Eritrean cyclist Biniamu Ghirmay made history by becoming the first black African to win a stage in the Tour de France. Ghirmay sprinted to secure victory in the third stage of the cycling event on Monday.
Girmay said his victory was “for all Africans”.
“We have to be proud now. We’re in a really big race,” Ghirmay said. “This is our moment. This is our time.”
The Tour de France is ‘already great’
The victory came on the third day, the longest stage of this year’s race, covering 230.8 kilometers (about 143 miles) between Piacenza and Turin.
This created the first opportunity for a mass sprint and Girmay timed it perfectly to beat Colombia’s Fernando Gaviria and Belgium’s Arnaud de Liech to finish second and third respectively.
Girmay described his stage win as “unbelievable.” Photo: Daniel Cole/AP/Picture Alliance
“I gained experience from my first Tour last year and I’m able to do everything better. It’s unbelievable to win today,” he said.
In the overall standings, Ecuador’s Carapaz took the overall leader’s yellow jersey from Tadej Pogacar, one of the favourites to win the Tour.
Gillemay is fast becoming one of the biggest names in cycling.
At 21, Girmay became the first African to win a one-day classic in Gent-Wevelgem.
This was his second Grand Tour stage win, following the 2022 Giro d’Italia.
“To be honest, when I went to the Giro I knew I was at a level where I could compete to win, but at the Tour I thought I would have to wait. [until] “2025, 2026. I can’t believe I’m going to win a stage where all the best sprint specialists are there,” he said on Monday.
South Africans Robbie Hunter and Daryl Impey are the only other Africans to have won a stage in the Tour de France.
Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome was born in Kenya but competed for Great Britain.
lo/msh (AP, AFP, Reuters)
