Date: Sunday, 21 July 2024
Girmay’s victory extends beyond just this year’s race. He is now the first black rider to win a stage, as well as any classification in the Tour de France, and also the first African rider to win the points classification. His impressive performances on stages 3, 8, and 12 solidified his lead in the points competition.
Though Girmay maintained a strong lead in the points competition, it wasn’t without challenges. Following a crash on Tuesday at Nîmes, Jasper Philipsen secured his third stage victory, briefly threatening Girmay’s position. However, Philipsen’s challenge did not gain enough momentum, and Girmay finished the Tour with a 33-point lead over Philipsen.
“Wearing the green jersey is an honour, the symbol of the sprinter. This is a new dream come true,” Girmay expressed to reporters. “To be honest, I didn’t come into this race with this ambition. I just came here to show I’m not a bad rider. I’m just grateful to have today; it’s the most amazing day of my life.”
As he waved to numerous Eritrean fans during the final kilometres, Girmay was visibly emotional. Fighting back tears, he described his victory as “another chapter for us, you know.” He added, “For a long time we have been part of cycling, but to have three stage wins and the green jersey is something special. For Africa and especially for Eritrea. I’m just really grateful to have this jersey and want to say thank you to my nation.”
In a previous interview with L’Equipe, Girmay disclosed that he wasn’t initially the designated top sprinter for his team. He was set to be a lead-out man for teammate Gerben Thijssen. However, during the first flat stage into Turin, he and Thijssen became separated, and the team encouraged him to sprint himself, leading to his breakthrough win.
Girmay also reflected on how the Tour de France inspired his journey into cycling. “I started cycling because I watched the Tour on television; it’s as simple as that. I grew up with those images, the sprints, the champions… and my dreams evolved with time. When you are a child, you think it’s impossible to become a pro. It’s just a dream. But finally, when it happens, you say it’s impossible to win a Tour stage. And that becomes a dream too. And it’s so wonderful to see your dreams come true,” he told L’Equipe.
