first black African to win a Grand Tour stage, too. 

Vincenzo Albanese (Eolo-Kometa) came home in third to round out the podium, beating Wilco Kelderman (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) over the line.

Elsewhere, the GC remains unchanged, with Juan Pedro López set to start the eleventh stage tomorrow once again wearing the pink jersey, as the Giro d'Italia 2022 route heads from Santarcangelo di Romagna to Reggio Emilia.

RESULTS

GIRO D'ITALIA 2022, STAGE TEN: PESCARA TO JESI (196KM)

1. Biniam Girmay (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux, in 4-32-07
2. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Fenix, at same time
3. Vincenzo Albanese (Ita) Eolo-Kometa
4. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe
5. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) Ineos Grenadiers
6. Koen Bouwman (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
7. Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM
8. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain-Victorious
9. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates
10. Mauro Schmid (Sui) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl 

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE TEN

1. Juan Pedro López (Esp) Trek-Segafredo, in 42-24-08
2. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates, at 12s
3. Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM, at 14s
4. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) Ineos Grenadiers, at 15s
5. Jai Hindley (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 20s
6. Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis, at 28s
7. Mikel Landa (Esp) Bahrain Victorious, at 28s
8. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux, at 54s
9. Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 1-09
10. Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain Victorious, at 1-22

Despite being the first African rider to win a cobbled Classic and appreciating how huge that is, Biniam Girmay will skip the Tour of Flanders to head home to his family.

The Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert rider made history by winning Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday, and told the media on Monday that he realises "how important this is for our continent".

However, he is firm that he will return to Eritrea ahead of coming back to Europe to race the Giro d'Italia in May. 

"I want to go back home," he said. "My family is the most important thing in my life. More important than the bike, yes. It was my plan now to go home to wife and daughter. I want to stick to that plan.

"For three months, my wife has been taking care of the baby and everything. I'm in good shape, but I'm still following my plan. We will [do the Tour of Flanders] in the future. This is the beginning, so we have a lot of time."

Asked if he realises how momentous a result his victory was, Girmay said: "Yes, I do. I realise how important this is for our continent. I am the first African to win a top Classic. That silver at last year's U23 World Cup was also nice, but this is so much bigger. 

"This is one of the largest races in the world. Downside: it will also create the necessary pressure.”

He described the attention he has received since the win as "crazy".

"As a rider I am happy with that attention, because it means that you have achieved something," Girmay explained. "But actually I don't like being in the spotlight like that. Cycling and winning is fun. But I really never aspired to be famous. Also, I don't see myself as a role model. I am and will remain the same man as yesterday.”

The Intermarché rider explained that he had already planned his season with his wife, who lives back home with his child in Asmara.

"Of course, when you start the season, you have a schedule and I gave that already to my wife. She accepted it and so did I," he said. "But now, to stay one week longer is not easy. I will spend all my time in Eritrea with my family, so that's why it's more important to go home."

He described this result as "just the beginning" and knows that at 21 he has time to return to Belgium to tackle the other Classics in the future, whatever the cycling world, the media, and his team expect of him.

Girmay will ride the Giro d'Italia in May, his first Grand Tour, and his time back in Asmara will help towards that. It is the world's sixth-highest capital city, perfect for altitude training.

"Normally I live in the capital, Asmara, and it's at 2,400 metres. That's perfect for me. I don't need to go to altitude in another place," he said. "It's really good cycling country, and a lot of amateur riders train with me when I'm at home. There's a good possibility to train there."

Asked about the possibility of a stage win or targeting the points jersey in Italy, he said: “Everything is coming to me quickly now. We will see. I don't know the Giro yet. But you never know.”

Girmay signed for Intermarché off the back of the demise of the Delko team, and has a contract with the Walloon squad until 2024. While this result will have caught the eye of bigger teams, the Eritrean reiterated his commitment to his current home.

"This team is like family, I would like to continue with this team. Not just for two years but maybe more. I'm really happy with this team. I think you already saw yesterday: this is the project."

Biniam Girmay was left stunned after taking an unexpected victory at Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday, becoming the first Eritrean and African to win the Belgian Classic.

Just 21 years old, Girmay made his cobbled Classics debut on Friday for his Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux team at the E3 Saxo Bank Classic, finishing impressively with a fifth place, but belied his inexperience as he made it into a four-man group and beat Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), Dries Van Gestel (TotalEnergies), and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) with a confident, long-range sprint in Wevelgem on Sunday.

His first win at WorldTour level, Girmay explained in a post-race interview that he was not meant to ride the 248.8km Classic but was drafted in on Friday after his performance at E3, leaving him in a greater shock that he was able to claim the victory.

"It's unbelievable, amazing. I cannot expect this," Girmay said. "We just changed my plan a few days ago on Friday. We just came for a good result. This race is amazing. Unbelievable." 

On the final sprint, Girmay said he had grown in confidence during the race having struggled initially on the cobbled sectors, but managed to stay in touch as he recognised all eyes from his competitors would be on defending champion Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) on the crucial ascents of the Kemmelberg.

"Of course I feel much better but also there's really strong guys with me so I'm a bit afraid," Girmay said on making it into the decisive group. "But I felt confident in the last 250m. It's unbelievable.

"I lost many places [on the Kemmelberg], especially on the first section and on the first cobblestones. I felt a bit uncomfortable. But after I felt better and better, rode smart, followed. Then in the end you know everybody is waiting for Van Aert so I played it a bit easy."

Asked whether the Gent-Wevelgem victory would convince him to ride the Tour of Flanders next Sunday, Girmay said he would return home having not seen his wife and daughter for three months while racing in Europe. He also ackowledged what his victory could mean for African cycling going forward.

"It changes a lot in the future, especially for all African riders," he said.

Girmay is next scheduled to ride the one-day Eschborn-Frankfurt in May after a period of rest, before taking on his first Grand Tour at the Giro d'Italia later that month.