Biniam Girmay out of Glasgow World Championships

Excitement and anticipation surround the UCI Road Cycling World Championships, which are about to get underway in Glasgow, Scotland. However, the elite men's road race could see one of the leading contenders for the rainbow jersey sit out of the competition. Biniam Girmay and four of his Eritrean teammates have been denied visas to enter the UK, dealing a blow to the team and the 23-year-old African cyclist.

GCN has confirmed that more than half of the Eritrean team is in an uncertain situation, hoping to reapply for entry to the UK just four days before Sunday's scheduled road race. Currently, three riders have been granted visas - Natnael Berhane, Henok Mulubrahn and Dawit Yemane - while four riders, including Biniam Girmay, are unable to travel - Natnael Tesfatsion, Merhawi Kudus and Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier.

The reasons behind the denial of the visa applications are still unclear, and this has generated concern and uncertainty for cyclists and their supporters. Interestingly, one of the riders who had submitted his application last Monday got approval in just four days, last Friday, raising questions about the evaluation criteria and the timeline of the process.

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Time is running out for the riders, who are still hoping to participate in the World Championships. The option is to submit new applications, but the logistics are complicated. For example, Merhawi Kudus, who is currently competing in the Tour de l'Ain, will have to return to Andorra, where he lives, to submit his application. For his part, Biniam Girmay lives in San Marino, a state within Italy, along with two other teammates, Natnael Tesfatsion and Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier.

Biniam Girmay is a leading figure in the world of African cycling and has achieved several important milestones for his continent. In 2022, he became the first African to win a cobbled classic at Gent-Wevelgem and shortly after, he became the first black African to win a stage of the Giro d'Italia. His fast sprinting in the most demanding races makes him a real threat for the gold medal in Glasgow.

Unfortunately, visa problems are not new to Girmay and his fellow Eritreans, and this has been a recurring obstacle for African cyclists to establish themselves and compete in the heartland of European cycling. Once they manage to settle in a European country, things may be easier, but the UK, although once part of the EU, has changed its status, and the commonly used Schengen visas no longer cover the 2023 World Championships.

Last year, under similar circumstances, cyclist Lawson Craddock also missed the World Championships in Australia due to the initial denial of his visa, and his new application was only approved just after his flight took off.

So far, Biniam Girmay's agent has declined to comment on the situation, and the Eritrean Cycling Federation has yet to issue a statement on the matter. Fans around the world, and especially Eritrean supporters, are eagerly awaiting a swift and fair resolution so that Biniam Girmay and the Eritrean team can compete in the World Road Cycling Championships and continue to showcase the talent and prowess of African cycling on the international stage.

UPDATE: In a statement issued by Intermarché - Circus - Wanty, Girmay has said that the reason behind the absence from the race is an injury contracted in a high-speed crash at the Clásica San Sebastián. It is unclear the circumstances of the other three riders mentioned in the report.

“I’m of course very disappointed to withdraw from the selection for the World Championships, which were a main goal for this season since last winter," he said. "I had a good feeling after the Tour de France, but my crash in the Clasica San Sebastián caused too severe pain to be able to defend my chances in the worlds. My priority is now to recover from this crash and then the preparation for the last part of the season, with nice goals in one day races such as the Grand Prix de Plouay and Canadian classics.”