Biniam Girmay expresses disappointment over World Championships absence but states reason is injury, not visa problems: "My crash in the Clasica San Sebastián caused too severe pain"

News broke out this morning that visa issues would prevent Biniam Girmay from participating in the World Championships. However the Eritrean does not mention it in a statement where he tells that injuries keep him out of Glasgow.

“I’m of course very disappointed to withdraw from the selection for the World Championships, which were a main goal for this season since last winter," he said in an issued statement from Intermarché-Circus-Wanty. "I had a good feeling after the Tour de France, but my crash in the Clasica San Sebastián caused too severe pain to be able to defend my chances in the worlds."

After a modest Tour de France debut the 23-year raced San Sebastián, perhaps unusually as it is a race far from suited to his abilities. It proved costly, a high speed crash saw him contract a hip injury of which he has not recovered now.

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This comes in contradiction by a report from GCN which argued that Girmay, alongside Natnael Tesfatsion, Merhawi Kudus, and Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier, had not received a visa to travel to the UK this weekend and could not make it into the race. It is unclear at this point the overall situation with the Eritrean team.

"My priority is now to recover from this crash and then the preparation for the last part of the season, with nice goals in one day races such as the Grand Prix de Plouay and Canadian classics," Girmay assures.