Biniam Girmay Hailu winning the green jersey at the Tour de France is more than just a victory for him and his team. It is a historic and cultural landmark.
As the first African cyclist to claim this prestigious title, Girmay has paved the way for future generations of cyclists from the African continent, as his victory symbolises the breaking down of barriers in a sport historically dominated by Europeans.
According to Twiterrati Anthony Walsh, Girmay’s success is reminiscent of Jackie Robinson breaking the colour barrier in Major League Baseball or Arthur Ashe becoming the first African American man to win a Grand Slam tennis tournament.
“These athletes changed sport forever,” Walsh tweeted.
The Intermarche-Wanty rider, who previously became the first Black African to win a stage at the Giro d’Italia, now wants other Black riders to excel in the sport.
“It’s really good for the impact, a good vision for young talent, because if you work on that, especially in the European teams, if they invest a lot in African cycling for sure we can have a more global sport. And that’s always nice to see,” he told Eurosport during this year’s Tour de France.
“This year I’m the only Black rider in the peloton, it’s not nice, to be honest, so I wish there were more Black riders in the peloton.”
Girmay grew up in the Eritrean capital of Asmara, and fell in love with cycling by watching the Tour de France on television every year.
He says he had stickers of his cycling heroes, Mark Cavendish and Peter Sagan, on his bedroom wall and was inspired by the likes of fellow Eritrean Daniel Teklehaimanot, who became the first cyclist to represent his country at the Olympic Games in 2012.
Girmay now wants to use his success to inspire more diversity in cycling.
At 18, Girmay moved to the UCI’s World Cycling Centre in the Swiss Alps, according to Cycling Weekly, but took time to adjust to life away from Africa.
He told the CNN, “For one year I almost didn’t do anything because I needed to learn,” he said, per Cycling Weekly. “I knew nothing about Europe, it was totally different to Eritrea. I needed to learn English, to learn the cycling language, and that takes a while.”
After a successful junior career, Girmay was soon riding with his heroes and started making a name for himself after joining Intermarche-Wanty in 2021. He now has a contract at the team until 2026.
“I’m convinced that my compatriots will be happy to hear that my future is intertwined with the team who gave me the opportunity to write important pages of African cycling history,” he said after signing his long-term contract.
“It is a winning combination which will hopefully lead to many more unforgettable moments in the next years.”
In 2022, Girmay became the first Black African to win a stage of one of cycling’s Grand Tours when he outsprinted his rivals in the 10th stage of the Giro d’Italia.
It was a moment Girmay will never forget, for both good and bad reasons.
Later that same day, the then 22-year-old had to abandon the race after a prosecco cork exploded into his left eye on the podium.
“I can’t believe for him the success he has had in this short period,” legendary Eritrean cyclist Teklehaimanot said of Girmay earlier this year.
“His sprints with the big riders of the world, in such a short period of time, is his talent, which I think is brilliant.”
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