Cycling might be a very important part of Girmay’s life but the main foundation is his family, this is what he has reiterated many times. After his amazing victory at Gent-Wevelgem, it seemed natural that he would ride the Tour of Flanders next weekend, but that will not be happening.
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Girmay will instead be focusing on his family, he will fly back to Eritrea on Tuesday to meet his wife and daughter. This will be the first time he will be meeting his family after he left Asmara to prepare for the 2022 season with Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert. This year has been very exciting for Girmay and we believe there are still many surprises in store.
Girmay said in a press conference in Zedelgem:
Family is the most important. For me, my family is the first thing, even more than the bike, so I have to take care of them. For three months, my wife has been taking care of the baby and everything. I’m in good shape, but I’m still following my plan. We will [do the Tour of Flanders] in the future. This is the beginning, so we have a lot of time.
Professional cycling disrupts precious family time as cyclists remain away from home for a prolonged period of time. It is even harder for cyclists that are not from Europe but there are certain rules and regulations on hand that make things harder for Eritrean citizens like Girmay. So if he wishes to see his wife and daughter soon enough then the best time to do that is on Tuesday.
Girmay stated:
Of course, when you start the season, you have a schedule and I gave that already to my wife. She accepted it and so did I. But now, to stay one week longer is not easy. I will spend all my time in Eritrea with my family, so that’s why it’s more important to go home.
Asmara will prove to be a really good training ground for Girmay, after all, it is the world’s sixth-highest capital city. Girmay now has to focus on his Giro d’Italia debut and the quiet roads of will prove to be very valuable for his performance.
Normally I live in the capital, Asmara, and it’s at 2,400 meters. That’s perfect for me. I don’t need to go to altitude in another place. It’s a really good cycling country, and a lot of amateur riders train with me when I’m at home. There’s a good possibility to train there.
Girmay used to ride with Team Delko before but they ran into financial trouble, now the biggest WorldTour teams might try to sway him away from Intermarché when Girmay’s contract will expire in 2024, it will not be easy for them though.
Biniam Girmay had a lot to say about his attachment with Intermarché:
This team is like family, I would like to continue with this team. Not just for two years but maybe more. I’m really happy with this team.
We cannot wait to see more of Biniam Girmay, what other miracles will he perform. Stay tuned for more updates!
Also Read: Egan Bernal Back On The Bike As Recovery Continues
Featured Image Via YouTube/FloBikes
