Girmay unlikely to ride Tour de France according to Intermarché: "We also have ambitious plans for the autumn"

Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux sporting manager Aike Visbeek has talked about the rumours that Biniam Girmay could be riding the Tour de France after his abandon at the Giro d'Italia. With the eye injury likely to heal in the coming days, the Eritrean's form is unlikely to suffer, and he should resume his planned schedule.

In an interview with Het Nieuwsblad, he said: "Of course we have already thought about the Tour, but we also have ambitious plans for the autumn. The world championship in Wollongong is the big goal."

In the coming weeks Girmay is set to race the Brussels Cycling Classic and Ronde van Limburg before heading home for the national championships and preparing for the second half of the season. The team stresses that changing plans is unlikely, and the logical option is to follow the plan lined out several months ago.

“If we send Girmay to the Tour, it means that he has a different World championships run-up. We must make a wise decision considering his age. He's only 22, which is young for another Grand Tour,” he added.

“He now has ten days of Giro in his legs. He has rode a full spring and normally he rides a full autumn. We have to keep the peace," Visbeek stressed.