Biniam Girmay crossed the line of the tenth stage of the Giro d’Italia with his arms raised, his head thrown back, roaring at the sky. To his left and several bike lengths back, a defeated Mathieu van der Poel had no answer other than an impressed thumbs up. It was another historic moment in Girmay’s historic career.
The young Eritrean is one of a promising wave of riders from his cycling-mad East African country, following in the footsteps of countrymen like Daniel Teklehaimanot, Natnaiel Berhane, and Amanuel Gebrezgabhier – but with his growing palmares, Girmay has surpassed them all.
To recap some of those milestones along the way: Girmay’s 2021 silver medal at the U23 Road World Championships – the first for Eritrea, and the first ever by a Black African. Girmay’s win at Gent-Wevelgem – the first ever classics win by a Black African. Girmay’s first Giro stage win – again, the first ever by a Black African.
Those results seem to have come quickly, but they’re born of a long journey. Through the lenses of Kristof Ramon and the Getty Agency, we’ve charted the rise of Bini to the top of world cycling.
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In 2018, Biniam Girmay rode his first World Championships, in Innsbruck, Austria. In the 132 km men’s junior road race, Girmay finished 13th. (Photo: Kramon)He was back at the Worlds in 2019 – this time in Yorkshire – racing the U23 road race and time trial. (Photo: Kramon)His rising promise had been highlighted with stage wins at the Tour of Rwanda and La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in 2019, and that had earned him a two year contract on the French Team Delko ProTeam in 2020. One of his breakthrough results came at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, where he finished third on stage three behind Jhonatan Narvaez (Ineos Grenadiers) and Pascal Eenkhorn (Jumbo-Visma). (Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)In February 2021, he was on the move in a breakaway at the Tour Des Alpes Maritimes Et Du Var. He’d finish fourth in the mountains classification. (Photo: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)Team Delko was in dire financial straits, however, and by the end of May had been forced to let Girmay go. A few months later, it was announced that he would be joining Team Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux. His first race in the new colours was at the Tour de Pologne. Girmay is seen here talking to compatriot Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Trek-Segafredo) on stage 1. (Photo: Bas Czerwinski/Getty Images)In late September, it was time for the big one: the U23 men’s road race at the 2021 Flanders World Championships, where a blistering sprint saw Girmay take second place. (Photo: Getty Images)Girmay is congratulated after the race. (Photo: Kramon)Filippo Baroncini (Italy/Colpack Ballan) topped the podium, with Girmay in second (ERI/Intermarché – Wanty Gobert), and Olav Kooij (NED/Jumbo-Visma) in third. (Photo: Kramon)Eritrean supporters were rapturous with the result. (Photo: Dirk Waem/Belga/AFP via Getty Images)Girmay continued to improve into the 2022 season, taking the win at the Challenge Ciclista Mallorca – Trofea Alcudia in late January. (Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)Through 2022, Girmay has found solid support from the increasingly cohesive Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert Materiaux team – as shown here at Paris-Nice. (Photo: Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)He was also becoming increasingly comfortable on the cobbles. At E3 Saxo Bank Classic, in late March, he finished an impressive 5th. (Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)Two days later, Girmay lined up at the start of Gent-Wevelgem, signed some autographs … (Photo: Kramon)… and showed that his earlier results hadn’t just been a fluke. (Photo: Getty Images)As he crossed the finish line, he became the first African to win a Belgian Classic with a historic victory. (Photo: Getty Images)An exhausted, elated Girmay after the race. (Photo: Kramon)The day after, Girmay appeared at a team press conference, his result the talk of international cycling. (Photo: Kurt Desplenter/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)In May, Girmay was off to the Giro d’Italia, the spearhead of his team’s presence. In Budapest, the team gave a press conference to a room of journalists (it’s a glamorous profession, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise). (Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)He was close on stage 1, finishing second behind Mathieu van der Poel and avoiding the chaos that felled Caleb Ewan. (Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images).With Van der Poel in the leader’s maglia rosa, Girmay wore the maglia ciclamino as second-best placed rider in the points classification. He was knocking on the door of a big win. (Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)On stage 10, he got it. In Jesi, Girmay roared to his debut Grand Tour stage win, ahead of Van der Poel, becoming the first ever Black African Grand Tour stage winner. (Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images)It was another historic first in a career that shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. (Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
