Outsider Biniam Girmay from Eritrea caused a surprise at the Tour de Suisse by winning the second stage on Monday (06/12/2023).
The former U23 vice world champion from the Intermarche Circus Wanty team won the mass sprint of the peloton after 173.7 km from Beromünster to Nottwill. The 23-year-old thus celebrated one of the greatest successes of his career.
One day after his victory in the prologue, Swiss local hero Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) defended the leader’s yellow jersey with a five-second lead over world champion Remco Evenepoel (Belgium/Soudal Quick-Step), who was also stopped at the same time. As the best German, Michael Schwarzmann (Lotto Dstny) from Kempten crossed the finish line in 29th place.
Van Aert misjudges, Girmay profits
After three climbs and two sprints with a difference in altitude of 1900 m, Girmay benefited from a tactical error by Belgian Olympic silver medalist Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) on his second day’s victory on a larger tour after a stage success at the 2022 Giro d’Italia.
After a largely minor mass crash during the nervous course of the race at kilometer 142, the former world championship runner-up took the lead at the beginning of the decisive phase 500 m from the finish line and started the sprint prematurely. Ultimately, however, van Aert had to let last year’s Gent-Wevelgem winner Girmay and also the Frenchman Arnaud Demare pass.
The 3rd stage – it goes up
The third stage on Tuesday covers 143.8 km from Tafers to Villars-sur-Ollon. On the shortest section of the entire tour with a mountain finish after 2700 meters of altitude difference over two mountains of the first category, the class riders have to be particularly careful to protect their chances.