​Biniam Girmay made history in 2024 as the first Black African rider to win a stage at the Tour de France and to finish the race as the wearer of the green jersey, the coveted prize for the season’s best sprinter. Now 26, he will ride for NSN Cycling, a team co-owned by former Spain football captain Andres Iniesta, after leaving Intermarché-Wanty five seasons with a three-year contract signed last December. Girmay told BBC Sport Africa that he is “super happy and super motivated” to pursue stage wins and the green jersey once more, noting that this season could be their main objective. He credits a stronger team and a more robust lead-out for improved results and says there has been hard work to realize their plans for the Grand Tours.
The 2025 Tour de France opens with a 20-kilometre team time trial in hot conditions in Barcelona, followed by a challenging stage through the Pyrenees. While these early heavy days pose a tough test for sprinters, Girmay believes the heat may actually suit him, recalling that some of his best sprint performances came on hot, demanding stages in 2024. He says the tougher beginnings could be advantageous this year, as he anticipates a sprint-ready field after the team time trial.
NSN Cycling’s resources offer a marked upgrade over his previous outfit, thanks to backing from a joint venture between Stoneweg and Never Say Never, Iniesta’s co-founded sports and events company. The new environment is already paying dividends, with Girmay securing three wins at UCI races this year and claiming the green points jersey at the Volta Comunitat Valenciana. He finished third in the green jersey standings at last year’s Tour, but now feels he is well-positioned to mount a serious challenge again, emphasising that thorough preparation and synchronized team conditioning are key to their plans.