Eritrea achieves historic victory

To his fans, he was the “King of Africa” — an international superstar and the first black African to win a stage in the Tour de France.

Biniyam Guilmay has done it not once but three times in road cycling’s premier event this year. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the 24-year-old is expected to win the green jersey on Sunday – the prize awarded to the best sprinter during the grueling three weeks of racing.

But Gilmer’s road to success was not without its ups and downs – he had to overcome culture shock, visa procedures in Europe and the loneliness of being thousands of miles away from his wife and young daughter.

Today, he is a hero in his native Eritrea and a role model for cyclists across Africa.

Many believe Gilmour’s success will inspire change in the predominantly white sport – he was the only black rider in this year’s Tour de France among a field of 176 riders.

Girmai (known as Bini to his family and fans) was born and raised in Eritrea, a small East African country with a population of about 3.7 million.

Unusually, Gilmay never became a champion in Asmara, the capital where he grew up, or in Eritrea. Instead, he burst onto the international scene after being discovered by cycling’s global governing body, the UCI.

Earlier this year, Guilmay told Eritrean media that it was easier to win the Tour de France than to become an Eritrean champion. This is because despite its small population, Eritrea has a large number of excellent cyclists, many of whom have won medals in global and continental competitions.

Cycling is one of the most popular sports in Eritrea, a pastime that was inherited during the Italian colonial rule.

This is a point of pride for many Eritreans, a country that usually makes global headlines only for border conflicts and what rights groups consider to be a poor human rights record, but which the Eritrean government vigorously defends.

Gilmay’s dream of becoming a cyclist was sparked by his cousin, African champion Melon Teshome.

Guilmay’s obsession with cycling also extends to his family – his brother is now a professional cyclist, while his father, a carpenter, watches the Tour de France on television with Guilmay every year.

This is my momentis a documentary chronicling his rise, in which an elderly female relative tells him: “When I was young, no one could beat me, not even you!”

At 12, Gilmay won his first mountain bike race, and as a teenager he was selected to represent Eritrea in the junior category of the African Championships.

There, he caught the attention of a UCI scout.

They invited him to train at the organization’s World Cycling Center (WCC), an elite Swiss facility that hosts There may not be as many development opportunities.

In 2018, 17-year-old Gilmay dropped out of school and left home for Switzerland.

The transition was difficult, he had no friends or family around him and suffered a huge culture shock.

“It was very difficult to prepare Beanie; he had to change a lot of things: his lifestyle, his daily routine,” said Jean-Jacques Henry, head of the WCC’s talent detection department. Gilmé recalls as he prepares for the 2023 Tour de France.

“When he arrived in July, it was too cold for him. For us, it was warm. He didn’t like the cobbles (which riders like Gilmour often have to deal with) and he didn’t understand tactics.”

But he believed he would overcome these problems and achieve his dream. He even took English lessons so that when he eventually turned professional, he wouldn’t have to use a translator when he spoke to the media.

Sure enough, in 2020, Girmay was poached by the French team Delko.

While training in France, he began planning his wedding with his Eritrean partner, Salim.

But the coronavirus outbreak in 2020 disrupted his plans to return home, and he was unable to compete in Europe as several tournaments were cancelled.

The following year, Gilmay suffered another blow. Delco went bankrupt and the young cyclist lost his team.

However, he was able to return to Asmara and marry Salim.

She later gave birth to a baby girl, but Gilmay was unable to stay on for long as he was signed by the Belgian team Intermarché–Wanty.

Getting a visa to continue his cycling journey wasn’t easy – This Is My Moment documents the new father’s struggle to reach multiple visa application centres and embassies during his time in Asmara.

Eventually, he was able to obtain a long-term visa, which he still holds. However, visa requirements require Gilmay to leave Europe’s 29-nation Schengen area every three months. He usually returns to Asmara.

In 2022, the cyclist set out to make history.

In Ghent-Wevelgem, Belgium, he became the first African to win a one-day classic. Gilmay led with four riders in the final 30km and sprinted to victory with 250m to go.

“I came… I saw… I conquered!” an ecstatic British commentator shouted as he crossed the finish line, a variation of the Latin phrase “I came, I saw, I conquered” that has become a slogan for his fans and the media.

As a sprinter, Gilmay quickly accelerated towards the end of the race and rushed towards the finish line fiercely.

He is a rare creature – as a mountainous country, Eritrea produces mainly “climbers”, cyclists who excel particularly on steep slopes.

Gilmay made history again in the Ghent-Wevelgem race, taking another historic stage win in the Giro d’Italia, the largest cycling tour after the Tour de France.

The celebrations were cut short when Gilmay was rushed to hospital – he had accidentally put the cork of a bottle of Prosecco into his eye while on the podium.

He recovered quickly, but still found it difficult to enjoy his victory without his wife and daughter by his side.

Despite missing his hometown, Gilmer persevered, and his wife and daughter eventually moved to the French city of Nice, where they will await his return after the Tour de France ends on Sunday.

Eritrean cycling enthusiasts will also be watching the situation closely.

After his victory on stage three of the Tour de France, people poured into the streets of Asmara, waving national flags and dancing to the honking of celebratory car horns.

Eritrean fans also frequently cheer for Gilmay at away games – at the 2023 Tour de Suisse, one fan told the BBC: “He is the king of Africa. We are proud. Eritrea was known for some bad things like war, but now it is different.”

Gilmay also represents the wider African continent, Mani Arthur, head of the Black Cycling Network, who competed for Ghana, told the BBC’s Focus on Africa podcast last week.

“We really don’t see a lot of black riders in the Tour de France, especially riders from Africa,” he said.

“So it was incredible to see Gilmer not only compete, but win a coveted stage. He has proven himself to be one of the best riders in the world.”

Aklilu Haile, an Eritrean cycling coach who has known Gilmay for a decade, believes his success will have a huge impact.

“Sometimes cycling seemed like a sport only for white people, but now he’s telling us that cycling is a sport for the whole world,” he said.

After the Tour de France, Guirmay will compete in the Olympics in Paris this summer. He hopes to win a gold medal, but it’s unlikely – he’s the only road cyclist representing Eritrea, so there’s no one to lead him in a sprint.

He has high hopes for next year’s World Championships in Rwanda, the country where he was first discovered by the UCI.

For many, Girmay’s victory in Rwanda was momentous.

Cycling fans from around the world will witness African riders speed across the finish line on African soil before being enveloped by a crowd of green, blue and yellow waving the Eritrean flag.