Ghent-Wevelgem: historic victory for Eritrean Girmay. Catalonia, stop in Bagioli, classification in Higuita. Ulissi takes the Larciano GP

Historic, first African victory in a cycling classic: the Eritrean Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty Gobert) won the 84th edition of the Ghent-Wevelgem sprint. Girmay, who will turn 22 next Saturday, has beaten the three escape companions with whom he has animated the race in the last 25 kilometers. Second place for the French Christophe Laporte, third for Dries Van Gestel. “It is simply incredible, I could not have hoped for so much” the first words of Girmay, who plans to return to his country and then return to Europe to race the Giro. “This will change a lot of things for my future and that of African riders.”

Bagioli ring

–

Colombian Sergio Higuita (Bora) won the Tour of Catalonia which ended today in Barcelona with the seventh and last stage dyed blue, thanks to the call of Andrea Bagioli (Quick Step). In the six-lap leg of a circuit set up on the Olympic hill of Montjuic, Bagioli returned to the leading group in the last kilometer and won in the final sprint, overtaking the Hungarian Valter and the Spanish Barcelo. Higuita limited himself to controlling his main rivals, especially the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, Olympic gold on the road in Tokyo, who was just 16 seconds behind. The 24-year-old Colombian achieved his first stage race on the WorldTour circuit.

Here again Ulissi

–

Diego Ulissi triumphed today in the Larciano Industry and Commerce Grand Prix. The Tuscan cyclist, UAE Team Emirates, won in the sprint, ahead of the Venetian Alessandro Fedeli, of Gazprom-RusVelo, second classified on the day when the manager Renat Khamidulin made official the forced stop of the Russian team. Third place for the Belgian Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Fenix).