Tsgabu Grmay has joined Trek-Segafredo or 2018(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Trek-Segafredo's Tsgabu Grmay won the Ethiopean time trial national championships on Monday, and can stake a claim to be included in the team's still-to-be-announced Tour de France squad.
He beat his closest rival, Redwan Ebrahim, by 2:19 over the 49.5km course around Mekele, with Temesgen Buru a further 14 seconds back in third, giving Grmay his fourth national TT title.
Grmay, who turned pro with MTN-Qhubeka in 2013, rode his first Tour de France in 2016 while with Lampre-Merida, having already ridden the previous season's Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana, and went on to ride his second Tour de France for Bahrain-Merida last year, finishing 73rd.
This season, having joined Trek-Segafredo, Grmay finished 24th overall at April's Tour de Romandie, and was 17th on the GC at the recent Critérium du Dauphiné.
Although competition is fierce at Trek-Segafredo for a Tour start, the 26-year-old's Grand Tour experience – Grmay has finished all five Grand Tours that he's started – and recent good form has to stand him in good stead of making it three in a row.
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