Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay made history once again by clinching his third stage victory in this year’s Tour de France on Thursday, solidifying his lead in the sprint points race. The 24-year-old continues to break barriers as the first black African to achieve such feats in elite cycling, bringing hope for increased diversity in the sport.
A Historic Achievement
Girmay first captured global attention on the third day of the Tour in Turin, becoming the first black African to win a stage. He followed this up with victories on stage eight and most recently on stage 12, where he emerged victorious in a thrilling bunch sprint finish, edging out notable competitors Wout van Aert and Pascal Ackermann.
“I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life,” Girmay said. “To win three stages in one race is wonderful. After the last win, I had nearly 600 messages from home.”
Role Model for African Cyclists
Girmay has embraced his role as a trailblazer and hopes his success will pave the way for more African cyclists in the European peloton. “Cycling is not a global sport yet, so for African cycling, my stage wins are a good thing,” he stated. “Now maybe the European teams will take more Africans. For now, I’m the only one, and I wish there were more black riders in the peloton.”
Leading the Sprint Points Race
With his latest victory, Girmay now has 328 points in the sprint classification, leading Jasper Philipsen, who has 217 points. With few sprint stages remaining, Girmay is in a strong position to secure the green jersey. “I’m just taking it day by day, enjoying the moment and trying to stay focused,” he added.
Roglic’s Setback
The day’s events were not without drama as title contender Primoz Roglic suffered a significant setback. Roglic, who began the day in fourth place, fell and injured his shoulder, resulting in a time loss of 2 minutes and 27 seconds, pushing him further behind in the overall standings.
Roglic’s fall occurred outside the zone where crashes are excused for overall times, which significantly impacted his position. An Astana rider failed to notice a slender traffic island, causing a pile-up that involved around a dozen riders.
“I heard the crash but didn’t look around. I was shocked by the bad news,” said current race leader Tadej Pogacar. “I’m really disappointed for him. It really sucks. I hope he can carry on. We know he’s a big fighter.”
Current Standings
Despite the crash, Pogacar remains in the lead, 1 minute and 06 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel, with Jonas Vingegaard in third, another 8 seconds behind. Pogacar, the 2020 and 2021 champion, expressed confidence in his position. “I’m comfortable in the lead. It’s up to him [Vingegaard] to attack if he wants the lead.”
Evenepoel, who wears the white jersey as the outstanding young rider, noted the importance of caution in the final stretch. “We knew there was a lot of road furniture in the final stretch; it’s tricky. Better to stick to the front.”
Withdrawals and Heat Challenges
Thursday also saw the retirement of two participants. Belgian sprinter Fabio Jakobsen found it too hard to keep up with the swift pace and withdrew from the race. Spanish rider Pello Bilbao also pulled out halfway through the stage due to illness exacerbated by the 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) heat.
Looking Ahead
The race moves to stage 13, one of the last flat sprint stages, from Agen to Pau, the gateway to the Pyrenees. Route architect Thierry Gouvenou emphasized the upcoming challenges: “Between Pau and Nice, there is hardly any flat terrain at all.”
Biniam Girmay’s historic achievements and his aspiration to inspire greater diversity in cycling continue to resonate. As the Tour de France progresses, fans and fellow cyclists alike will be watching closely to see if Girmay can maintain his lead and inspire the next generation of cyclists.
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