Girmay, 22, finished second in the under-23 road race world championship last fall. That made him the first Black African to win any medal at a road race world championship. He really stamped himself onto the pro cycling scene in March with another first: He became the first Black African to win a race on the World Tour, at Ghent-Wevelgem in Belgium.
He has been performing well at the Giro, his first Grand Tour, with five top-five finishes, so a stage win was something that seemed to be a matter of time. Before the Giro, he told reporters, “The Grand Tours are always in my dream — it’s all African cyclists’ dream to win.”
Girmay missed the post-race news conference Tuesday after being hit in the eye with a cork during a celebration.
He stands in 105th overall in the Giro, which is led by Juan Pedro López of Spain. He is second in the points classification, for the best sprinters.