It has been in the air for some time, but Intermarché-Wanty has now made the news public: leader Biniam Girmay will not continue with the new merged team Intermarché-Lotto. The Walloon outfit has not disclosed where the 25-year-old Eritrean is headed, but it is an open secret that NSN Cycling (formerly Israel-Premier Tech) will be his new employer.
According to Intermarché-Wanty, the sprinter made crucial progress with them and grew—under the professional guidance of the Belgian WorldTeam—into an absolute world-class rider. Girmay, who still had a contract running until the end of 2028, is therefore a heavy loss for the team. Since joining in mid-2021, the Eritrean has been a perfect fit. In spring 2022, he became the first African winner of Gent-Wevelgem. The absolute highlight was the 2024 Tour de France, where Girmay won three stages and the points classification (green jersey).
Biniam Girmay makes cycling history at Gent-Wevelgem 2022 – photo: photo agency Cor Vos
Girmay has often been courted by big teams but remained loyal to Intermarché-Wanty because he felt at home in the close-knit team and within performance manager Aike Visbeek’s structure. "It has been an incredible journey for me at Intermarché-Wanty. I am still grateful for the trust they showed in me five years ago and for the opportunity to become a WorldTour rider. Over the past years, we have built a strong bond based on mutual trust and grown step by step, from a lower profile to the highest level of international cycling."
"We worked hard and pushed each other to continuously improve," Girmay continues, before praising the team once more. "We have achieved great things and shown what is possible when everyone shares the same vision. I have genuinely enjoyed my time within this team—with the riders, staff, and management—everyone has contributed in their own way. Sometimes you have to embrace change. It is time for a new chapter, and I would like to thank everyone at Intermarché-Wanty for the past five seasons."
Biniam Girmay was the best sprinter in the 2024 Tour de France – photo: photo agency Cor Vos
Different needs
Team boss Jean-François Bourlart also looks back on the partnership with great satisfaction. "I cherish many beautiful and happy moments together with Biniam. We are proud of the path we traveled together, turning this great talent into an indispensable figure in the international cycling peloton. Overwhelming emotions will stay forever, such as when he won his medal at the World Championships in Leuven, or his victories at Gent-Wevelgem and in the Giro d’Italia."
"The win at the Circuit Franco-Belge, in the presence of our partners and just a stone’s throw from our Service Course, remains a special memory," Bourlart continues. "And of course the success in Turin, our first stage win in the Tour de France, and the green jersey in Nice—these are moments forever etched in our history. Yekenyeley, Biniam!" The team's press release also features words from Girmay’s manager Alex Carera. “A&J All Sports wants to thank Jean-François Bourlart for understanding the needs of the African champion, both yesterday and today, and the law firm Leyman Advocaten for their valuable support throughout the entire process.”
Biniam Girmay Hailu| Year | Team |
|---|---|
| 2028 | |
| 2027 | |
| 2026 | |
| 2025 | |
| 2024 |
