Biniam Girmay will return to the Giro d'Italia next month, his Intermarque Wanty announced Saturday. The Eritrean made history two years ago when he became the first black African to win a stage of a Grand Tour.

Girmay won a brilliant sprint win over Mathieu van der Poel on stage 10 in Jessy, but was unable to start the following day at the awards ceremony after a prosecco cork hit him in the eye.

Gil May, who made his Tour de France debut in 2023, opted to return to the Giro this year; the 24-year-old has been training at high altitude at his home in Asmara since ending his classic campaign in the Tour de Flanders.

"Biniam Girmay gave us unforgettable memories of his first Tour de Italia two years ago," performance director Eike Visbeek said in a statement released by Intermarque Wanty on Saturday.

"But at the same time, there is still a feeling of unfinished business, because he did not keep his chances until the end. He is very motivated to get back out there with an important goal."

In his first full season at the World Tour level, Gil May took stage wins in Ghent-Wevelgem and the Giro, but failed to make a similar impact in 2023, save for a stage win at the Tour de Suisse.

In 2024, Intermarche Wanty started the season in Australia to help boost Gilmey's classics. Then his teammate Line Taaramae joined him for a training camp in Eritrea, where he performed well in the E3 Harelbeke and finished seventh in the Ghent-Wevelgem.

He collapsed in the same crash as Wout Van Aert and had to abandon the Doire de Vlaanderen. But he will go into the Giro with ambition.

"The 2024 edition also represents a great opportunity for his type of athlete. For this reason, we decided to include the Tour de Italia in his program along with Binium," Visbyn said.

"To participate in the Giro, he will train at high altitude at his home in Asmara, as he did two years ago. And he can rely on his two experienced lieutenants, Adrien Petit and Dion Smith, among others."