Biniam Girmay will be racing for the NSN Cycling Team from the 2026 season. The 25-year-old Eritrean has signed a three-year contract until 2028 and is thus leaving his previous team after several successful years. With 16 professional victories, including stage wins at the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de Suisse, Girmay is regarded as one of the most promising sprinters and classics specialists in the peloton. The move marks a significant step in his development not only for the rider, but also for the NSN Cycling Team. "We are incredibly excited to welcome Biniam to the NSN Cycling Team. The year 2026 will not only mark a new chapter for the team, but also for Biniam, and I couldn't think of a better time to start a new chapter together," explains Team Manager Kjell Carlström. The Finn particularly emphasises Girmay's versatility as a sprinter and classics specialist as well as his natural leadership qualities, which should add depth to the growing squad of young and ambitious riders.
African cyclist of the year
Shortly before the announcement of his move to NSN Cycling Team, Biniam Girmay won a major award on Saturday. The annual title of Africa's best cyclist was awarded by the Africa Cycling Excellence Awards organisation. Alongside Kim Le Court, who somewhat surprisingly won Liège-Bastogne-Liège this season, Biniam Girmay can call himself African Cyclist of the Year 2025. Despite not winning this year, the jury decided in favour of the Eritrean. This is the fifth African Cyclist of the Year award for Girmay, who has only failed to win in 2023 since 2020. The award ceremony took place in Kigali, the venue for this year's World Championships. Grimay himself accepted the honour via video call and was visibly delighted.
New sprint train for the Eritrean
Girmay himself is enthusiastic about his move and the new prospects that the NSN Cycling Team offers him. "I'm really happy to be here, especially with a new atmosphere and a fresh start, both for me and for the team," says the Eritrean. After his outstanding 2024 season, in which he took three stage wins at the Tour of France and then won the green jersey, Girmay was unable to build on his successes from the previous year in 2025. The new start has therefore come at a good time for the sprinter.
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Focus on classics and new victories
Despite his already impressive successes, Girmay is looking resolutely to the future and wants to build on his palmarès, particularly in the one-day races. "To be honest, I never look back at what I've achieved. I always look to the future," explains the Eritrean. "I always look at what the next step is. What's done is already done, so I don't want to look back or be satisfied. I always want to achieve more." The 25-year-old is particularly fond of the spring classics. He has already won a major one-day classic with Gent-Wevelgem, but he doesn't want to stop there. "My main goal for the future, as I'm only 25 years old, is simple - to win bike races. I really love winning in the classics and so far I've only won Gent-Wevelgem, so I want to achieve even more together with the team," emphasises Girmay. He is convinced that one day, together with his new team, he will be able to win one of the biggest races in cycling.
Leon Weidner
Working student
