Participants from more than 20 countries are in the country to rub shoulders in the inaugural African Road Cycling Championship, whose competition proper begins today with the main route covering parts of the counties of Nandi, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the event yesterday, Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum announced that the event whose main sponsor was the government, would be an annual competition to help horn cycling skills in the country and offer monetary benefits to participants in line with the government’s bottom-up agenda.
“I want to announce that this cycling competition will be held here annually and I would like to urge the local cycling association to start registering cyclists here in Nandi County, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Vihiga County and across the country. The government and the federation will ensure that these cyclists are trained so that they can qualify to take part in the World Championships where rewards is 10-times better than in Kenya,” PS Tum said who cycled for about four kilometres before flagging off the competition at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Kapsabet.
He added: “We must ensure that all federations are given a chance of elevating their programs. This event will help the country kill three birds with one stone.”
Major roads within Eldoret and other parts of the region were closed as the official launch of the event took place at the Nandi Bears Club . Cyclists from the participating nations also carried out test runs on the route to be used for the competition.
Today’s action will see participants compete within the main route covering both the urban and rural areas.
“We are all set the event and happy to host such an international cycling event adding to the fact that our region is a global sports hub,” said Bii.
Tight security has also been put in place or the event with several roads expected to remain closed during competition time.
Most teams representing various counties had already arrived in Eldoret and Morocco was among the first nations to have its representatives in the region.
42 cyclists to represent Kenya were training in Iten town ahead of the event.
This will be the first time the pedalling extravaganza will held in Kenya specifically in Eldoret which is now referred to as the City of Champions.
Bii said it would be another chance for Uasin Gishu – a self-proven sporting hub – to prove to the world that it is indeed Kenya’s sports nerve that is also famous for athletics and volleyball among other games.
Speaking when she hosted a delegation from Golazo Sports, County Executive for Sports Lucy Ng’endo said the county is already preparing for the event that will uplift Uasin Gishu as a sports giant.
“As the city of champions we have all it takes because this event will also motivate our young people to join cycling as a sport,” said Ng’endo.
The event will bring to the city more than 600 participants specially cyclists from across the continent.
Cyclists representing African countries will battle it out for the men’s and women’s titles. Each country will be represented by 8 athletes from each category.
Last year, Golazo Sports in partnership with the Confederation of African Cycling (CAC), held the cycling championship in Ghana where at least 22 countries participated. In this year as event according to the official schedule the individual time trial event will take place today with the start point at the Uasin Gishu county headquarters.
