Biniam Girmay of Eritrea blazed a trail of glory at this year's Tour de France, becoming the first black cyclist to win a stage of the gruelling race followed by the green jersey for best sprinter. Now the African hero is taking on his next challenge: the Olympic road cycling at the 2024 Paris Games.
Biniam Girmay of Eritrea made history by becoming the first black African cyclist to win a stage of the Tour de France. He won a total of three, plus the sprinter's jersey, in the 2024 race. © AFP - THOMAS SAMSON
Issued on: 27/07/2024 - 14:41
Less than a week since he flew down the beachfront of Nice in cycling's most famous event, Girmay will be pounding his pedals in Paris as he launches his Olympic campaign.
If the Tour de France is anything to go by, he'll have a large Eritrean contingent out to cheer him as he competes in the time trials on Saturday, and again in the road race a week later.
At home and along the nearly 3,500 kilometres of the Tour's route, his compatriots roared their support as he became the first black cyclist – from Africa or any continent – to win a stage of the race, then another, then another.
The records kept coming. By the time the race concluded in the south of France last weekend, Girmay had accumulated enough points to take home the green sprinter's jersey, one of the race's three overall prizes – something no other African rider has done before.
"I don't have the words for it," Girmay told RFI's sister station France 24 when asked about the Eritrean supporters lining the way to the finish line.
"They've come all the way from Asmara, from neighbouring countries. Their enthusiasm gave me lots of strength.
"It's not the first time they've done this, but today it was something special."
An African outlier
As his fans' commitment testifies, Girmay is something special himself: a rare African rider on the international scene, and an even rarer black one.
The only black competitor in this year's Tour, he'll be one of a handful of African cyclists at the Paris Olympics.
Girmay hopes he won't be an outlier for much longer. "It's more beautiful to see in the peloton different colours from different countries and different continents," he told France 24.
"I'm super happy to be part of that, and to see myself in this historic way."
Biniam Girmay on the podium with the other winners of the 2024 Tour de France: overall leader Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, best climber Richard Carapaz of Ecuador, and best young rider Remco Evenepoel of Belgium, in Nice on 21 July 2024. © Jerome Delay / AP
"There's no doubt he can inspire generations of future champions, as we hope he will," the Tour's director Christian Prudhomme told RFI, praising Girmay's "incredible feline style, fluid in every way".
Cycling country
Eritrea's long-standing passion for cycling, introduced by the Italians who once colonised it, has made it a powerhouse for the sport in Africa.
Scores of athletes have grown up training in its mountains and found success nationally and in all-Africa competitions.
It has produced world-class riders before too – including Daniel Teklehaimanot, Eritrea's first ever Olympic cyclist, who represented the country at the 2012 Games in London.
Together with countryman Merhawi Kudus, he became one of the two first black Africans to compete in the Tour de France in 2015 and even climbed his way to the spotted "King of the Mountains" jersey in one early stage.
But Girmay, who left Eritrea as a teenager to train in Switzerland after being spotted by a talent scout for governing body the International Cycling Union (UCI), has racked up more wins outside the continent than any other African cyclist yet.
Biniam Girmay embraces fellow Eritrean cyclist Natnael Tesfatsion during the 2022 Giro d'Italia. © AFP - FABIO FERRARI
First came the one-day Gent-Wevelgem sprint in Belgium in 2022, then a stage of the Giro d'Italia the same year, a stage of the Tour de Suisse in 2023, and now this summer's victories in France.
"He's staying in Europe to race. He knows he has to stay in Europe to be professional and make money," said Belgian filmmaker Lieven Corthouts, who spent more than six years filming Girmay for his documentary This Is My Moment.
That comes at a personal cost, according to Corthouts, not least the separation from his wife and daughter back in Asmara.
"It's very hard," the filmmaker told RFI. "They can't share the victory."
On a mission
Girmay's sacrifices are proof of his commitment – something the 24 year old will need plenty of if he's to maintain his stellar trajectory.
Next year sees Rwanda host the UCI's cycling world championships, a chance for Girmay to claim a global victory on African soil. Last time he took part in the event as a junior rider, in the 2021 under-23s race, he took silver.
"He's going to have to incorporate everything he's done, question himself and get back to work this winter," French former pro racer Pierre Rolland said.
"He's going to have avoid floating too high on his little cloud because this sport is thankless. He has to continue to write the history of his sport. I think that's what he was born to do."
Eritrea's Biniam Girmay, wearing the green jersey, celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the twelfth stage of the Tour de France on 11 July 2024. © AP - Jerome Delay
Before then, there's the Olympics.
As Eritrea's lone rider, Girmay will be at a tactical disadvantage without teammates to help him to a sprint finish – but those who witnessed him make history in the Tour believe he can do it again in Paris.
"The gold medal in Paris – it's to complete his mission," one supporter told RFI. "Now, he's on a mission."
Who are the African athletes to watch out for at Paris Olympics?
This story features interviews by RFI's Thomas de Saint Léger and Nicolas Sur, and James Vasina of France 24.
