CyclistHow Biniam Girmay made history at the Tour de FranceBiniam Girmay is well versed in being a history-maker in both one-day Classics and Grand Tours. In 2022, he became the first Black African to win a stage at a Grand Tour after sprinting to victory on Stage 10 of the Giro dItalia.As he lined up for this years Tour de France, the Eritrean once again carried the hopes of a nation on his back. But far from weighing him down, the 2024 Tour saw Girmay flourish and make even more history, adding to his legacy with three stage wins and the green points jersey. Related Posts Nine of the best moments from the Tour de France 2024 Who won the most prize money at the 2024 Tour de France? A star is born: Biniam Girmay profile History in TurinA.S.O./Charly LopezThe 2024 Tour de France route provided eight stages for the sprinters to target, the majority falling in the first two weeks. Still, it was a more difficult start to the race than usual for the fast men, with the Tour kicking off with an extremely hilly Grand Dpart in Italy and a fast-tracked approach to the Alps that saw the highest point in the race the Souvenir Henri Desgrange ticked off at the summit of the Col du Galibier as early as Stage 4.In between came Stage 3, the first flat day of the race (and also the longest at 230.8km) from Plaisance to Turin, and Girmay took his chance at the first time of asking. Approaching the finish, his Intermarch-Wanty team drilled it on the front to lead out the contending group as Girmay himself sat further down the pack in around tenth position. He then emerged on the right to launch his sprint as a mass of bodies began to race for the finish in a horizontal line spread across the road. Girmay came around Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) to win the day and mark a monumental moment in his career.Girmay had become the first Black African to win a stage at the Tour de France, two years after accomplishing the feat at the Giro dItalia.Resplendent in greenA.S.O./Billy CeustersAs Mark Cavendish claimed that elusive record 35th stage win the following day, Girmays modest ninth place was nonetheless enough to move him into the green jersey, and after being narrowly beaten by Dylan Groenewegen of Jayco-AlUla on Stage 6, one sprint remained before the first rest day a 170km ride from Semur-en-AuxoistoColombey-les-Deux-glises with a short uphill kick towards the line.Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) pushed hard for the line but Girmay was on his wheel, taking flight as the gradient sharply increased and Coquard faltered. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was to Girmays right, gunning for his first stage win of the race, but he would be kept waiting as the Eritrean became the only rider to double up on wins in the first week, extending his lead in the points classification by doing so.On Stage 12, the third longest day of the race, Girmay was again present at the business end of the race. He ignited a ferocious sprint and held on to cross the line first and claim win number three in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, beating Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) into second.The podium beckonsTim de Waele/Getty ImagesGiven the traditional Champs-lysesfinish was shelved this year due to the 2024 Olympic Games being held in Paris, the final opportunity for the sprinters came on Stage 16. By this point Philipsen had found his sprinting legs, and when Girmay went down in a crash in the final kilometre, the Belgian won to match Girmays three stage wins and narrow the Eritreans advantage in the points classification to 32 points with five stages still to go. Girmay was down, but fortunately not out. With a bandaged knee, he set off from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chteaux the following day knowing that defending his dwindling points lead would likely depend on intermediate sprints over the mountainous stages that remained. As it turned out, Girmay and Philipsens last battle on the road would come later that same day at the intermediate sprint in Veynes, with Girmay scoring 11 and Philipsen 10 after the bigger points had already been swept up by the breakaway. Neither rider would score another point for the remainder of the race.As Stage 21s individual time-trial brought the 2024 Tour de France to a close, one by one the riders arrived at the finish line, their 33.7km effort against the clock completing just shy of 3,500km of racing over three weeks. The traditional podium ceremony where jerseys and trophies would be awarded was set to follow, albeit in the unfamiliar location of Nice for this year.As Girmay made his way onto the podium draped in the Eritrean flag, his family watched on. His post on social media after that first win back on Stage 3 had simply read: Let me open the door. At the time, footage from his nations capital of Asmara had shown people dancing in the street and chanting Bini in celebration. It showed just how much the moment meant, and continues to mean. The importance of representation cannot be understated.Standing on the podium in Nice as a multiple Tour stage winner and points classification champion, its safe to say that Girmay had opened the door and then some. It was a monumental achievement. The history maker continues to make history. After the race, he immediately extended his contract with Intermarch-Wanty until 2028, a home he has found much success with and an environment he seems to thrive in. Girmays is clearly a story with plenty of chapters still to be written. The post How Biniam Girmay made history at the Tour de France appeared first on Cyclist.