Swiss victory gives proud Girmay "lots of confidence" for the Tour as he plans to test himself in the mountains

On Monday, Biniam Girmay nearly triggered his very own Eritrean national holiday in Notwill. The local population of the Swiss village watched in admiration and amazement as the African fans celebrated during the second stage, which escalated into wild celebrations after their hero's victory.

At the press conference, which took place one and a half hours after the finish, Girmay, who was overwhelmed by his compatriots after crossing the line, laughed about it. "It was a fantastic day. I couldn't control my emotions," the spontaneous leader of Intermarché-Circus-Wanty said.

Switzerland holds a special place in Girmay's heart as he made the journey from Eritrea to Aigle at the age of 18 in order to learn to race in Europe, under the UCI's flag. "I still have many fond memories of that time. I was 18 years old, and it was my first time in Europe. It was a great experience because people from different nationalities and cultures were there, we were all together."

Just five years later, he has become one of the big stars in global cycling, but his compatriots still go wild with joy. "I have gotten used to the pressure, so right now I can handle it well. I always try to stay calm, but I also try to respect my fellow countrymen. They come from afar to see me, but I also need my rest. When I am in Eritrea, they understand that I need time for my family as well."

Girmay reflects on heavy crash in Flanders and looks ahead to Tour de France

The victory in Switzerland is a great boost for Girmay, who has had a lot of bad luck this year. "I worked hard after my crash in the Tour of Flanders, where I suffered a concussion and numerous injuries. It was the heaviest crash of my career. I stayed in the hospital for three days and couldn't ride for three weeks, but the team took great care of everything," he thanks Intermarché-Circus-Wanty. "I didn't have much time to prepare myself, but now I'm beating the best sprinters in the world."

"This victory gives me confidence for the Tour de France," the winner continued. "It's been a long time since I won a bunch sprint against the big guys, so it's great for me and the team. The lead-out is working really well now, and we communicate very well, so this gives me a lot of motivation for the Tour," he thanks Mike Teunissen and others. And he points out that he can still improve. "I haven't been able to train a lot yet, but overall, things are going well. Now, the goal is to get back into top form."

And, finally, in the Swiss mountains, Girmay also wants to see how far he can go. "There are some tough stages coming up, but we have good climbers like Rui Costa. He has already won the Tour de Suisse three times and is in good form yet again. For myself, it's also nice to test myself in the mountains because I haven't experienced such difficult stages recently."