Bicyclist Biniam Girmay recently became the first Black African to win a stage at the Tour de France.
Earlier this week, 24-year-old Girmay, from Eritrea, finished first during Stage 3 of the 2024 Tour de France. He finished the leg with a time of 5 hours, 26 minutes and 48 seconds throughout the 143.4 miles spanning from Piacenza to Turin, Italy. The stage is considered to be the longest of this year’s tour.
Riders Fernando Gaviria and Arnaud De Lie finished second and third, respectively.
Part of team Intermarché-Wanty, his win marks the first time a Black African rider won at the Tour de France in its 111-year history. South Africans Robert Hunter and Daryl Impey have previously recorded wins, making Girmay the third African to ever win a stage at the competition.
“It’s for all [of] Africa,” Girmay said at a press conference after the race. “Congrats, I would say. I’m just super happy today.”
Girmay first made his bicycling debut when he joined the World Cycling Centre at the age of 18. The year he joined, he became a junior cycling champion in Africa, winning the road race, team time trial as well as the time trial. He also won the first stage of Aubel-Thimister-Stavelot the same year.
Throughout his career, Girmay has won numerous other titles. His achievements include first-place finishes at the La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Classic Grand Besançon Doubs, Trofeo Alcúdia–Port d’Alcúdia and the Tour de Suisse.
Two years ago, in 2022, Girmay broke another record. At the Giro d’Italia, the then 22-year-old became the first Black African to win. He became the second African cyclist overall to achieve the feat after Alan van Heerden won a title in 1979.
Along with his most recent win at the Tour de France, Girmay has also recorded two other titles. On May 29, he placed first at the Circuit Franco-Belge, clocking a winning time of four hours 32 minutes and 52 seconds. Grimay also finished first at the second edition of the annual Surf Coast Classic.
Following Girmay’s win at the Tour de France, his team’s performance director highlighted the achievement’s importance.
“This is super important. There is a whole continent that has been waiting for this,” said Aike Visbeek, the performance director for Intermarché Wanty team, per the Washington Post. “It’s been done now, and I hope it will open the floodgates for more riders from Africa. He’s an ambassador in every way.”
