Tour de France: Cyclist Girmay wins stage

Eritrean Biniam Girmay has become the first black African rider to win a stage of the Tour de France. On Monday, July 1, 2024, the Intermarché-Wanty cyclist finished first in the final sprint of the third stage of the competition.

Olympic champion Richard Carapaz took the yellow jersey from Tadej Pogacar, becoming the first Ecuadorian to lead the greatest cycling race.

Girmay also made history in Italy two years ago when he won a stage of the Giro d’Italia, becoming the first black African to win a stage in a Grand Tour, a term that includes the three main three-week races: the Giro, the Tour, and the Spanish Vuelta.

Girmay finished just ahead of Fernando Gaviria and Arnaud De Lie in 5 hours 26 minutes 48 seconds. Cavendish came in 113th, but was given the same finishing time as Girmay according to rules that neutralize times in case of a crash within the last five kilometers.

Pascal Amstrong