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Biniam Girmay makes history at Giro: first Black African rider to win a stage of Grand Tour

The Eritrean beat MvdP to the line in Stage 10

Photo by: Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
May 17, 2022
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Biniam Girmay took a historic victory on Tuesday in a bunch sprint at stage 10 of the Giro d”Italia. Grimay started the sprint early and outkicked Alpecin-Felix’s Mathieu van der Poel. The two riders were neck and neck for the final 100 m, until ultimately the Dutchman sat up and gave the Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert rider the thumbs-up.

The first half of the 190 km stage was flat, but that all changed after 100 km when the hills made for some exciting attacks. After several failed breakaways neutralized, it was set for a hairy finale.

Tobias Foss tried to jump on the final climb in the closing 9 km. but Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux and Alpecin-Fenix took over and Foss was caught. Alessandro Covi then tried his luck, but the sprinters teams would not allow any riders to escape.  After the leading group reformed, Vincenzo Nibali tried a move on the descent, only to be reeled in.

Van der Poel would also try a solo attack with 6 km to go, but no one was letting the Dutch rider get anywhere. It was a small group sprinting for the line, with Mvdp and Girmay distancing the group. With 100 m to go, it was all Girmay.

Spanish rider Juan Pedro Lopez kept his 12-second lead to hold on to the maglia rosa. Stage 11 is a flat 203 km stage from Santarcangelo di Romagna to Reggio Emilia.|

Stage 10

1. Biniam Girmay Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux 4:32:07
2. Mathieu van der Poel Alpecin-Fenix 0:00
3. Vincenzo Albanese EOLO-Kometa