By Score More
Piacenza, Italy – July 1, 2024: In a thrilling finish, Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) emerged victorious in the third stage of the Tour de France 2024, covering the 230.9 km stretch between Piacenza and Torino. This marks the longest stage of this year’s race. Girmay’s impressive sprint saw him edge out Fernando Gaviria (Movistar) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny), who finished second and third respectively. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), who initiated the sprint, ended in fourth place, with Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) rounding out the top five.
“Ever since I started cycling, I’ve always dreamed of being part of the Tour de France. Now, I can’t believe it; winning a stage in my second year in such a significant sprint is unbelievable,” an emotional Girmay shared post-race. “I want to thank my family, my wife, all Eritreans, and Africans. We should be proud; we are truly part of the big races now. This victory is for all Africans, and I am incredibly happy today.”
The stage was marked by a significant crash towards the end, which split the peloton. Around 40 riders managed to escape the chaos, including the main general classification contenders, then-yellow jersey holder Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), who both emerged unscathed but were left behind. The crash occurred within the newly extended five-kilometer safety zone for this stage, meaning times were neutralized.
However, Pogacar lost the yellow jersey due to his lower finish position. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) is the new general classification leader, tied on time with Pogacar but securing the top spot by finishing 14th compared to Pogacar’s 38th. Carapaz, an Olympic champion and the 2019 Giro d’Italia winner, now adds the yellow jersey to his collection, having already donned the maglia rosa and the Vuelta a España’s red jersey.
“Honestly, winning the yellow jersey is a surprise. Before the Tour, it seemed like a distant goal. I had an accident in the Tour de Suisse and was out of action for a few days. But yesterday’s stage was a huge mental shift and a confidence boost. This morning, in our team meeting, we set this as our goal. We knew it would be a nervous and dangerous race, but we aimed to secure this yellow jersey. My teammates performed phenomenally in the last 25 km, especially Marijn Van der Berg, who rode by my side,” Carapaz celebrated.
“Wearing the yellow jersey means a lot to me, my country, and my team. There are very few elite Ecuadorian cyclists, and every achievement helps develop the sport in our country. Personally, the yellow jersey is very emotional. In recent years, I’ve spent a lot of time away from home and my family. This effort is for them; this yellow jersey is a reward for all our sacrifices, and it is dedicated to them,” he concluded.
The Jerseys:
- Yellow Jersey (General Classification Leader): Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost)
- Green Jersey (Points Classification Leader): Jonas Abrahamsen (UNO X Mobility)
- Polka Dot Jersey (Mountains Classification Leader): Jonas Abrahamsen (UNO X Mobility)
- White Jersey (Best Young Rider): Remco Evenepoel (Soudal QuickStep)
The Stages:
- Stage 1: June 29 – Florence to Rimini – 206 km
- Stage 2: June 30 – Cesenatico to Bologna – 198.7 km
- Stage 3: July 1 – Piacenza to Torino – 230.5 km
- Stage 4: July 2 – Pinerolo to Valloire – 139.6 km
- Stage 5: July 3 – Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Saint-Vulbas Plaine de l’Ain – 177.4 km
- Stage 6: July 4 – Mâcon to Dijon – 163.5 km
- Stage 7: July 5 – Nuits-Saint-Georges to Gevrey-Chambertin – 25.3 km (ITT)
- Stage 8: July 6 – Semur-en-Auxois to Colombey-les-Deux-Églises – 183.4 km
- Stage 9: July 7 – Troyes to Troyes – 199 km
Rest Day: July 8
- Stage 10: July 9 – Orléans to Saint-Amand-Montrond – 187.3 km
- Stage 11: July 10 – Évaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran – 211 km
- Stage 12: July 11 – Aurillac to Villeneuve-sur-Lot – 203.6 km
- Stage 13: July 12 – Agen to Pau – 165.3 km
- Stage 14: July 13 – Pau to Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet – 151.9 km
- Stage 15: July 14 – Loudenvielle to Plateau de Beille – 197.7 km
Rest Day: July 15
- Stage 16: July 16 – Gruissan to Nîmes – 188.6 km
- Stage 17: July 17 – Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Superdévoluy – 177.8 km
- Stage 18: July 18 – Gap to Barcelonnette – 179.6 km
- Stage 19: July 19 – Embrun to Isola 2000 – 144.6 km
- Stage 20: July 20 – Nice to Col de la Couillole – 132.8 km
- Stage 21: July 21 – Monaco to Nice – 33.7 km (ITT)