Giro d'Italia: Biniam Girmey has to give up because a champagne cork flew into his eye

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Biniam Girmay with the Corpus Delicti

Photo: Jennifer Lorenzini / REUTERS

Cycling shooting star Biniam Girmay has to pull out of the 105th Giro d'Italia early after a mishap on the podium.

The 22-year-old, who was the first Eritrean to win a Grand Tour stage on Tuesday, did not compete in the 203-kilometer flat stage from Santarcangelo di Romagna to Reggio Emilia on Wednesday due to an injury to his left eye.

Girmay accidentally shot the cork of a Prosecco bottle in the face at the awards ceremony on Tuesday.

The classics specialist from the Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert team was treated in hospital, but returned to the team hotel in the evening and toasted the historic success with his colleagues.

Disillusionment followed on Wednesday morning.

“What happened is a bit sad.

I have to continue to rest the eye," Girmay said in a video message.

He thought back to his success with pride: »It was unbelievable.

I am very grateful to the team.

This victory is also for my colleagues.«

aha/sid