Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay Hailu wins Ghent-Wevelgem classic

Representative of the Belgian Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert team, the African won the 84th edition of the race, after beating Frenchman Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) in the last 250 meters to achieve the most important victory of his sports career.

Biniam Girmay, 21 years old and Flanders 2021 world sub-23 road race runner-up, took 5:37.31 hours to triumph in the classic, followed by Laporte and the Belgian Dries Van Gestel (TotalEnergies), both with the same time as the winner.

The Eritrean joined a group of four breakaways with 24 kilometers to go, who resisted until the end to dispute the last sprint and led by eight seconds the peloton, led by the Danish Soren Kragh Andersen (DSM), the Belgian Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix ), the also Danish Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) and the Spanish Iván García Cortina (Movistar).

“It’s amazing, amazing. He couldn’t expect this. We just changed the plan a few days ago, on Friday. We have only come for a good result. This race is amazing. Unbelievable,” Biniam Girmay told the cyclingnews.com website.

This year the African won the Alcúdia Trophy of the Mallorca Cycling Challenge, Spain, and in 2021 he won the first edition of the Clásica Grand Besancon Doubs, in France.

For her part, the Italian Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo), current champion of the world on the road, won the women’s competition of the Belgian classic, run over 159 kilometers, to achieve her third success in eight days.

The 24-year-old European won the Alfredo Binda Trophy on March 20, four days later she won the classic Bruges-La Panne and this Sunday in Ghent-Wevelgem.

Balsamo needed 3:39.15 hours to defeat the Dutch Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), defending monarch, in the final attack; and also Italian Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ceratizit-WNT).

The universal titleholder also treasures metals on the track (one silver and three world bronzes and four European titles) and today she won the 14th victory of her career and the fourth this season.

Classification of the men’s Ghent-Wevelgem 2022:

1-Biniam Ghirmay Hailu (ERI/Intermarché-Wanty) 5:37:31 a.m.

2-Christophe Laporte (FRA/Jumbo-Visma) mt

3-Dries Van Gestel (BEL/TotalEnergies) mt

4-Jasper Stuyven (BEL/Trek-Segafredo) mt

5-Soren Kragh Andersen (DIN/Dsm) at 8 seconds.

6-Tim Merlier (BEL/Alpecin-Fenix) mt

7-Mads Pedersen (DIN/Trek-Segafredo) mt

8-Iván García Cortina (ESP/Movistar) mt

9-Matej Mohoric (SLO/Bahrain-Victorious) mt

10-Arnaud Démare (FRA/Groupama-FDJ) mt

Classification of the women’s Ghent-Wevelgem 2022: