Biniam Girmay's dream Tour de France almost ends; Green jersey receives stitches after late fall on decisive sprint

The 16th stage of the Tour de France 2024 brought setbacks for Biniam Girmay. The Eritrean rider, who had so far had an outstanding performance in the race, was involved in a crash in the last kilometers of the day, which prevented him from scoring points at the finish. Despite the blow, the Intermarché - Wanty leader showed courage to reach the finish line. He could've sealed the points classification today but ended the day with stitches and threat of ending his race.

The incident occurred at a critical moment in the final sprint, with numerous roundabouts complicating the terrain and increasing the tension among the competitors to position well. "There were a lot of roundabouts in the last ten kilometers and in one of them an EF Education-EasyPost rider suddenly came at me, I couldn't do anything," Girmay explained after the crash. This was Marijn van den Berg, who was also left out of the sprint as a result.

After receiving medical attention, Girmay gave an update on his physical condition: "My knee is swollen, as is my elbow. I also have some injuries. I hope it's nothing serious. I was able to ride my bike after the crash and I feel good both mentally and physically." Later on he shared a message on Twitter, reaffirming his will to reach Nice, and hopefully with a green jersey although Jasper Philipsen's victory today has made it a tougher mission.

For its part, the Intermarché - Wanty team later confirmed that no fractures were found in Girmay, although there were several bruises from the impact and also stitches received in an elbow. The quick medical response and the rider's positive reaction after the accident offer a glimmer of hope for the remaining stages of the Tour de France.

The incident also provoked reactions among other riders and teams. Axel Laurance of Alpecin-Deceuninck described the scene as "very intense" and expressed his hope that everyone involved is okay. Meanwhile, EF Education-EasyPost's Marijn van den Berg, who also fell in the same situation, suffered only minor abrasions and will be able to continue in the race, his team confirmed.

The Tour de France continues with its exciting stages, keeping uncertainty over who will win the final victory and the coveted green points jersey. Stage 18, with a few hills and intermediate sprint present, should be key for the outcome of this classification where Girmay has a chance of making history.