Biniam Girmay's exceptional journey with Intermarché-Wanty comes to an end after four and a half years filled with extraordinary successes. The Eritrean sprinter has reached decisive milestones and established himself at the top of world cycling, supported by the professional guidance of the Belgian World Team.

In the summer of 2021, the team led by Jean-François Bourlart welcomed Girmay with a long-term plan that considered all aspects of his athletic development, with the goal of promoting his growth and helping him fully realize his potential. Girmay quickly adapted to this environment, securing his first victory in Europe before winning a historic silver medal at the U23 World Championships in Leuven.

Surrounded by an exceptionally experienced group of teammates, Biniam Girmay had an impressive first season in the cobblestone classics, winning Gent-Wevelgem 2022 and becoming the first African rider to win a cobblestone classic. He then confirmed his meteoric rise with his first Grand Tour victory at the Giro d'Italia, demonstrating his ability to compete with the world's best sprinters.

This consistent progression, the common thread of Girmay and Intermarché-Wanty's shared adventure, was based on mutual trust, profound humanity, and extraordinary resilience. These values allowed Girmay to overcome difficult moments and continue his ascent to new heights in 2024: three stage wins and the points classification victory at the Tour de France, along with a place in the top 10 of the UCI world ranking.

Biniam Girmay and Intermarché-Wanty thus conclude a collaboration of unprecedented impact, crowned by twelve victories and over forty podiums across four continents: epochal performances in the history of African cycling and the international group.

Biniam Girmay's words: "It has been a wonderful journey for me with Intermarché-Wanty. I am grateful for the trust they showed in me five years ago and for giving me the opportunity to become a World Tour rider. Over these years, we have built a strong bond based on mutual trust and grown together, step by step, from a lower profile to the pinnacle of world cycling. Along the way, we worked hard and pushed each other to continue improving. We achieved great milestones and demonstrated what is possible when everyone is aligned. I very much enjoyed working with this team: the riders, staff, and management - everyone contributed importantly. Sometimes, we must welcome change. Now it's time for a new chapter, and I want to thank everyone at Intermarché-Wanty for the past five seasons."

Jean-François Bourlart's (CEO) words: "I think back to many happy and memorable moments spent with Biniam. We are proud of our shared journey, during which we helped transform this immense talent into a key figure in world cycling. Naturally, some moments will remain forever etched in memory, like his medal at the U23 World Championships in Leuven, his victories at Gent-Wevelgem and the Giro d'Italia. The victory at the Franco-Belgian Circuit, in front of our partners and just steps from our Service Course, was also a highlight. And then that victory in Turin, our first at the Tour de France, and the green jersey in Nice: these are moments that will remain forever in our history. Yekenyeley, Biniam!"

Finally, Alex Carera (Founder of A&J All Sports Sa): "Four and a half years, consistent growth, and a solid collaboration have led to excellent results in this partnership between Biniam Girmay and Team Intermarché-Wanty. From the victory at Gent-Wevelgem, to the Giro d'Italia stage, and the memorable Tour de France 2024, not to mention reaching the top 10 in the UCI ranking, Biniam and Intermarché-Wanty have made history together. Now their paths diverge, but professionalism and humanity have always been at the center of the relationship between the parties. A&J All Sports wishes to thank Jean-François Bourlart for understanding the needs of the African champion both yesterday and today, and the Leyman Advocaten law firm for their valuable support throughout the process."