Biniam Girmay not too hopeful of a sprint at Milano-Sanremo: "I see the same names as in recent years, so I expect the same scenario"
Cycling
A sprinter who can climb, on paper Milano-Sanremo is a race very well suited to the skillset of Biniam Girmay. However, the leader of Intermarché-Wanty is not too hopeful of a sprint finish when he's got to face the likes of Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel.
“I have been waiting a long time for the first Monument of the season. It is my first main goal of my spring campaign. After the Opening Weekend I trained for a week in Alicante, under the care of my trainer Frederik Vleuchelen. I managed to keep the momentum going in Tirreno-Adriatico. I felt strong there," Girmay said in a press release.
Girmay was 12th in his debut in 2022 and 28th in 2023. He enters as team leader into the 2024 edition after showing good legs at Tirreno-Adriatico and with a win under his belt already this year at the Surf Coast Classic.
“After Tirreno-Adriatico I took advantage of the time to explore the Milano-Sanremo final twice more, with Frederik and Mike Teunissen (who will likely be a co-leader for the Belgian team, ed.). That turned out to be a valuable refresher. I now have every detail memorized. I feel completely ready for the race. I have complete confidence in my six teammates,” he continues. “In the knowledge that they will do everything they can to provide me with the best possible performance at the crucial points.”
Girmay looked sharp on the Opening Weekend, often having the legs to be in the front groups over the explosive climbs, and he will very much need that in these efforts as he will tackle the fast ascent of the Poggio where the race will likely be decided.
He believes the attacks there can once again succeed, as they have with the recent likes of Matej Mohoric, Mathieu van der Poel and several others. “In terms of competition, I see the same names as in recent years, so I expect the same scenario," he concludes.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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The first Monument of the season ✨ #MilanoSanremo 🇫🇷 Lilian Calmejane 🇪🇷 Biniam Girmay 🇧🇪 Tom Paquot 🇳🇿 Dion Smith 🇳🇱 Mike Teunissen 🇧🇪 Gijs Van Hoecke 🇩🇪 Georg Zimmermann 🎨 @valentinpelerin
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