Eritrean Biniam Girmay on Monday dedicated his stage three win at the Tour de France to “the continent of Africa” as Richard Carapaz took the overall race lead in Turin.
“Let me open the door,” 24-year-old Girmay wrote on social media after earlier pointing out he was the “first Black African to win at the Tour.”
“It means a lot personally for me and for the continent of Africa,” he added.
Photo: Reuters
Girmay is the third African to win on the Grande Boucle, first raced in 1903, after South Africans Daryl Impey and Rob Hunter.
“Huge congrats to all: Biniam Girmay makes history and wins stage 3 of Tour de France. A great and memorable day indeed for #eritreancycling and #africancycling,” Eritrean Minister of Information Yemane G. Meskel wrote on X.
Multiple Tour winner Chris Froome was born in Kenya, but competed for Britain.
“There are many obstacles for African riders,” Intermarche-Wanty rider Girmay said. “I had to come to Europe, learn English, learn the cycling language, it takes time and support. I should thank my team because with them I have grown every season.”
It was also a first for Intermarche-Wanty.
“We hadn’t won the Tour de France yet, but now it’s our moment,” Girmay said.
Carapaz became the first Ecuadorian to wear the leader’s yellow jersey, taking it from Slovenian Tadej Pogacar who was held up in a late crash in the run to the line.
Carapaz and Pogacar are level on time at the top of the overall standings, but the 31-year-old is ahead thanks to his better final position in the day’s racing.
Belgian Remco Evenepoel and Danish two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard are third and fourth respectively also on the same time.
Girmay pipped Colombian Fernando Gaviria and Belgian Arnaud De Lie after a chaotic finale marked by a late fall as the riders hit speeds of about 65kph in the dash to the line.
The crash, in which the big favorite for the sprint Belgian Jasper Philipsen was involved, created a break in the peloton.
Two-time race winner Pogacar, gunning for a historic Giro d’Italia and Tour double, did not fall, but was delayed.
Veteran Mark Cavendish was held up by a wheel change as he makes his bid for a record 35th stage win.
The 39-year-old prickly sprinter appeared genuinely pleased for Girmay.
“That’s massive, for him, for the Tour, for Africa. He’s a legend now isn’t he,” Cavendish said.
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