Eritreans win historic victory

To his fans, he is the “King of Africa” – an international star and the first black African to win a stage of the Tour de France.

Biniam Girmay has done it not once but three times this year at cycling’s premier road event. Barring a crash, the 24-year-old looks set to take the green jersey on Sunday – the prize awarded to the best sprinter in the gruelling three-week competition.

But Girmay’s journey to the top was fraught with obstacles – he struggled with culture shock, European visa procedures and the loneliness of being thousands of miles away from his wife and young daughter.

Today, he serves as a hero in his home country of Eritrea and an inspiration to cyclists across Africa.

Many believe Girmay’s success will bring change to a sport that has traditionally been dominated by white men – at this year’s Tour de France, he was the only black cyclist in a field of 176 riders.

Girmay – or Bini as he is known to his family and fans – was born and raised in Eritrea, a small country in East Africa with a population of about 3.7 million people.

Unusually, Girmay has never been a champion in Asmara – the capital where he grew up – or Eritrea. Instead, he has emerged somewhat unexpectedly on the international stage after being scouted by the UCI, cycling’s global governing body.

Girmay told Eritrean media earlier this year that winning the Tour de France was easier than becoming an Eritrean champion. This is because despite its small population, the country has a large number of talented cyclists, many of whom have won medals in global and continental races.

Cycling is one of the most popular sports in Eritrea, a pastime that dates back to decades of Italian colonial rule.

It is a source of pride for many Eritreans, a country that is often only mentioned in the global press for its border conflicts and a human rights record that is considered poor by human rights groups, but is fiercely defended by the government.

Girmay’s dream of becoming a cyclist was fueled by his cousin, African champion Meron Teshome.

His passion for cycling extends to his family – his younger brother is now a professional cyclist and his father, a carpenter, watches the Tour de France on TV with Girmay every year.

This is my momentA documentary chronicling his rise to power shows an elderly female relative telling him: “When I was young, no one could beat me, not even you!”

At the age of 12, Girmay won his first mountain bike competition and as a teenager he was selected to represent Eritrea in the African Championships.

While there, he caught the eye of a UCI scout.

They invited him to train at the organization’s World Cycling Center (WCC), an elite Swiss facility that brings together young athletes from the countries where he lives. may not have much room for growth.

In 2018, at the age of 17, Girmay dropped out of school and left home for Switzerland.

The transition was difficult, he had no friends or family nearby and suffered a huge culture shock.

“It was difficult to prepare Bini; he had to change a lot of things: his lifestyle, his daily routine,” said Jean-Jacques Henry, head of talent discovery at WCC. recalled as Girmay prepares for Tour de France 2023.

“It was too cold for him when he came in July. For us, it was warm. He doesn’t like the cobblestones. [which riders of Girmay’s ilk often tackle] and he doesn’t understand tactics.”

But he believes he will overcome these problems and achieve his dream. He even takes English classes so that he won’t have to use an interpreter during media interviews when he finally becomes a professional.

Sure enough, in 2020, Girmay was recruited by the French team Delko.

During his training in France, he began planning his wedding to Saliem, his partner in Eritrea.

But the 2020 coronavirus outbreak ruined his plans to return home – and also left him unable to compete in Europe as several races were cancelled.

The following year, Girmay suffered another blow. Delko went bankrupt, leaving the young cyclist without a racing team.

However, he was able to return to Asmara and marry Saliem.

She later gave birth to a baby girl, but Girmay could not stay long as he was signed by Belgian team Intermarché–Wanty.

Getting a visa to continue his cycling journey wasn’t easy – This Is My Moment documents the new father’s struggles to access multiple visa application centres and embassies while in Asmara.

Eventually, he was granted a long-term visa, which he still holds to this day. However, as required by the visa, Girmay must leave Europe’s 29-nation Schengen area every three months. He often returns to Asmara.

In 2022, the cyclist began his historic streak.

At Belgium’s Gent-Wevelgem, he became the first African to win a one-day classic. Girmay was part of a four-rider group that broke away in the final 30km and sprinted to victory with 250m to go.

“Veni… vidi… Bini!” an excited British commentator shouted as he crossed the finish line. The phrase, a play on Latin words meaning “I came, I saw, I conquered”, became a catchphrase among his fans and the media.

As a sprinter, Girmay accelerates quickly at the finish line and charges toward the finish line.

He is a rare case – as a mountainous country, Eritrea mainly produces “mountain climbers”, cyclists who are especially good on steep slopes.

Girmay followed up his victory at Gent-Wevelgem with another historic stage victory at the Giro d’ Italia, the second-biggest Grand Tour cycling race after the Tour de France.

The celebrations were ended early when Girmay was hospitalised – he accidentally got a prosecco cork in his eye on the victory podium.

He recovered quickly, but without his wife and daughter by his side, it was difficult for him to enjoy his victory.

Despite his homesickness, Girmay fought on. His wife and daughter eventually moved to the French city of Nice – and will be waiting for him after the Tour finishes on Sunday.

Also keeping a close eye are cycling fans in Eritrea.

After the third stage win of the Tour, people took to the streets of Asmara, waving national flags and dancing to the sound of car horns in celebration.

Eritrean fans also often turn out to support Girmay even away from home – at the 2023 Tour de Suisse, one fan told the BBC: “He’s an African king. We’re very proud. Eritrea is famous for some bad things like war, but now it’s different.”

Girmay also represents the wider continent, Mani Arthur, who runs the Black Cyclists Network and has raced for Ghana, told the BBC’s Focus on Africa podcast last week.

“We really don’t see many black cyclists, especially from Africa, participating in the Tour de France,” he said.

“So it’s incredible to see Girmay not only compete but win a dream race. He’s proven himself to be one of the best riders in the world.”

Eritrean cycling coach Aklilu Haile, who has known Girmay for a decade, believes his success could have a big impact.

“Sometimes it seems like cycling is just for white people, but now he teaches us that cycling is for the whole world,” he said.

After the Tour de France, Girmay will compete in the Olympics in Paris this summer. He will be hoping to win gold, but that is unlikely – he is the only road cyclist representing Eritrea and so will have no one to lead him in the group to earn a place in the sprint.

He also has high hopes for next year’s World Championships in Rwanda, the country where he first caught the UCI’s eye.

For many, Girmay’s victory in Rwanda was of great significance.

Cycling fans from around the world will watch an African rider speed across the finish line on African soil, before joining the crowd waving the green, blue and yellow Eritrean flag.