Biniam Girmay made Tour de France history, but cycling should also reflect on why it has taken so long

The Eritrean became the first black African to win a Tour stage on Monday, after doing similar at the Giro d’Italia two years ago, but he shouldn’t be the only black rider in a peloton of 176

Biniam Girmay after stage three of the Tour de France
Biniam Girmay after stage three of the Tour de France
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Adam Becket
Adam Becket

News editor at Cycling Weekly, Adam brings his weekly opinion on the goings on at the upper echelons of our sport. This piece is part of The Leadout, a newsletter series from Cycling Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here. As ever, email adam.becket@futurenet.com - should you wish to add anything, or suggest a topic.

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. 

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Adam Becket
News editor

Adam is Cycling Weekly’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling, he's happy. Before joining CW in 2021 he spent two years writing for Procycling. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds.

Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to riding bikes.