Biniam Girmay: "This was only my second spring race in Belgium"

Despite being a relative rookie at the cobbled classics, today Biniam Girmay led Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux at the E3 Saxo Bank Classic and has thrived in the cobbled, putting on the most surprising ride of the day.

"I thank my team, because they have made me a leader and that motivates me enormously. This was only my second spring race in Belgium. I don't know these roads very well yet and that made it difficult," Girmay said in a post-race interview.

Although having missed the move up the Taaienberg where Jumbo-Visma blew up the race, he was quick to react at the Eikenberg where some riders in the peloton jumped across to the front group. Girmay was there, and he then resisted the swarm of attacks throughout the afternoon to come out of the Oude Kwaremont in the chasing group. Despite having missed the podium, a fourth place is a brilliant result for the 21-year old.

"My positioning was sometimes a bit less, but my team did a great job. And E3 was one of the hardest races of my life. I hadn't trained on cobblestones after the World championships, but my form is good. I'll normally ride Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday," Girmay added.

Girmay had hinted that the E3 Saxo Bank Classic would be the last cobbled classic of his spring, however he's prolonging his current run of form into Gent-Wevelgem which will take place this weekend, before resting and preparing for the Giro.

"Next year I will definitely stay for the Ronde, but now I'm sticking to my plan. I have to race here more, but I miss my family and I have to rest a bit," he concluded.