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Girmay leaves the Giro because of a bottle of ‘prosecco’

BarcelonaEritrean Biniam Girmay (Intermarché) has known heaven and hell in one day. The 22-year-old became the first black African cyclist to win a stage in one of the three major European races (Tour, Giro and Vuelta) on Tuesday, winning the tenth stage of the Giro , between Pescara and Jesi, after a great sprint in which he overtook the Dutchman Mathieu Van der Poel. But in the post-podium ceremony, the bottle cap of prosecco that the stage winners have to uncover hit him in the eye. He has retired from the race today.

Girmay ended his day of glory in the hospital because of the blockage sparkling prosecco, and va return to the hotel with your eyes covered. After celebrating the victory with his teammates with his eye half closed, today he confirmed that the doctors had advised him not to continue the race and let his eye rest.

The 22-year-old, born in Asmara, has already attracted attention in 2021 because he was the first black African to take the podium at an Under-23 World Cup. A few months ago he was the first African to win a European classic race, the Ghent-Wevelgem. Although he played football as a young man, he quickly fell in love with cycling, a sport with a long tradition in Eritrea. This country was an Italian colony from 1890 to 1943. And it was the Italians who brought the bicycles and the passion for a sport that has made Eritrea one of the most successful countries in African championships. In Europe, however, African cycling had not yet achieved a triumph like that of Girmay, which has been followed at every stage by the large Eritrean community living in Italy. Eritrea is one of the most tyrannical countries on the planet, with a dictatorial regime that restricts freedoms and does not allow its citizens to emigrate, but Girmay has received permission to live in San Marino, away from his wife, to compete better.

Triumph of Alberto Dainese

Now, however, he is retiring just as he was competing best in the Giro. In the first stage, he was one step away from winning it and being the leader, but then a Van der Poel prevailed, who in the subsequent ceremony also received the blow of the bottle cap of prosecco. In this case, the plug stung his cheek and everything was in a panic. Girmay has not been so lucky.

Already without Girmay, the cyclist of the DSM team Alberto Dainese has won the sprint of the eleventh stage, between Santarcangelo di Romagna and Reggio Emilia (204km) achieved the first victory of an Italian runner in this edition of the race. Spaniard Juanpe López (Trek Segafredo) continues to lead the race.

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