Biniam Girmay

After discovering cycling through his cousin Meron Teshome, Girmay joined the World Cycling Centre in 2018 for his second junior year.[4] That year, he became a triple junior cycling champion of Africa, winning the road race, time trial and team time trial. He also won the first stage of Aubel–Thimister–Stavelot, beating out favorite Remco Evenepoel.[5]

In 2019, with the Eritrea national team, he won the third stage in a sprint of the La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, his first professional victory.[6] This made Girmay the first cyclist born in the 2000s to win a professional race. His success continued, winning stage 5 of the Tour of Rwanda in a sprint against experienced riders, including Joseph Areruya and Daniel Turek who finished 2nd and 3rd.[7]

For the 2020 season, Girmay joined UCI ProTeam Nippo–Delko–One Provence, with whom he notably finished second in the Trofeo Laigueglia and the Tour du Doubs.

After he was let go by Delko earlier in the year, Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux announced his signing on 6 August 2021.[3] He made his debut for his new team days later at the 2021 Tour de Pologne.[8]

On 24 September 2021, he finished second in the under-23 road race at the UCI Road World Championships, becoming the first black African rider to achieve a podium finish in the history of the UCI Road World Championships.[9]

On 27 March 2022, in Gent–Wevelgem, Girmay was part of the winning breakaway, which also included Christophe Laporte, Jasper Stuyven, and Dries Van Gestel. In the finale, he was the first to launch his sprint, coming from the back of the group, and held on for the victory. In doing so, he became the first African winner of a classic cycle race.[10][11]

• Biniam Girmay at ProCyclingStats