Biniam Girmay could be overjoyed if he hadn't had such a dramatic mishap. He is the first black African to win a stage of the Giro d'Italia, but then pops the cork of a Prosecco bottle in his eye. He has to leave the tour early.
A strange mishap at the award ceremony cost professional cyclist Biniam Girmay the further participation in the Giro d'Italia. The Eritrean won the tenth stage of the tour on Tuesday, but then accidentally shot the cork of the Prosecco bottle he had received as the winner in the left eye on the podium.
The 22-year-old was taken to a hospital for tests. Although these did not result in any serious injuries, Girmay did not start the eleventh stage this Wednesday out of caution. This leads over 203 kilometers from Santarcangelo di Romagna to Reggio Emilia. "What happened is a bit sad, I have to keep my eye on it," Girmay said in a video message from his Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert team.
Girmay wrote cycling history in Jesi on Tuesday as the first black African to win a stage of a major national tour. He was then celebrated on the podium. As he was about to open the large bottle of bubbly, the cork shot into his left eye. Although he briefly squirted the champagne with his eyes shut, he was immediately examined, first in an ambulance and then in a clinic. In the evening he returned to the team hotel and toasted his teammates.
He recalled his success with pride: "It was unbelievable. I am very grateful to the team. This victory is also for my colleagues." And further: "I'm looking forward to more in the next season." The official Giro Twitter channel said: "Bini, we hope you'll come back to our streets soon." Girmay had caused a stir earlier this year by becoming the first African to win the difficult classic Gent-Wevelgem.
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