The first Monument of the season ✨ #MilanoSanremo 🇫🇷 Lilian Calmejane 🇪🇷 Biniam Girmay 🇧🇪 Tom Paquot 🇳🇿 Dion Smith 🇳🇱 Mike Teunissen 🇧🇪 Gijs Van Hoecke 🇩🇪 Georg Zimmermann 🎨 @valentinpelerin
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"
CyclingFriday, 15 March 2024 at 11:00
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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