"I just want to sleep soundly for two days in a row" - Biniam Girmay is completely exhausted after Tour
Cycling
Intermarché - Wanty can't hide it. The 2025 season is not according to their expectations and Tour de France didn't break the curse that seems to be suffocating the Belgian team. After Grande Boucle, the team of Biniam Girmay fell all the way to 18th spot on the UCI ranking - last that would ensure a WT license for 2026-2028 period. Even worse than that however - the team is yet to win a big international race and not even their star sprinter could add first at Tour with only one second place.
"We knew it would be like a Flemish classic," Girmay explained after arriving at the organizers' microphone. "This kind of course suits me quite well. I was pretty good, but some are crazy and can send out insane watts."
Ultimately, the race became too difficult for the Eritrean who also didn't dare to take as many risks as some other riders in the slippery corners as rain poured down on the capital of France.
"In the end, I'm happy to finish the Tour. I think it's possible for me to aim for victory here in the future. But now, after 20 days, my legs weren't fresh enough. But I still prefer the old course," said Girmay who finished 6th on Champs-Élysées on his first Tour participation two years ago. Since then, the classic sprint is yet to be re-introduced to the course again.
The defending points classification champion however cannot be happy about not having won a single stage this year, only coming close to a victory on the opening stage in Lille when Jasper Philipsen was faster after a day marked by echelons.
"I don't know why, I was better than last year, but I think we didn't manage to find the solution and the right momentum. We could have done better, but at least you always learn, and I hope I'll be better next year. What I'm going to do right after the Tour? Leave the bike aside, just stay home... and I need to sleep so much! I'm totally destroyed to be honest, I just want to sleep soundly for two days in a row," he concluded with a smile.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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