Kenya has been given another opportunity to host the 21st edition of the African Road Cycling Championships, which will take place in Kisumu from October 21 to 25, after Lesotho expressed financial difficulties.
The African Cycling Confederation (CAC) approached Kenya to take over after Lesotho withdrew from hosting international and continental events due to a lack of government funding.
The 2024 event was staged in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, and last year’s event held in Kwale County.
Close to Sh400 million was used by the government to stage the historic 2024 championships, which traversed three counties: Nandi, Uasin Gishu, and Elgeyo Marakwet, while Sh250 million was used for the 2025 event in Kwale.
“The CS proposed Kisumu, and the county government welcomed the move,” said Jimmy Geeraerts, Golazo Kenya’s executive creative director.
Golazo, a sports marketing and event agency, was in charge of the last two editions of the championships and will be again this year.
“The event will be broadcast live, but we are still negotiating with potential partners,” said Geeraerts.
In welcoming Africa to the lakeside city of Kisumu, Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o noted that the championships will transform the economy of his region and the country.
“Our hotels, restaurants and hospitality sectors will flourish, creating jobs and networking opportunities for our young people in event management, transport, catering and security,” said Nyong’o.
He projected that the event would generate over 1.8 million social media impressions and close to 90,000 engagements, putting the city on the global stage like never before.
“This is more than just a race. It’s an economic injection for our county. It’s the rebirth of tourism. This is Kisumu to the world,” Nyongo said on his social media platform.
Eritrean cyclists will be looking to make their mark in the championships, which are being held in the country for the third consecutive time and will see 300 cyclists from 40 countries compete.
South Africa will be aiming for supremacy in the women’s events. Henok Mulubrhan, who currently rides for the UCI World Team XDS Astana, sealed a hat-trick of titles when he won the 2024 championships in Eldoret.
He previously won in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in 2022 and Accra, Ghana in 2023.
Mulubrhan, aged 26, is the only cyclist in the history of the continental event to complete a hat-trick, and is also the first to defend his title, having won in Asmara, Eritrea in 2011 and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2012.
Tesfom Okubamariam is the only other Eritrean to win a double, achieving this in Sharm El Sheikh in 2013 and Benslimane in 2016.
Last year, Merhawi Kudus, riding for the Burgos-BH team, emulated his compatriots with a brilliant performance on the hilly Kwale circuit. He crossed the finish line hand-in-hand with his fellow countryman Awet Aman, achieving a one-two finish for Eritrea.
John Muchiri was the best-placed Kenyan in Kwale, finishing 47th.
Eritrea has been the most successful nation since the championships began in 2001, winning 11 individual titles, followed by South Africa with eight and Namibia with one.
Last year, Hayley Preen, 28, from South Africa, secured her country’s 13th elite women’s victory, and their second in a row, after Ashleigh Moolman Pasio’s win in 2024. This victory further cements South Africa’s status as the most successful nation in the women’s event.
South Africa dominated the women’s event for a decade, starting in 2005 when Ashleigh Moolman claimed a quad from 2011 to 2015. This was then ended by Namibia’s Vera Adrian in 2016.
