Biniam Girmay's key mistake at the cobbled classics shared by team: "He sometimes forgets the basic things such as eating well and staying hydrated"
Cycling
Racing the cobbled classics in cycling is often combining great legs with great tactics. In races that are constantly changing throughout the climbs and cobbled sectors it's easy to become overwhelmed with decisions; and Intermarché - Wanty reveal that Biniam Girmay has had less good performances due to missing out on the basics.
"...Let's not forget that he was only 21 years old when he won Gent-Wevelgem. You are still in a discovery phase. And in his breakthrough spring, he didn't have to use his arm warmers all spring. Everything fell into place at that moment, but that's not how it goes every year," team DS Aike Visbeek told Wielerflits. "That super spring may have covered up the things he still had to learn, but he has learned his lesson now. He is a more complete rider.”
The Eritrean rider has an extraordinary talent for the northern classics, both when it comes to the small climbs and sprinting. This has earned him already a meaningful palmarès, but experience comes with racing and many years. Despite the breakthrough he had that year and the leadership position he got in the Belgian team, Visbeek does not forget that the team is still a level below some of the competitors.
“We are dealing with Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen, who are head and shoulders above the rest. But our goal is to at least be in the group with Tim Wellens, Jasper Stuyven and Mads Pedersen," he explains. "He was there in the E3 Saxo Classic on Friday, which was very good to see."
Although he's performed well on the climbs, so far Girmay has not managed to bring a strong result out of this classics block. Visbeek tells that this was partly due to some mistakes he's made whilst having been caught up in the bulk of the action. "Then he is very busy riding for results, and he sometimes forgets the basic things such as eating well and staying hydrated."
“He is a real winner. But he did have to give up. It didn't work out, but you have a little more pressure, you want to show it. He wants to do it for the team, for himself, for his country. But here on the bus he is a cyclist who wants to perform. That is sometimes his pitfall."
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- exactly, he had an amazing season, but with these overstatements they don‘t do him good.Ketterechts08-11-2026
- More to the point, it isn't his remaining goal.Renz08-11-2026
- lol yeahmij08-11-2026
- I know, their headlines can be so misleading. Pidcock had a great season with 5 wins. and some solid 2nds. no reason to take away from that with a fake headline.mij08-11-2026
- You can clearly see the the posture change from slightly sitting to again out of the saddle while changing of gears in the video of the sprintabstractengineer08-11-2026
- He has already beaten Pogi twice in the TDF. the achievement is over. He cannot beat Pogi now and he only has a few years left at the top. Win Giro and compete in the TDF, maximise palmares.abstractengineer08-11-2026
- Just looked again at the photo. Yeah I stand by that. If MS had fallen over in Brands direction I don’t even think she would have hit her. You must be a UCI race commissioner. I’ll be sure to check my sock height should I ever see you on a ride. Looks like everyone else on here sees what I see.mij08-11-2026
- I said looking at the photo it doesn’t appear she deviated. Chill out, not stating my word is the final judgement. Just commenting that based on the photo I don’t see it. And BTW the Dutch coach even said she didn’t impede her.mij08-11-2026
- Blah Blah Blah !frieders308-11-2026
- MS said she was changing gears so that caused her slight deviation. Nothing was intentional.frieders308-11-2026
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Bini 🤝 Mads #GW24 #RideForAntoine🌟
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