Biniam Girmay

This is the page about Biniam Girmay, a cyclist who made history in 2022 by becoming the first black African to win a classic race. Fans worldwide hope he can bridge the gap between Africa and Europe in cycling. IDLProCycling.com collects all news about Girmay, and his biography is also kept up-to-date.

Those paying close attention in 2018 could already foresee the rise of the Eritrean talent. In the prestigious junior race Aubel-Thimister-Stavelot, he engaged in a fierce battle with Remco Evenepoel during the first stage. However, in the overall classification, he had to concede to the Belgian. It was the first time the passionate cycling audience saw his name on the results sheet of a major race, even if it was only at the junior level.

In his first year as a U23 rider, he made an immediate impression in 2019. In the Tropicale Amissa Bongo, a multi-day race in Gabon, he won a stage right away. He outperformed riders like André Greipel, Andrea Vendrame and Niccolò Bonifazio, prompting NIPPO DELKO One Provence to offer him a contract for 2020 and beyond. The French ProContinental team had a golden prospect on their hands. The following year, he made his first significant appearances in Europe, finishing second in the Tour du Doubs, ahead of riders like Aurélien Paret-Peintre and Romain Hardy, and fourth in the Giro della Toscana, behind only Fernando Gaviria, Robert Stannard and Ethan Hayter.

In 2021, he achieved remarkable results by winning the Grand Prix Besançon Doubs, finishing second in the Tour du Doubs, and consistently placing in the top five at 1.HC or 1.1 classics. Most notably, he claimed second place at the U23 World Championships. The Eritrean held his own among the elite of the global U23 peloton in Flanders, conceding only to Filippo Baroncini, with Olav Kooij taking third. Behind the scenes, 2021 was a turbulent year for the team he was racing for.

The Delko team, which brought him to Europe, ceased to exist. In May 2021, he left that team, and in August of the same year, he was picked up by Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert, a splendid decision, so it would turn out. He won the Trofeo Alcúdia in Spain in January 2022, marking only the beginning of an incredible season. He powered through to an impressive fifth place in E3-Harelbeke. Two days later, he was scheduled to race in a French semi-classic, La Roue Tourangelle, but the team decided to line him up for Gent-Wevelgem instead.

It turned out to be an excellent decision. After the final climb over the Kemmelberg, a group of four riders broke away from the thinned-out peloton: Jasper Stuyven (Trek), Dries van Gestel (Total), Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) and Girmay. Laporte, known for his sprinting, was considered the favorite, while Girmay was seen as an outsider. The Eritrean surprised the Frenchman by launching his sprint early, with 250 meters to go. Laporte reacted, but the African rider had already gained a gap and was by no means slow himself. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t catch him. Girmay won Gent-Wevelgem.

After his victory at Gent-Wevelgem, the cyclist returned to his homeland. There, he celebrated his 22nd birthday and prepared at high altitude for his first grand tour: the Giro d'Italia. In the opening stage, he narrowly lost a thrilling battle with Mathieu van der Poel, just missing out on the pink leader’s jersey, but he later struck gold in the race.

After multiple podium finishes, he once again faced Van der Poel in a head-to-head during the tenth stage of the Italian grand tour. In a powerful sprint on a slightly uphill finish after a hilly finale, the Dutchman tried to pull alongside. He managed to get his front wheel up to Girmay's rear triangle, even reaching his calf. Then, his momentum stalled. He dropped back and lost his grip on the sprint. That’s when it became clear that the young Eritrean was going to win this sprint. And did he ever! While Van der Poel faltered, Girmay powered forward with strong strides to victory. A thumbs-up from Van der Poel said more than any interview could convey — the young rider had earned the approval of one of modern cycling's greatest riders.

The only downside was the infamous cork incident. On the podium, the cork from the champagne bottle struck Girmay in the eye, preventing him from continuing in the race, but fortunately doing no long-term damage. In September, he still managed a third-place finish in the GP Québec.

In 2023, Girmay aimed a bit higher, setting his sights on the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the Tour de France. The now 23-year-old Eritrean started off promisingly with close finishes in Mallorca and his first win of the season in the opening stage of the Tour of Valencia. In Tirreno-Adriatico, he competed among top sprinters Jasper Philipsen and Fabio Jakobsen, but from there, things took a downturn. The Intermarché-Circus-Wanty sprinter finished far back in Milan-San Remo and Gent-Wevelgem, dropped out in the E3 Saxo Classic and the Tour of Flanders (after a heavy crash), and skipped the Hell of the North altogether.

Two months later, Girmay showed improvement with a fourth place in the Brussels Cycling Classic, and with a sprint victory against Wout van Aert in the Tour of Switzerland, he demonstrated his readiness for the Tour. Unfortunately, like the spring season, it ended in disappointment. Aside from two stages, Girmay barely made an impact in the Tour de France. He skipped the World Championships due to visa issues. He is contracted with Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert through 2026, and IDLProCycling.com will keep his biography updated in this article.