The exceptional journey of Biniam Girmay with Intermarché-Wanty comes to an end after four and a half years marked by remarkable success. The Eritrean sprinter reached decisive milestones and established himself at the very top of world cycling, supported by the professional guidance of the Belgian World Team.
In the summer of 2021, the team of Jean-François Bourlart welcomed Girmay with a long-term plan that considered all aspects of his athletic development, aiming to foster his growth and help him fully realise his potential. Girmay quickly adapted to this environment, securing his first victory in Europe before achieving a historic silver medal at the U23 World Championships in Leuven.
Surrounded by an exceptionally experienced group of teammates, Biniam Girmay delivered an impressive first campaign on the Flemish cobbled classics, winning the 2022 Gent-Wevelgem and becoming the first African rider to claim a cobbled classic. He then confirmed his meteoric rise with his first Grand Tour victory at the Giro d’Italia, showcasing his qualities to compete with the world’s best sprinters.
This consistent progression, the common thread of the adventure shared by Girmay and Intermarché-Wanty, was built on mutual trust, deep humanity, and extraordinary resilience. These values allowed Girmay to overcome difficult moments and continue his ascent to new heights in 2024: three stage victories and the overall win in the points classification at the Tour de France, as well as a place among the top 10 in the UCI world ranking.
Biniam Girmay and Intermarché-Wanty thus conclude a collaboration of unprecedented impact, crowned with twelve victories and more than forty podiums across four continents –landmark performances in the history of African cycling and the international peloton.
“It has been a wonderful journey for me with Intermarché-Wanty. I am still grateful for the belief they showed in me five years ago and for giving me the chance to become a World Tour rider. Over these years, we built a strong bond based on mutual trust and grew together, step by step, from a lower profile to the top level of world cycling. Along the way, we worked hard and pushed each other to keep improving. We achieved great things and showed what is possible when everyone is aligned. I truly enjoyed working with this team — the riders, the staff, and the management — everyone contributed something important. At times, we have to embrace change. Now it is time for a new chapter, I want to thank everyone at Intermarché-Wanty for the past five seasons.”
“I look back on many happy and memorable moments with Biniam. We are proud of the journey we shared, where we helped transform this immense talent into a key figure in world cycling. Naturally, some moments will remain forever etched in memory, such as his medal at the U23 World Championships in Leuven, his victories at Gent-Wevelgem and the Giro d’Italia. The win at the Circuit Franco-Belge, in front of our partners and just a stone’s throw from our Service Course, was also a highlight. And then that victory in Turin, our first on the Tour de France, and the green jersey in Nice—these are moments forever marked in our history. Yekenyeley, Biniam!”
"Four and a half years, constant growth and strong collaboration have led to excellent results in this partnership between Biniam Girmay and the Intermarché–Wanty Team. From the victory in Gent-Wevelgem, to the stage of Giro d’Italia and the memorable 2024 Tour de France, without forgetting the achievement of the top 10 in the UCI ranking, Biniam and Intermarché-Wanty have made cycling history together. Now the paths diverge, but professionalism and humanity have always been at the core of the relationship between the parties. A&J All Sports would like to thank Jean-François Bourlart for understanding the needs of the African champion both yesterday and today and the Leyman Advocaten firm for their valuable support throughout the process."
