March 27 (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.
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“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.
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Reporting by Julien Pretot, editing by Ed Osmond
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