Biniam Girmay will miss Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne after heading home to Eritrea to be with his wife and family as they have their second child.
"Congratulations to Biniam Girmay and Saliem for the birth of their second child," the Intermarché-Wanty team announced after reports of Girmay's absence began to emerge in Belgium when he was not seen during the team's final reconnaissance ride.
"The team and Biniam decided together that he will skip the Belgian opening weekend and return home to be with his family."
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Girmay has spent time at altitude in recent weeks and finished in the top five on two stages of last week's Volta ao Algarve. He was expected to be a contender in the Belgian races, especially Sunday's Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, which is more suited to the sprinters. However, he has understandably put family ahead of racing.
"I am so happy to become a father for the second time," he said in a brief statement issued by Intermarché-Wanty.
"I am grateful to my team for giving me the opportunity to come back in Eritrea to be close to my wife and my daughters for this important moment in my life."
Girmay won three stages and the green points jersey at the 2024 Tour de France, becoming the first Black African rider to stand on a Paris podium. He showed his sprinting and Classics talents by winning Gent-Wevelgem in 2022 and recently signed a new contract with Intermarché-Wanty until 2028.
He was expected to ride Tirreno-Adriatico in early March but suggested his next race will be Milan-San Remo on Saturday March 22 before targeting the cobbled Classics in Belgium.
"I will be back in Europe to chase my dream of winning a first monument, with Milan-San Remo, E3 Harelbeke, Gent-Wevelgem and Tour of Flanders on my program," Girmay said.
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