Biniam Girmay may find new right-hand man in British sprinter: "He's the kind of teammate I was looking for"

Biniam Girmay faces a new stage in his career after leaving Intermarché-Wanty and joining the NSN Cycling Team, the team that was born out of the Israel - Premier Tech structure. He's talked to the media for the first time since his new jersey was announced, and has high ambitions into 2026.

The Eritrean, one of the biggest names in cycling today, explained his motivations and feelings during the presentation in Barcelona, where he shared his ambitions and the confidence he has in his new environment in statements published in the newspaper AS.

“I switched to this team because I want to win everything," he said in words to the Spanish news outlet. Certainly with a Gent-Wevelgem, a Giro stage win, three Tour de France victories and a green jersey, the 25-year old already carries an enviable palmarès. But 2025 didn't go his way, and now he wants to return to the top level with the Swiss team.

He has got plenty sprinters alongside him, and believes Jake Stewart could be very important as a leadout man. “We're roughly the same age, and we race a lot. He's the kind of teammate I was looking for. If you look at this team, you can see that next season it will be one of the most competitive in the sprints. It’s the one that best suits my profile".

He didn't want to give many words regarding his departure from Intermarché - Wanty. The contractual situation of many riders was not clear, and with NSN also undergoing a name change, his transfer was only announced in early December.

“Wasn’t easy because of the ups and downs at Intermarché. These days, if everything isn’t 100%, it’s impossible to win. And I think that here we have the best weapons: the bikes and the teammates," he assured.

Girmay was also happy to meet former football player Andrés Iniesta, who played for Barcelona - where the team is now based at - and is the founder of NSN, the team's main sponsor. Girmay admires him, despite the two thriving in different sports: "He's a football legend, and they're different sports, but it's incredible that someone so iconic is part of the team. I think it will help cycling move forward".