Latest news with #Girmay
LeMonde
11-07-2025
- Sport
- LeMonde
Young African cycling hopefuls train in Brittany during Tour de France 2025
After 197 kilometers of racing from Saint-Malo in the Tour de France stage on Friday, July 11, riders will tackle the Mûr-de-Bretagne climb. With its two kilometers of ascent at a 6.9% gradient, the course profile is not favorable to 2024 green jersey holder Biniam Girmay, whose sprinting skills will not come into play on the stage. Still, the Eritrean may have reason to celebrate at the finish line, which is not far from Gomené, a village of 550 inhabitants near Loudéac in France's Côtes-d'Armor department. The International Cycling Union (UCI) has established a training center for Africa's most promising riders there, including some of Girmay's compatriots from Intermarché-Wanty. Seeing the world The initiative is part of the Africa 2025 project launched by the UCI World Cycling Centre in 2022 to prepare for this year's Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, from September 21 to 28. It will be the first time the event takes place on the African continent. With Africa 2025, the Swiss-based organization aims to develop professional cycling on the continent and see more African riders in major international races.
DW
10-07-2025
- Sport
- DW
Tour de France: African star Biniam Girmay aiming for glory – DW – 07/10/2025
Africa's cycling star Biniam Girmay has a tough task repeating his successes from the 2024 Tour de France but remains optimistic. He is unsure whether he will even compete the upcoming World Championships in Rwanda. Last year, Africa's most prominent cyclist, Biniam Girmay, won three sprint stages in the Tour de France and took home the green jersey for the best points-scoring rider, usually a sprinter. He was the first black professional cyclist from Africa to do any of these things, marking his achievements as a moment of history for African cycling and for his home country of Eritrea. In Asmara, the capital, Girmay was welcomed with a motorcade as people danced and cheered for their hero. This year, even though fans from Eritrea continue to celebrate him despite being thousands of miles away, Girmay has found life on the Tour a bit more challenging. Nevertheless, he finished second in the opening stage behind the Belgian Jasper Philipsen. "I felt good and enjoyed the day," Girmay told DW afterwards. "But I had to do everything on my own, so I used up a lot of energy. And Jasper was the fastest in the end." Despite converting his good form into a second-place finish, the 25-year-old wasn't that happy. "I'm a bit disappointed," said Girmay. "I would at least have liked to have had a teammate with me. That has to get better. But it is what it is. We're at the Tour de France and not everything will always go perfectly." Things have not gone quites so well in the subsequent stages, with Girmay slowed by an injury to his knee. Despite that, he still has big goals ahead: he wants to win at least one stage again and also fight for the green jersey. Does the pressure of having to repeat last year's success weigh on him? "No, it just gives me motivation," replied the sprint specialist from Eritrea. "I've spoken to a few guys who have been there many times and they say that winning just one stage is super tough. And I had three in one year. That gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of my career." Despite his success, Girmay has not changed as a person, according to people close to him. "There are more people who want something from him. But he's still the same," his coach and sporting director Aike Visbeek said. "His career is progressing fast. But it's not so much the green jersey that has changed him, but more the fact that he is a young man who is maturing." This mature young athlete is aware of his special role as a representative of Africa. "I want to do the best for myself and my family first," said Girmay. "Unfortunately, I'm the only rider from Africa this year. But of course it is very nice for me to represent my country and also my continent." Girmay is less clear on the World Championships in Rwanda (September 21 to 28) though. It is set to be the first World Championships on the African continent, but at times, he himself has even questioned his participation. He complained that the World Championships course was made for climbers, not for sprinters. "It's a milestone for Africa. But for me, the course is far beyond my own capabilities," said Girmay at the beginning of the year. "I don't know if I would even make it to the finish. There's no point in competing then." But he left one door open. If his country called him, he would be there. During the Tour de France, Girmay did not want to say anything about the World Championships. But coach Visbeek is still skeptical: "He [Girmay] is still disappointed with the course. I don't think you really help the African cyclists with a course like this. You make it very difficult and that's sad," he told DW. Right now though, Girmay is fully focused on the Tour de France. Thanks to his participation in the intermediate sprints, he is still in the running for the green jersey. He has also not had any serious crashes so far, unlike the winner of the first stage, Philipsen, who is out. And the route of this Tour de France still offers a few opportunities for sprinters like Girmay.
France 24
03-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Girmay has golden dream for Africa at Tour de France
The 25-year-old from Eritrea won three stages on the 2024 Tour de France to claim the best sprinter's green jersey. But on Saturday he could claim the legendary overall leader's yellow jersey. This year the opening stage starts and finishes in Lille and should be decided by a mass bunch sprint, as it is largely flat. The Intermarche-Wanty rider is the only black African on the 184-rider roster. "I'm the only one, it's a lot of pressure but it's such a pleasure to represent my country and my continent," said the softly-spoken Girmay. "But first for myself and for my family, it would be such a pleasure to win the first stage and get the yellow jersey." Girmay and his key sprint rival Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin both warned that the stage could prove to be a frantic affair. "I'm aware of the danger on the opening stage, if you fall here it ruins all three weeks," Girmay said at Lille's Opera House ahead of a parade around the city. Girmay said his aim was to defend his green sprint points jersey, but also to win at least one stage. "I'll always try to get the best possible result on the Tour de France, because this is what counts," Girmay said. "The opening day is a nice opportunity for the sprinters, a flat stage, a sprint. "If you crash here though it'll ruin your three weeks. But I'm here to win a stage, it's my dream, and I'll do my best to win it." 'The hotter, the better' Much of France has been wilting under an intense heatwave in the lead up to the Tour, but Girmay was unfazed by this. "I like the heat. If there's one person who is happy to ride in the heat, it's me," he said with a broad smile. "The hotter, the better." The 27-year-old Philipsen was also targeting the opening stage. "This is a rare chance for a sprinter to get the yellow jersey," he said, sat alongside his savvy sideman Mathieu van der Poel. "I dont want to ruin my tour here, but it should be a bunch sprint if there's no wind," he said. The 112th edition of the Tour sets off Saturday with the opening stages near the Belgian border and the English Channel. The first 10 days of the 21-day run across the peaks and plains of France are set up to keep the tension boiling as far as possible before big guns Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard potentially slug it out for the victory in the Alps in the third week.
