A champagne bottle mishap has cost professional cyclist Biniam Girmay his continued participation in the Giro d'Italia. The Eritrean won the 10th stage of the tour on Tuesday, but then accidentally shot the cork of the winner's champagne into his left eye on the podium.
The 22-year-old was taken to hospital for examinations. Although these did not reveal any serious injury, Girmay did not start the 11th stage out of caution. "I have to rest my eye," he said in a video message in the morning.
Girmay made cycling history on Tuesday in Jesi as the first Eritrean to win a stage of a major national tour. He then celebrated on the podium. When he tried to open the large bottle of champagne, the cork popped in his left eye. He briefly splashed the champagne with his eye closed, but was then immediately examined, first in an ambulance and then in a clinic. In the evening, he returned to the team hotel and toasted with his colleagues from the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert team.
"I'm already looking forward to more next season," said the professional cyclist, who also posted on the official Giro Twitter channel: "Bini, we hope you'll be back on our roads soon." Girmay had already caused a furore earlier this year when he became the first African to win the tough Ghent-Wevelgem classic.
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