Biniam Girmay Makes History with Third Tour de France Stage Win

Biniam Girmay secured his third victory at this year’s Tour de France, becoming the first black African to win a stage at the prestigious event. Riding for Intermarche-Wanty, the 24-year-old triumphed in a sprint finish in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, outpacing Wout van Aert in a thrilling dash to the line. Meanwhile, overall contender Primoz Roglic suffered a setback after a late crash on stage 12, which dropped him from fourth to sixth in the general classification after he lost over two minutes.

Despite the challenges, Tadej Pogacar maintained his lead in the yellow jersey, retaining a margin of one minute six seconds over Remco Evenepoel. Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard followed closely, trailing by an additional eight seconds. The stage showcased Girmay’s determined effort, as he also extended his lead in the green jersey points competition, now holding a commanding 111-point advantage over Jasper Philipsen.

The 203.6km route from Aurillac to Villeneuve-sur-Lot staged a bunch sprint after reeling in an initial breakaway with 40km to go. Biniam Girmay capitalized on his sprinting prowess to clinch victory, solidifying his reputation as one of the fastest sprinters in this year’s Tour. The stage featured drama, including a crash involving Alexey Lutsenko that also impacted Roglic’s position in the standings.

Looking ahead, the Tour will encounter challenging terrain as it enters the Pyrenees with stage 13 posing potential difficulties for sprinters due to hilly sections near the finish. As the race progresses, the competition remains intense, with contenders like Roglic aiming to recover lost ground and Pogacar defending his lead amidst fierce competition.