This Sunday, July 21st was a day of celebration for Intermarché-Wanty. At the end of the 21st and final stage of the Tour de France, an individual time trial between Monaco and Nice, Biniam Girmay secured his victory in the points classification, thus winning the first distinctive jersey for the Belgian team in a Grand Tour.
Victorious in Turin on the third stage, Colombey-les-deux-Églises on the eighth stage, and Villeneuve-sur-Lot on the twelfth stage, Biniam Girmay and his teammates defended the green jersey for sixteen days. By bringing the precious jersey back to Nice, the 24-year-old Eritrean rider became the first African rider to win the points classification in the 121-year history of the Grand Boucle.
Points Classification:
1. Biniam Girmay: 387
2. Jasper Philipsen: 354
Jean-François Bourlart’s team, which had embarked on its seventh Tour de France hoping to win its very first stage victory, leaves with three stage wins thanks to their sprinter. Intermarché-Wanty also got two other podium finishes, five top 10 finishes, three best team prizes on stages, a best teammate trophy for Mike Teunissen in the second week, and a 20th place in the final classification for Louis Meintjes.
Young riders Hugo Page and Laurenz Rex completed their first Tour de France. Belgian sprinter Gerben Thijssen, the third rookie in the selection, turned into a team player in addition to an eighth place in Saint-Vulbas. Climbers Louis Meintjes, Georg Zimmermann, and Kobe Goossens, like their teammates, contributed to the team effort in addition to attacking on numerous occasions during this edition.
Biniam Girmay:
“I don’t have the words. I didn’t come to this Tour de France with the ambition of winning the green jersey, but simply to demonstrate my qualities. You could say I succeeded. I’m grateful to everyone who helped me finish this Tour de France with the green jersey. When I woke up, I thanked God for this unforgettable day. I’m overwhelmed with emotions.”
“My adventure on this Tour opens a new chapter in the history of cycling, for us Eritreans and Africans. We’ve been cycling for a long time, but winning stages and a green jersey, it’s now possible. It’s something special. I want to thank my compatriots and everyone who supported me, my family, my team, our sponsors, the supporters by the roadside, behind their screens. Thank you.”
Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager):
“This is a historic Tour de France for Intermarché-Wanty. Of course, thanks to Biniam Girmay, but the credit also goes to the entire team who performed at an exceptionally high level. It’s an extraordinary feat. Biniam is still young, it’s only his second Tour de France, and we had three rookies here in the peloton. This shows the potential of our team. Biniam Girmay finished the job, and the whole team was lifted. We can all be very proud of this Tour de France, and pay tribute to those who worked very hard in recent years so that we could celebrate this success today.”
A fundraising campaign has been open since the Grand Départ of the Tour de France at the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/TDF-IWA-RestosduCoeur
All donors who show generosity through this campaign during the Tour de France will participate in a draw with an exceptional prize to be won: a CUBE Litening C:68X bicycle, identical to the one used by the Tour de France riders, worth nearly €10,000, as well as five Intermarché-Wanty team outfits.
