Eritrean Biniam Girmay won the third stage of the Tour de France in a sprint on Monday, July 1 in Turin. He became the first rider from sub-Saharan Africa to win the Tour de France. Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz is the new leader in the general classification.
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The Intermarché rider, who gave the Belgian team its first victory on the Tour, is the third African to win the Grande Boucle after South Africans Daryl Impey and Rob Hunter. Biniam Girmay finished third in a stage last year when that he discovered the Tour de France. Biniam Girmay had already distinguished himself in a Grand Tour, in Italyin 2022.
At 24, Biniam Girmay won ahead of the Colombian Fernando Gaviria and the Belgian Arnaud De Lie in a chaotic finale with a major collective fall just over two kilometers from the finish. This big crash, in which the big favorite for the sprint Jasper Philipsen was notably involved, created a break in the peloton during the longest stage of the 2024 edition with 230 kilometers.
“ I dreamed of the Tour de France. To win today is incredible. For me, already participating in this race is huge. I imagine the people who support me are happy. Honestly, the Tour de France is a race in its own right. There are all the great sprinters in the world. But, I have only improved over the last few years. I hope I can win again “, declared Biniam Girmay on France 2, who had made headlines with a prestigious victory in 2022 in the Belgian classic Gent-Wevelgem. Biniam Girmay had been elected African Cyclist of the Year 2022, as in 2020 and 2021.
An Ecuadorian leader
Richard Carapaz has become the first Ecuadorian to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France. The EF Education rider is ahead of previous general classification leader Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia in the cumulative stage placings as they both have the same time. The Tour is the biggest race in the world, it’s a great day for me and for my country ” said the Tokyo Olympic champion who was not chosen by his Olympic Committee for the road race at the Paris 2024 Olympics.