Eritrea's Biniam Girmay becomes the first black African rider to win a Belgian classic, a feat that left a Grand Tour winning rider ""shaking"" with excitement.
Girmay becomes first African to claim Ghent-Wevelgem cycle race modernghana.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from modernghana.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Biniam Girmay produced the biggest win of his career by outsprinting his breakaway companions in the one-day Gent-Wevelgem classic race. The 21-year-old rider from Eritrea was part of a four-man group that resisted the peloton s chase in the 249-kilometer (154.7-mile) race through Belgium. Girmay launched the sprint from the back of the group in the final dash to the line to edge Christophe Laporte of France and Dries Van Gestel of Belgium. Italian world champion Elisa Balsamo won the women s race in a sprint ahead of Marianne Vos of the Netherlands and Maria Giulia Confalonieri of Italy.