‘They’re different sports, but it’s incredible that someone so iconic is part of the team’ – Biniam Girmay says former footballer Andrés Iniesta will help move cycling forward

Biniam Girmay has said that his NSN Biking Workforce is the one squad that may assist him win a race, as he approaches the 2026 season with a highly-publicized switch to the Switzerland-based WorldTour staff.

The Eritrean sprinter joined the NSN Biking Workforce on a three-year contract, introduced on December 1, a staff that had emerged from the acquisition and rebrand of Israel-Premier Tech. He had already been linked to the NSN Biking Workforce earlier within the yr after an advanced merger of his earlier staff Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto.

Girmay met with the NSN Biking Workforce at a current launch in Barcelona, the place he spoke with members of the media, together with Spanish information outlet AS.

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“I switched to this staff as a result of I wish to win all the things,” he mentioned on the staff launch. “This staff is the one one that may assist me win a race. The one factor that issues to me is that we’re right here to trip bikes and win races.”

The 25-year-old has already solidified himself as one of many quickest sprinters within the peloton, successful Gent-Wevelgem and a stage on the Giro d’Italia in 2022 and successful three phases and the factors jersey on the Tour de France in 2024.

He mentioned he had a troublesome season in 2026, regardless of many sturdy performances; he completed the yr with no victory.

“Lately, if all the things is not 100%, it is not possible to win. And I feel that right here we’ve the perfect weapons: the bikes and the teammates,” he mentioned on the NSN Biking Workforce launch.

Legendary Spanish footballer Andrés Iniesta and international funding platform Stoneweg co-founded NSN. The latter is a Swiss firm, and the staff will race below a Swiss licence in 2026.

Girmay met Iniesta on the staff launch and mentioned he might have a big effect on the game. “He’s a soccer legend, they usually’re completely different sports activities, nevertheless it’s unbelievable that somebody so iconic is a part of the staff. I feel it can assist biking transfer ahead.”