Biniam Girmay feeling effects of crash into Flanders cobbles: "I can't control my bike perfectly yet because my hand is still bothering me"

Biniam Girmay was a victim of a crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen, in the same incident that involved Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen. He got away with superficial injuries, but admits that he is not at his best into the Tour of Flanders.

“But I have been able to recover well in the last two days. I feel okay now," Girmay told Sporza this morning. “Everyone knows that the Tour of Flanders is one of the toughest classics, so you have to be 100 percent." The Eritrean was said to have been shocked at the time with the high-speed crash, and abandoned the Belgian classic.

It was far from the ideal run-up to Flanders, and certainly in a race where riding in the cobbles will be a constant, it's not going to be easy for the Intermarché - Wanty rider who is having hand pain following the crash. He teams up with riders such as Mike Teunissen and Laurenz Rex who have a shot at a strong result on the day.

"Today I am a little less in shape due to the fall, the body has not yet fully recovered. But I think I might feel better during the race. I can't control my bike perfectly yet because my hand is still bothering me," he concluded.