TakeWorlds2 weeks ago
Eritrea's Worlds: fines for kit, then depleted line-up
Biniam Girmay and Henok Mulubrhan were fined 500 CHF each after their sleeves didn't match, and both then failed to finish the road race anyway. Two more named riders, Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier and Natnael Tesfatsion, did not start — their visas didn't come through. Eritrea's Worlds ended with a paperwork penalty and a paperwork absence, and neither had much to do with racing.
What this means
Eritrea started the race with just three of its five named riders, and two of those three, Girmay and Mulubrhan, didn't finish.
Eritrea named five riders and started three. Of those three, Girmay and Mulubrhan DNF'd, while team director Samson Ghebregyesus picked up a separate 1,000 CHF fine for the same kit mismatch. Girmay explained the missing pair himself: «Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier and Natnael Tesfatsion, those two strong powerhouses didn't start, because they didn't get the visa.» Eritrea faced a similar wall at the 2023 Worlds in the UK, when Girmay and others didn't participate over visa issues. Visa access is a familiar barrier for African cyclists reaching top-level racing, and this Worlds shows it still costs a team riders before a single pedal stroke.
Sources
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