Biniam Girmay ends drought with Valenciana opener win for NSN
Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay opened his 2026 season the way a nation likes to see it: arms up, sprint line won, and the long wait finally over.
Girmay powered to victory on Stage 1 of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, delivering an immediate payoff on his debut with NSN Cycling Team and taking his first win since Stage 12 of the 2024 Tour de France.
The 160km day from Segorbe to Torreblanca looked set for a routine bunch finish—until Remco Evenepoel’s Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe turned the race inside out on the Puerto Los Madroños, splitting the peloton and forcing a frantic chase. A late move by Italy’s Giulio Pellizzari nearly stuck, dangling a slim gap deep into the final kilometre before being caught under the flamme rouge.
In the sprint, Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers) launched early, but Girmay timed his effort and held off a fast-closing Arne Marit, with Giovanni Lonardi also on the podium places behind them.
For Girmay, the significance went beyond a stage result. After a winless 2025, he described the relief plainly: “To be honest, it took me more than a year to get a victory… We struggled last year… I’m super happy, motivated and looking forward to this year.”
He now carries the leader’s yellow jersey into Stage 2’s 17km time trial (Carlet–Alginet), where Evenepoel is widely expected to be the benchmark.
For Eritreans, it’s the kind of moment that lands with extra weight: not just a win, but a reminder that the rider who lit up the 2024 Tour de France is back in the winner’s circle.
Related stories
Biniam Girmay Signs Three-Year Deal With NSN, Marking a Major Shift in African Cycling
NSN Cycling Team has confirmed the signing of Eritrean star Biniam Girmay on a three-year contract running through 2028, securing one of the sport’s most dynamic and influential riders ahead of the 2026 season. The move positions Girmay as a central figure in the team’s competiti
Biniam Girmay Wins Men’s Elite Title at the Africa Cycling Excellence Awards in Kigali
Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay has won the Men’s Elite title at the inaugural Africa Cycling Excellence Awards (ACEA), held on 29 November 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda . The honour places him at the top of the continent’s rankings for 2025 and further solidifies his reputation
Biniam Girmay Leaves Intermarché: Eritrea’s Trailblazer Steps Into a New Chapter
Biniam Girmay’s departure from Intermarché–Wanty marks one of the most consequential moves of the cycling transfer season—not only for the sport, but for African cycling as a whole. After three seasons that rewrote the record books and reshaped the identity of a modest Belgian sq
Eritrea’s Henok Mulueberhan Seizes Yellow in Qinghai, Echoing Eritrea’s Growing Legacy in Global Cycling
In the windswept highlands of Qinghai, where elevation alone breaks weaker wills, Eritrean cyclist Henok Mulueberhan has once again etched his name into international cycling history. At the penultimate stage of the 2025 Tour of Magnificent Qinghai, Mulueberhan claimed the Yello