Biniam Girmay discussion thread

[BlueRoads]

I can tell because he was like the first guy on my list and then I took him out of my team thinking he was pretty expensive after all - and then he goes and wins his first race of the season right away. Now watch him win a lot more...

Born in Asmara, Eritrea, on 2 April 2000, he started his career at the World Cycling Center, went to Delko for a season, and is now under contract at Intermaché until 2024. He's a triple junior African champion (road race, time trial, team time trial) and the 2021 U23 World Championship silver medalist and African Cyclist of the year 2021.

Fun fact: He's the first cyclist born in the 2000s who won a professional race (according to Wikipedia).

He says his whole family is quite into cycling: https://www.directvelo.com/actualite/68033/biniam-hailu-le-velo-en-famille

Good luck Biniam, but maybe you can wait a year longer for the big wins...

 

[SafeBet]

Fun fact: He's the first cyclist born in the 2000s who won a professional race (according to Wikipedia).

I remember that win. Everybody was expecting Remco to be the first but Bini was once again quicker

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Someone was explaining Eritrean names on Twitter yesterday. The Ghirmay / Girmay confusion just stems from transliteration from another alphabet. Both are equally right/wrong. But the interesting part was that apparently there are no surnames in Eritrea. Instead at least for men, the naming scheme is your name - your dad’s name - your grandad’s name. So Ghirmay alone refers to his father.

I can’t vouch for the reliability of this, but it seemed credible

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Either spelling, the name is 100% bad***

 

[SafeBet]

Someone was explaining Eritrean names on Twitter yesterday. The Ghirmay / Girmay confusion just stems from transliteration from another alphabet. Both are equally right/wrong. But the interesting part was that apparently there are no surnames in Eritrea. Instead at least for men, the naming scheme is your name - your dad’s name - your grandad’s name. So Ghirmay alone refers to his father.

I can’t vouch for the reliability of this, but it seemed credible

I've worked with Eritrean asylum seekers for many years and I can confirm it.
This naming convention is actually common in many countries (Somalia, Ethiopia, a number of Arab speaking countries, etc).

 

[will-10]

Dude deserves a cooler thread name, but I'm sure we'll come up with something soon enough

 

[Bonimenier]

Dude deserves a cooler thread name, but I'm sure we'll come up with something soon enough

I propose 'Veni, Vidi, Bini' as tweeted by IWG

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Haha I love the title! But: Who doesn't have him on their CQ team?

 

[RedheadDane]

Haha I love the title! But: Who doesn't have him on their CQ team?

I don't, have him on my team for the Emerging Riders game.
Maybe I'll get him on my team for a GT, though. It's all down the Random Generator! (And whether IWG selects him for a GT, but I'd be surprised if not.)

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

I think Girmay soon will be able to win also WT races. He and the people around him seem to do a lot of things right.

Some time ago, Rafaa Chtioui seemed to be the next big rider from Africa, but sadly never really achieved these really big results. Girmay, however, seems to develop to a really successful rider. I hope he stays healthy and is able to win nice races. It‘s great to watch such a strong guy from northern Africa…

 

[42x16ss]

I think Girmay soon will be able to win also WT races. He and the people around him seem to do a lot of things right.

Some time ago, Rafaa Chtioui seemed to be the next big rider from Africa, but sadly never really achieved these really big results. Girmay, however, seems to develop to a really successful rider. I hope he stays healthy and is able to win nice races. It‘s great to watch such a strong guy from northern Africa…

Merhawi Kudus as well - looked like he'd become a world class climber at one point - but he is a very solid mountain domestique

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I don't, have him on my team for the Emerging Riders game.
Maybe I'll get him on my team for a GT, though. It's all down the Random Generator! (And whether IWG selects him for a GT, but I'd be surprised if not.)

No you haven't. He was last eligible in the 2020-22 edition, which you didn't enter, where he was picked by 6 teams and is currently the second highest scorer (behind Honore)

 

[RedheadDane]

No you haven't. He was last eligible in the 2020-22 edition, which you didn't enter, where he was picked by 6 teams and is currently the second highest scorer (behind Honore)

All the more reason he didn't end up on my team.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

You don't get away with that: we can all see that comma

 

[RedheadDane]

You don't get away with that: we can all see that comma

It's a dramatic pause comma!
Not "I don't have him on my team for the main CQ game (which I'm not playing), but I have him on my team for the Emerging Riders game."
But "I don't... have him on my team for the Emerging Riders game."

 

[Mayomaniac]

I think Girmay soon will be able to win also WT races. He and the people around him seem to do a lot of things right.

Some time ago, Rafaa Chtioui seemed to be the next big rider from Africa, but sadly never really achieved these really big results. Girmay, however, seems to develop to a really successful rider. I hope he stays healthy and is able to win nice races. It‘s great to watch such a strong guy from northern Africa…

For me it was a surprise that Abderrahim Zahiri never turned pro. 15th in the Baby Giro, 5th in Toscana Terra di Ciclismo and the year after top 20 on the gc in both the Giro della Valle d'Aosta and the Adriatica-Ionica race.
Also, what they hell happened to Awet Habtom? The guy looked like a big talent, but dissapeared after riding 1 year for Kometa.

 

[KZD]

Ghirmay surely has a lot of potential, especially for the classics and even to the points classification of Grand Tours as he climbs pretty well for a sprinter. Looking forward for what he can do on the rest of the season.

 

[geisterhome]

Cycling is the no.1 sport in Eritrea. Daniel Teklehaimanot became a national hero and supposely could retire after he wore the polka dot jersey at the TdF. Lets see if he will be able to handle all the love (and money) from his country men once wins some prestigous races. He could be set for life at least, if he isnt already.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Cycling is the no.1 sport in Eritrea. Daniel Teklehaimanot became a national hero and supposely could retire after he wore the polka dot jersey at the TdF. Lets see if he will be able to handle all the love (and money) from his country men once wins some prestigous races. He could be set for life at least, if he isnt already.

There's really that much money in cycling in Eritrea? I had no idea, but I guess it's not uncommon that a lot of money are spent on sports in dictatorships.

 

[ciranda]

Current rule is not the reason for the popularity, it goes back to the time of the Italian colonizing presence in the region from late 19th century to the 1930s.

 

[geisterhome]

There's really that much money in cycling in Eritrea? I had no idea, but I guess it's not uncommon that a lot of money are spent on sports in dictatorships.

Well I don't really know much about it.

I know a few people from Eritrea and when I told them I'm cycling but in Germany generally football is the only sport that matters they told me thats the same for cycling over there.

The thing about Teklehaimanot I picked up on a broadcast. Rolf Alda, who I believe was his team manager back then said that he never really came back strong after his success at the TdF is to large parts that after all benefits he recieved in Eritrea he simply didn't need to anymore. The build him a mansion, all doors opened for him...

But I mean a worshipped sportshero can get by just showing his face in public every now and then pretty much anywhere.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

5th in E3 Harelbeke today… Very impressive!

He will have his own Belgian fan club soon ;-)

 

[tobydawq]

What a great start to his career! At one point, I thought he would be able to match Wout on the Paterberg but there was still a little something missing.

And also, I tend to have a few problems telling many of the Intermarché riders apart, but for some reason I find him a bit more identifiable!

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Wow, what a ride today. Not only did he finish 5th, he was the one closest to be able to follow Van Aert and Laporte. And on top of that he was very active and took his pulls as well. Very impressive! I didn't think he would do well in a position game like this.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Wow, what a ride today. Not only did he finish 5th, he was the one closest to be able to follow Van Aert and Laporte. And on top of that he was very active and took his pulls as well. Very impressive! I didn't think he would do well in a position game like this.

That has always been the most impressive thing about him even at a young age, his positioning in hectic hilly races is and has always been really good.