Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay narrowly defeated Wout van Aert to claim victory in the 12th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday, while Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates maintained his position as the overall leader, wearing the yellow jersey.
Girmay, who made history as the first Black African to win a stage in the Tour with his victory in the third stage, secured his third win of the race, which was particularly suited for sprinters. "We were cautious today and didn't take any risks," said the 24-year-old Intermarche-Wanty rider after completing the 204 km route from Aurillac to Villeneuve-Sur-Lot. "However, when we all converged, I felt incredibly strong and told my team over the radio, 'support me and I can deliver.' I'm overjoyed."
Girmay outsprinted Belgium's Van Aert and Arnaud Demare, though Demare was later demoted to the rear of the sprint group, resulting in Pascal Ackermann (Israel-Premier Tech) being elevated to the podium. His victory strengthened his grip on the green jersey, extending his lead to 107 points ahead of Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck). "From now on, my focus will be entirely on sprinting and the green jersey. Since I started wearing it, I've felt unbeatable. With the right timing and position, I can prove my prowess in the sprints," he stated.
Van Aert expressed disappointment, explaining that he was trapped between Demare and a barrier. "I need to review what happened. Despite having to restart my sprint, I nearly won. If I hadn't had to pause pedaling, I might have had a real shot," Van Aert reflected. "It's crucial to take the positives from today—I'm certainly pleased with how I felt."
The general classification contenders had a relatively uneventful day, with Pogacar preserving his one minute and six seconds lead over Remco Evenepoel, followed by defending champion Jonas Vingegaard, who trails by an additional eight seconds. Meanwhile, Pogacar's compatriot Primoz Roglic suffered a significant setback, losing over two minutes due to a crash near the end of the stage.
The 2023 Giro d'Italia winner Roglic was involved in a crash 12 km from the finish, a day after losing 25 seconds in another crash during stage 11. "I'm deeply saddened for Primoz," Pogacar commented. "It's shocking news. I'm disheartened for him and wish him the best. I believe Primoz would have excelled in the final week."
Roglic finished the stage battered and bruised, now ranking sixth overall, four minutes and 42 seconds behind Pogacar.
