It is unclear whether cyclist Biniam Girmay will start on Wednesday for the eleventh stage of the Tour of Italy. During the ceremony on Tuesday for his win of the tenth stage, he got the cork of a bottle of prosecco hard in his left eye. The driver from Eritrea has been examined in a hospital. According to his team Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert, Girmay needs some rest. A medical update will probably follow on Wednesday.
Girmay told reporters present after the ceremony that he could no longer see with his injured eye. Just before the ceremony, he was still looking for words to describe his stage victory. “Unbelievable,” said the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert driver after referring Mathieu van der Poel to second place. Van der Poel reacted sporty and raised his thumb. A moment later he went to Girmay to congratulate him.
“Our team has checked the tenth stage,” said Girmay after a 196 kilometer ride from Pescara to Jesi. “I have no words for what the team has done for me. I was helped by three teammates in the final and Domenico Pozzovivo started the sprint for me.”
Girmay finished second in the first stage of the Giro, just behind Van der Poel.