An African rider from Eritrea, Biniam Girmay, made history last year by dominating the Tour de France and winning the points classification in his debut appearance. He could have done even better if he hadn’t been repeatedly fouled—often blatantly—by other riders, most of whom were white.
The Tour de France is the pinnacle of competitive cycling, and to see a Black African, for the first time, sprint his way onto the podium so dramatically clearly unsettled some of the other competitors. Several incidents on the road appeared less like racing tactics and more like targeted aggression.
As the 2025 Tour de France is set to begin, Biniam Girmay returns as the only Black African on the Tour, and a serious contender for the coveted Yellow Jersey. Given last year’s treatment, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if he again faces underhanded tactics from competitors uncomfortable with his success. Still, let’s leave the name-calling and racial prejudice to the extremists—it has no place in sport or society.
Representing the hopes of an entire continent, Biniam carries the dreams of millions of Africans, especially Eritreans. If he does manage to capture the Yellow Jersey and take the top step of the podium, I’ll be astonished—not because he lacks talent, courage, or sheer determination, but because I doubt the fiercely competitive (and, at times, cutthroat) cycling world will allow him to do so without resistance.
That said, one can still hope—right?
