Winner of the 10th stage of the Giro, in Jesi, in a strong sprint which opposed him in particular to the Dutchman Matthieu van der Poel, the Eritrean Biniam Girmay became at the age of 22 the first black African cyclist to win on the one of the three Grand Tours (Italy, Spain, France). The flash confirmation of an immense talent with still unknown limits.
From our special envoy to Jesi,
Valerio Piva’s phone has not finished ringing. Since the start of the Giro, the Italian sports director of the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert team receives phone calls from the whole “Botte”, congratulations for this “Bini” which amazes Italy and the cycling world. Biniam Girmay, the gifted Eritrean, vice-world champion in title and winner of the Belgian classic Ghent-Wevelgem at the end of March, had come to Italy to learn the science of the Grand Tours, today he is teaching the lesson.
” It’s pure talent, like Peter Sagan or Tadej Pogaçar, who were able to win from their debut on major racesexplains Valerio Piva. With him, there’s no need to repeat the same thing twice: he watches, he understands, he absorbs, in short, he’s a champion. »
A champion dubbed by his family: “ I’m impressed with his sense of running and placement “Slips Dutchman Mathieu Van der Poel, superstar of the peloton and rival of the Eritrean on this Giro. ” He was born on a bicycle “, abounds his teammate Rein Taaramae. Winner, too, of a stage of the Tour of Italy, in 2016, the Estonian climber had noticed this fast and elegant rider on the Tour of Rwanda 2020, which they were then competing in two different teams.
“A rockstar” of the peloton
” There are many talented runners in Africa, but he was above the lot,” continues Taaramae. ” Biniam doesn’t have the biggest engine in the peloton, at the moment I don’t see him doing long solo raids like Julian Alaphilippe, but he’s tough. It’s very hard to do “to jump” » (get off your wheel, editor’s note)… And if he manages to keep in touch until the sprint, Girmay, very gentle in life, turns into a real hunter. ” Even when we play little games, he hates to lose “, assures the Belgian director Lieven Corthouts, who has been preparing for five years a documentary on the fate of the Eritrean runner.
Having become his confidant over time, Corthouts describes everyone as a “Bini” “ quiet, funny, relaxed, always with a smile “. The pressure, however, is immense: a hero in his country, awaited like the messiah by lovers of African cycling and a new media darling in Europe, the Eritrean has gone from relative anonymity to great media light in a few months. ” She’s a rockstar summarizes his teammate, roommate and guardian angel in the peloton, Loïc Vliegen. A “rockstar” who needs to take breaks from his tours. As soon as he can, Biniam Girmay returns to see his Eritrean family, where the demands are less burdensome.
A diamond to protect
With him, the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert team, where Girmay has earned its leadership stripes and general respect in less than a year, takes a lot of precautions. His results, his personality, the wind of freshness and novelty that he brings to the peloton, are a gold mine for unearthing new financing. His contract was recently extended for four years, an exceptionally long period in the world of cycling. Logically, communication often puts it in the foreground, while trying to find the right balance: “ It’s a “capital” important compared to sponsors, but you have to manage it, be careful not to burn it in a year “explains sports director Valério Piva. ” We try to sort out the requests, because Biniam is starting to feel the weight of it all,” he continues.
Continue to grow while keeping his carelessness, his spontaneity, these precious natural qualities in the race and in a group: the balance is not easy to find, but we are talking about an extraordinary boy, a talent with reserves still unknown. ” On certain points, such as nutrition, he is still a bit of an amateur, he does not always listen to advice”, carries his teammate Rein Taaramae“but on the other hand, it means that he can still progress. »
How far ? When asked if he can compare himself to the “ogres” Wout Van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel, Biniam Girmay loses her smile for the first time. The answer bursts out: I want to do Bini “. And that’s enough for us.
Biniam Girmay uncertain for the rest of the Giro
Ironically, after his historic victory at Jesi, Biniam Girmay is uncertain for the rest of the Tour of Italy. The young Eritrean prodigy injured his eye with the cap of the bottle of Prosecco he opened on the podium to celebrate his victory. The rider from the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert team was taken to hospital for further examinations. In agreement with his staff, he will decide this Wednesday morning whether or not to continue the race. A few days ago, Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel almost suffered the same fate. The cork had slipped just past his eye.