Girmay becomes first Black African to win Tour stage

Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay celebrates winning stage 10 of Giro d’Italia from Pescara to Jesi in Italy yesterday. (Reuters)

Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay became the first Black African rider to win a Grand Tour stage after coming through a packed group with an impressive sprint to claim stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia yesterday.  The Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert rider recovered from nearly missing a left turn with just over 6km to go and fended off Mathieu van der Poel at the end of the 196-km ride from the coastal town of Pescara to Jesi. Girmay, who finished second in the opening stage, was led out by teammate Domenico Pozzovivo in the final stretch. “I started the Giro with the desire to win a stage. Everyone from the team pulled for me today, even the (general classification) riders, Domenico Pozzovivo was amazing at the end,” Girmay said after the race. “At 600m to go, he said ‘come’. He pushed me to go and win. I realise I’m making history but it’s thanks to my team and my family. I’m really grateful to them. “All the team was working all day, including the GC riders, and they did a great job,” Girmay said. “We knew when we started we knew we had possibilities to win a stage. Like I just said I made history thanks to my team, my family, the support from the people of my country. This victory belongs to them also. “I am thankful and happy that I was able to pay back the team win a win,” he added. Italy’s Alessandro De Marchi and Mattia Bais as well as Belgian Lawrence Naesen took the early initiative, pulling clear of the peloton in the flat first half of the stage and earning themselves a six-minute lead after 55km. The chasing pack slowly and steadily closed the gap on the breakaway group in the second half of the stage, which featured numerous climbs. Bais and Naesen were caught up with 23km to go, with De Marchi dropping back into the main group minutes later, before Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert’s riders thronged to the front of the peloton and positioned Girmay for the win. Spaniard Juan Pedro Lopez retained his 12-second lead to hold on to the overall leader’s “maglia rosa” pink jersey. There was little movement towards the top of the overall standings, with Portugal’s Joao Almeida remaining second, followed by Romain Bardet, Richard Carapaz and Jai Hindley, who all retained their spots. Today’s 11th stage is a flat route spanning 203km from Santarcangelo di Romagna to Reggio Emilia. Results and standings after stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia:Stage 101. Biniam Girmay (ERI/Intermarche) 4hr 32min 07sec, 2. Mathieu van der Poel (NED/ALP) same time, 3. Vincenzo Albanese (ITA/EOK) s.t., 4. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BOR) s.t., 5. Richard Carapaz (ECU/INE) s.t., 6. Koen Bouwman (NED/JUM) s.t., 7. Romain Bardet (FRA/DSM) s.t., 8. Pello Bilbao (ESP/BAH) s.t., 9. Joao Almeida (POR/UAE) s.t., 10. Mauro Schmid (SUI/QST) s.t. Overall 1. Juan Pedro Lopez (ESP/Trek) 42hr 24min 08sec, 2. Joao Almeida (POR/UAE) at 12sec, 3. Romain Bardet (FRA/DSM) 14, 4. Richard Carapaz (ECU/INE) 15, 5. Jai Hindley (AUS/BOR) 20, 6. Guillaume Martin (FRA/COF) 28, 7. Mikel Landa (ESP/BAH) 29, 8. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/INT) 54, 9. Emanuel Buchmann (GER/BOR) 1:09, 10. Pello Bilbao (ESP/BAH) 1:22.