Biniam Girmay: Trailblazing Eritrean beats Mathieu van der Poel to make history with Giro d’Italia victory

Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert Materiaux) became the first Black African rider to win a Grand Tour stage after holding off Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) in a thrilling finale on Stage 10. Girmay was forced to fight through the pack in the closing kilometres after briefly going the wrong way on a descent, but his superb Intermarche team delivered him back to the front of a reduced 30-man group that contested the win.

Ad/> A number of riders chanced their arms in an explosive finale as Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Qazaqstan) sparked a string of attacks, with Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco), Van der Poel and Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) among those to try to break free. Giro d'ItaliaGiro d'Italia Stage 10 as it happened — History made as Girmay outlasts Van der Poel in epic sprint8 HOURS AGO But it came back to a reduced sprint with Girmay launching first from the wheel of veteran teammate Domenico Pozzovivo and holding off Van der Poel, who sat up to salute the Eritrean as he crossed the line to create history.

It was a great gesture from one of cycling’s modern-day champions, giving his seal of approval for a victory that was as poignant as it was intense – an indomitable display of brute force from the brink. Van der Poel had managed to come almost level with Girmay on the home straight before the elastic snapped and the Dutch Stage 1 winner’s shoulders slumped to concede spoils to his worthy conqueror in an image that will become an iconic moment in cycling history.

Girmay was quickly brought down to earth on the winner’s podium, however, when an incident with a Prosecco cork resulted in the man of the moment being taken to hospital with an eye injury. The accident meant Girmay was unable to attend the