Biniam Girmay: "Win or lose, I really enjoy what I do. I'm living my dream"

After a breakthrough year the dust is settling for Biniam Girmay. As the Eritrean star rides another spring now as a consolidated leader in the peloton, he's been having a hard time without his best form.

"It's not going well in the classics at the moment. Luckily for me, there's still a long period of racing after that," Girmay told Sporza.  "You know, win or lose, I really enjoy what I do. I'm living my dream, there's no better life for me than being a cyclist. I dreamed of becoming a cyclist and now I'm racing alongside great champions like Sagan. It's unbelievable."

Nevertheless happy, the 22-year old is in a good place mentally. With a contract until 2026 with Intermarché - Circus - Wanty and a lot of support for him including transfers such as Mike Teunissen. Girmay started off his season strongly in Spain, including a win at the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana, but since returning to racing in the spring he hasn't been able to thrive.

He was well placed in the sprints at Tirreno-Adriatico, but that was in preparation for the cobbled classics, where he hasn't been able to perform so far. He finished 28th at Milano-Sanremo, and in the cobbled he hasn't been able to contest for a result yet. He will race a full campaign however ending in Paris-Roubaix, and he'll be present at the Tour of Flanders this Sunday. "My family will cut my cake when the race starts. Hope it brings me luck!" he concluded.