The just-concluded 2024 CAC African Road Cycling Championship in the three counties of the North Rift Region has injected new enthusiasm in the region known for producing some of the world’s greatest athletes.
The region is a powerhouse in athletics but many stakeholders at the 2024 CAC African Road Cycling Championship believe the area will now be a perfect breeding ground to blend running and cycling because there is great potential among youth in the region.
International Cycling Union (UCI) president, David Lappartient, said his federation was proud of the way Kenya staged the Africa Cycling Championship and described it as a good start for developing the sport in the country.
“Kenya can now start from the roots by identifying talents, getting good coaches and establishing good clubs or camps and ensure the level of training is improved to produce good results,” said Lappartient.
He said Kenyan had produced great athletes and believes the country can also produce good cyclists because there is abundant talent.
“It’s all about in-depth training because cycling is not something you can learn from the books. There must be density of training and competition to prepare good cyclists,” said Lappartient.
The ICU boss said the CAC road cycling event in Eldoret had given impetus to the country’s cycling federation to help move the sport to new levels.
Charles Mose, the Kenya Cycling Association (KCA) Secretary General, says the road championship in Eldoret will be the turning point in the development of cycling as a professional sport which is competitive at the Olympic Games and other championships across the world.
Mose says cycling is an equipment sport and without the necessary training and competition kit, it has been difficult to exploit all available talent in the region.
He says just like in athletics or football, there is need for more sponsors to support the sport and have more competitions as a base to build on the craze caused in the region by the 2024 CAC African Cycling Championships.
“We want to see cycling introduced in schools and colleges as a competitive sport to exploit talent among our young people,” he says.
Mose, like other cycling enthusiasts, is of the view that Kenya should not miss any international cycling competitions as part of their exposure ahead of other world-class competitions.
He said: “The government is doing a lot to support the sport but we need even greater support from players in the private sector.”
Mose says some of the latest models of competition bicycles are so expensive, with some going for as much as Sh2.5 million, which few riders can afford without support from sponsors.
Sports Principal Secretary, Peter Tum and Uasin Gishu County Governor Jonathan Bii said the just concluded CAC event in Eldoret will be an eye opener in efforts to have local youth diversify from athletics to other disciplines.
“We have so many talents in our region even though everyone talks about athletics. We will reap big from this cycling event because am sure many of the youth will now look at it as a sport worthy of taking up,” said Tum.
He says Kenya may have good athletes but the Eldoret event will take the country to a whole new level in terms of taping talents and even hosting more similar shows in the regions.
Stakeholders in both athletics and cycling federations are already discussing new horizons as the curtains came down on the peddling competition in the North Rift region a week ago.
International sports promotion firm Golazo was the main organiser of the CAC Africa show and Christophe Impens from the company’s head office in Belgium, says he is excited that the region is likely to be a home of champions in both athletics and cycling.
“With good long-term planning, training and having the necessary equipment, Kenya is ripe for a rich blending of athletics and cycling,” said Impen.
He said they are ready to support the Uasin Gishu County and other partners to host more cycling competitions.
The world’s greatest marathoner of all time, Eliud Kipchoge, is leading from the front and says there is huge potential for cycling as a sport in the region.
Kipchoge, who runs a cycling academy alongside his athletics camp at Kaptagat, says there is a huge number of youth in the region with an interest in cycling.
Some of Uganda’s riders, who won medals at the CAC event in Eldoret, have been training at Kipchoge’s camp and the former world marathon record holder says there is a need for the government and sponsors to help tap the huge talents in the region.
“We have managed to tap talents in athletics very well but now cycling is the future. CAC’s decision to host the event in Eldoret will have a positive impact on cycling in the region and the country,” said Kipchoge.
Kipchoge says they are ready to partner with counties and other stakeholders to put in place a long-term strategy for the development of cycling in the region.
Kenya Cycling Federation (KCF) CEO Kevin Mwangi says they were happy to have hosted the event in Eldoret.
“We have so many lessons to take home from this event as we seek to move Kenya to the next event in terms of performance,” he said.
He says Kenya has much more to do in terms of training and acquiring facilities if they are to elevate the standards of local riders.
Mwangi is, however, happy the Eldoret event attracted more sponsors than before.
“That shows even sponsors can now see a future in cycling and they are ready to partner with us as we move forward,” he said.
He said they already have six new applications from individuals and groups who would like to start new cycling clubs in the region.
From the experience of hosting the cycling event in Eldoret, Governor Bii says they will consider having an annual cycling event in Eldoret City to promote.
“The city residents and the entire region are excited about this event and we plan to look into ways of developing it as a competition, leisure and health activity,” says Mwangi.
Njau Kinjah, who is one of Kenya’s top riders, says there is chance and hope for the country to produce great cyclists with good training and the latest facilities in place.
“So far, we are on an upward trend in terms of performance and we are hopeful of even good results shortly,” he said.
Kinjah says there should be deliberate efforts to
identify cycling talents and support the same for the
growth of the sport in Kenya.