(Reuters) – Biniam Girmay became the first rider from Eritrea to win a cycling World Tour (elite) race when he prevailed in the Ghent-Wevelgem classic on Sunday.
The Intermarche-Wanty Gobert rider beat France’s Christophe Laporte (Jumbo Visma) and Belgian Dries Van Gestel (TotalEnergies) after he and three other riders attacked 24 kilometres from the finish.
The 21–year-old Girmay mastered the cobbles along the 248.8-km course in Belgium and had just enough has left for a perfect sprint finish.
“It’s unbelievable, amazing. I did not expect this,” said Girmay.
“We just changed my plan a few days ago on Friday. We just came for a good result. This race is amazing. Unbelievable.”
Girmay will not take part in next week’s Tour of Flanders, the second Monument classic of the season.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot, editing by Ed Osmond)
