A black, African from Eritrea, Binian Ghirmay, dominated the Tour de France last year, winning the points category in his first time on the Tour. Biniam would have done even better is he hadn’t been repeatedly fouled so blatantly by the other riders, almost all of whom were white.
The Tour de France is the pinnacle of competive bicyling and to have a black, African ,for the first time, sprint his way onto the podium so dramatically got a bunch of the white boys on the tour really, really pissed off, so much so that they couldnt seem to keep from fouling Bro. Biniam most grievously.
With the 2025 Tour de France about to kick off again with Biniam Ghirmay once again the only black, African on the Tour, and a serious threat to win the coveted “Yellow Jersey” one might not be surprised if more low down dirty doings are waged against this uppitty…best to leave the racist name calling to those white supremacists on the Tour.
Being the only African on the Tour de France Biniam has the hopes and dreams of the largest continent on the planet behind him. If Biniam succeeds in capturing his dream of taking the top spot on the podium on behalf of Africans, especially Eritreans, everywhere I am going to be surprised. Not because he lacks courage, ability and what you have to call “guts”, but because I just don’t think white folks, especially the cuthroat lot competing in the Tour de France to sit back and let him win fair and square.
With that said, one can still hope, right?
Thomas C. Mountain is an educator and historian who lived and reported from Eritrea from 2006-2021. At one time he was the most widely distributed independent journalist in Africa. You can follow his opinion on X at thomascmountain or best reach him at thomascmountain at gmail dot com
