In this Giro d'Italia, the tappone, as the Italians call the great mountain stages, like the Blockhaus last Sunday, are becoming as important as the bottle caps. The prosecco cork on the podium has put an end to Biniam Girmay's first participation in a Grand Tour. The 22-year-old Eritrean from the Intermarché has amazed the world with his talent, his top speed and his great duel with Mathieu van der Poel. He has made history by becoming the first cyclist from black Africa to win a stage in a major. But he has been forced to get out of the corsa rosa in the most surreal way. Girmay, winner of the tenth stage on Tuesday, did not start yesterday due to an injury to his left eye caused by his inability to uncork the sparkling wine that is given to the winners and leaders. Champion perks.
It is called Astoria and its name did not appear in the road book along with other legendary ports such as Mortirolo, Kolovrat, Pordoi or Marmolada, but it is wreaking havoc.
In the first stage it was Van der Poel who got a scare when he uncorked the bottle to splash the fans. He hit her on the right shoulder and grazed her face. Juanpe López, who has been in the lead for eight days now, also had problems. His cork popped out and he was able to react by putting his thumb to reduce the pressure with which the cork shoots out.
The Eritrean Girmay was not so lucky. He had just put his bike at 55.5 km/h during the last 20 seconds of the final stretch in Jesi, where he reached a top speed of 59 km/h. It was his first win and his sixth top 5 win in the first ten stages at the Giro.
Perhaps due to emotion or fatigue, Bini Girmay did not pick up the three-liter premium bottle. She leaned down, started to remove the wire, and the cork from her shot straight into her eye. After the podium ceremony, the cyclist was transferred to a hospital. "The tests revealed injuries to the left eye that require the greatest caution and rest," said his team, the Intermarché. The structure's doctor, Piet Daneels, spoke of "a hemorrhage in the anterior chamber of the left eye" and recommended the Eritrean "avoid intense activities" to minimize the risk "of hemorrhagic expansion and intraocular pressure."
The cyclist recorded a message in the morning to say goodbye to the Giro and the fans. “Unfortunately I will not start the race for the eye. I'm fine but I need to rest. See you soon, ”said Girmay, who will not be able to continue fighting for the cyclamen jersey of regularity (he was second only three points behind Démare). On leaving the hotel he was seen wearing a patch to rest his eye.
Of course, this forced break, if he recovers well as everything seems to indicate, would mean that the Eritrean can also participate and debut in the Tour de France in top form.
Few sports are as prone to unforeseen events as cycling, where accidents are the order of the day. It can be in a curve, in a snag in the middle of the peloton, a parked motorcycle, a poorly marked island, a pothole in the asphalt or a drum that crosses. Even a hand from a clueless fan who wants to take a photo or show a poster. All this can cause a fall and ruin all the aspirations in a career. These are things that runners are used to living with. Now you also have to take care of yourself and be on the podium with all your senses.
By the way, yesterday the bottles on the podium in Reggio Emilia were already open. You just had to shake them.
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