The brutal weather at Paris-Nice” took a heavy toll on the peloton during the seventh stage. With the route changed to suit a fast sprint finish, Biniam Girmay fought through freezing temperatures to secure a podium spot, falling just short of the victory against INEOS Grenadiers rider Dorian Godon. After crossing the line, the Eritrean star from NSN Cycling Team reflected on the harsh conditions and his team’s massive effort.
Girmay will leave this edition of Paris-Nice without a stage win, but he is still proud of his performance. He explained that just surviving the weather was a massive challenge. “I think we were at a 10 out of 10 for cold, we couldn’t be colder than that,” Girmay explained in quotes gathered by
CyclismActu.
Despite missing out on the victory, he noted that he is finally starting to learn how to race when the temperatures drop, which is something he rarely experienced growing up. “But today, it’s the best result I’ve gotten in these conditions. I was really at the limit. It was a shitty day to ride a bike, but I am progressing with this type of weather, because I am not used to it. So a second place, I think you just have to be satisfied with that.”
Girmay also made sure to thank his teammates for keeping him safe and out of the wind during the dangerous, freezing run to the finish line. “The team did about an hour of very good work. We were always at the front and everything was under control. At the finish, I think everyone was completely frozen, but they put me in a good position,” he concluded.
Stage 7 of Paris-Nice was originally designed to finish in the Auron ski station, in what was expected to be a key day for the GC riders. However, the route was modified not once but twice due to bad weather, and it risked cancellation as part of the peloton opposed to race under those conditions.
