Girmay returns to action this week after cork injury recovery

Biniam Girmay will return to racing this weekend after recovering from the eye injury he sustained in a freak accident on the podium at the Giro d'Italia. 

The Eritrean, who suffered a haemorrhage in the anterior chamber of his left eye last month, will race his National Championships this weekend.

He will line up in the time trial on Friday June 24, as well as the road race on Sunday June 26. 

Biniam Girmay suffered his injury when opening the celebratory bottle of bubbly after becoming the first Black African rider to win a Grand Tour stage on stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia. 

The cork flew out and hit his left eye, causing a haemorrhage in the anterior chamber, which forced him to abandon the race. 

A week after the accident, fresh medical tests determined that Girmay had escaped without permanent damage to his eye, although a total period of nearly three weeks off the bike had to be observed. 

Girmay, who won Gent-Wevelgem in the spring, will not make his Tour de France debut this year, instead building the second part of his season around the World Championships in Australia. 

After his National Championships, he is set to return to Europe in July before racing the Tour de Pologne and a number of one-day Classics in advance of the Worlds. 

"Thank you to everyone who supported me and pushed me. I'm OK now. See you soon," Girmay had said as he left the Giro. 

"I was a bit sad about what happened with the champagne but when I came back to the hotel they were super happy. They were a bit afraid, but when it looked ok, I really enjoyed it, I'm happy."