Girmay gained confidence from 'exploded legs': "That's when I knew it was my day"

"It's incredible," exclaimed Girmay in a post-race interview. "To win a stage at the Tour de France again, what can I say... I want to dedicate this victory to my mother and father. They believed in me and supported my journey to become a professional cyclist. I also want to thank my family; I am incredibly proud of them."

Girmay found the finish perfectly suited to his strengths, especially with the uphill final kilometer. "That's why I won," he chuckled. "I prefer these types of finishes. On flatter terrain, other sprinters can use their body advantage. But this finish suits me well with my weight. The team also positioned me perfectly and executed an excellent lead-out. Initially, I didn't feel great due to the rain, but I recovered quickly and managed a strong sprint."

When asked, Girmay recounted the final kilometers. "We came off a fast descending section, followed by an uphill stretch. My legs were already feeling it during the descent. By the time my teammates initiated the lead-out with a kilometer to go, my legs were burning. But I knew it was the same for everyone else. That's when I realized it was my day," said Girmay, who also expressed gratitude to Cofidis. "They executed a perfect lead-out for me."

Girmay made significant strides in the points classification. Following his second stage victory, he leads with 216 points, 88 points ahead of second-placed Philipsen. "I'm thrilled to have won a stage in the green jersey. Initially, my goal was to win a stage. Now, to secure another stage win and earn a substantial number of points is absolutely perfect." Does Girmay have more aspirations after his second stage win? "I think I'm nearly fulfilled. Even if I don't win anything else until Nice, I'll still be very happy."

Intermarché-Wanty team manager Aike Visbeek missed much of Girmay's victory. "Unfortunately, we didn't have a TV in the car," he told Eurosport. Visbeek noted Girmay's high motivation in the morning. "I wanted to discuss the intermediate sprint with him, but he was solely focused on the stage. He was very determined today."

The stage followed a somewhat unusual course with a chaotic start that saw only Jonas Abrahamsen leading early on. "I didn't understand why the initial breakaway didn't establish a larger gap," Visbeek commented. Despite the confusion, Visbeek saw an advantage for his rider. "It made for a more nervous and demanding race, which suited Biniam. He thrives under such conditions. Nonetheless, it was chaotic and somewhat unusual."

According to Visbeek, Girmay's previous victory played a crucial role. "He's much more composed now. He always aims for victory, which sometimes made him overly anxious in the past. But he remained calm today. That initial win really helped." Visbeek remained cautious regarding the green jersey standings. "I'm not sure of the exact standings, but to win the green jersey, you need to win stages. We have two now, which is fantastic. Hopefully, we can bring it home with us," Visbeek concluded.