Biniam Girmay leads Intermarché at GP de Wallonie in anticipation to World Championships

Biniam Girmay remains on path for the World Championships, and at the GP de Wallonie he will have an important step in his preparations for next week's main event.

Girmay abandoned the GP de Montréal with stomach issues, but this past Friday he showed great form as he rode to a third place at the GP de Québec, beating Wout van Aert in the final sprint. This comes following a sixth place at the Bretagne Classic and a fourth at the Tour du Doubs, both hilly races in which he's tested his climbing legs.

Endurance however will be a different issue. Girmay is set to ride both the GP de Wallonie and the Memorial Marco Pantani this week as his final races before the Worlds. Today he will have tough competition, including that of Mathieu van der Poel. He will have the support of the likes of Sven Erik Bystrom, Loïc Vliegen and Georg Zimmermann towards the hilly race.

Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux for GP de Wallonie: Biniam Girmay, Sven Erik Bystrom, Dimitri Claeys, Hugo Page, Taco van der Hoorn, Loïc Vliegen and Georg Zimmermann. i