Biniam Girmay Hailu born April 2, 2000 is an Eritrean professional road cyclist who currently rides for the UCI World Team Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux.
After winning stage 10 in a reduced bunch sprint at the 2022 Giro d’Italia, he became the first Black African cyclist to win a Grand Tour stage.
Girmay joined the World Cycling Centre in 2018 for his second junior year after he discovered cycling through his cousin Meron Teshome.
He won the road race, time trial, and team time trial that year, making him Africa’s triple junior cycling champion.
He also defeated Remco Evenepoel in the opening stage of Aubel–Thimister–Stavelot.
On Tuesday, Biniam announced his withdrawal from the Giro d’Italia after popping a Prosecco cork in his eye following his historic victory on Stage 10.
The Eritrean was spotted wincing on the podium before being carried to Jesi hospital in an ambulance. On Tuesday evening, he was released from the hospital with his left eye bandaged.
Intermarche’s doctor, Piet Daneels, informed Eurosport’s Andrea Berton that the team will decide whether he would start Stage 11 – a pan-flat race from Santarcangelo di Romagna to Reggio Emilia.
It has been confirmed that the talented cyclist could not start the race today. He posted on social media earlier in the day stating, “today I didn’t start the race because still with my eye I need some rest to give more power to the eye,”. Biniam is expected to start cycling as soon as his eye injury is healed.
