African Road Cycling Championships: Kisumu set for 5-day showdown
By William Muthama, September 29, 2026Kisumu will host Africa’s biggest road-cycling event, the 2026 Confederation of African Cycling (CAC), from Wednesday, October 21 to Sunday, October 25, 2026, bringing more than 300 elite riders from over 30 countries to the lakeside city to compete for continental titles.
Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o confirmed the dates on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, saying Kisumu was ready to welcome cyclists from across Africa and beyond.
“Kisumu is ready to take centre stage as Africa’s biggest cycling showdown rolls into the city,” Nyong’o said.
The championships will mark the third consecutive year Kenya has hosted the continental event, following editions held in Eldoret in 2024 and Kwale County in 2025.
Africa comes to the lake
The championships will determine Africa’s road cycling champions across junior, under-23 and elite categories for both men and women.
Riders will compete in national colours in individual time trials, a mixed team relay and mass-start road races, with 15 categories scheduled across the five-day event.
Winners will earn the right to wear the African champion’s jersey during the following season.
Organisers expect the championships to attract significant attention both in Kenya and internationally, with the county projecting close to 90,000 digital engagements and more than 1.8 million social media impressions.
The event is also expected to provide a boost to hotels, restaurants, transport companies, event crews and security teams as visitors arrive in Kisumu.
Residents will also have an opportunity to take part through a social fun ride on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The two-lap route will cover 20.4 kilometres and is open to families and local cyclists.
Five days of cycling action
The official programme will use Kisumu as the start and finish point, with the races covering repeated laps around a city circuit.
Tuesday, October 21 will feature the individual time trials.
Women junior riders will cover 10.2 kilometres, while men junior riders will race over 20.4 kilometres. Women elite and under-23 riders will cover 30.6 kilometres, while the men’s elite and under-23 categories will race over 40.8 kilometres.
Wednesday will feature the mixed elite and under-23 relay over 40.8 kilometres, followed by the men’s youth road race covering 58.6 kilometres and the women’s youth race over 38.2 kilometres.
Junior road races will take place on Thursday, with the women covering 68.8 kilometres and the men 119.8 kilometres.
Friday will feature the public social ride before the women’s elite and under-23 road race, which will cover 122.2 kilometres.
The championships will close on Saturday with the men’s elite and under-23 road race over 175.2 kilometres.
A different Kenyan cycling course
Kenya has hosted the continental championships in different parts of the country in recent years.
The 2024 edition was staged in Eldoret, with riders tackling the high-altitude roads of Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet.
The 2025 championships moved to the coast, with time trials held in Diani and the elite men’s road race covering 163.8 kilometres from Ukunda to Kwale.
Kisumu will provide a different challenge, with a flatter lakeside setting around Lake Victoria compared with the highlands and coastal routes used in the previous two editions.
Eritrea’s Merhawi Kudus won the 2025 elite men’s road race after finishing alongside compatriot Awet Aman, while Algeria’s Oussama Abdellah Mimouni took bronze.
Eritrea has been a dominant force in the men’s road race in recent years, while South Africa, Rwanda, Algeria and Uganda have also featured regularly on the podium.
Kenyan riders will now have the advantage of competing on home roads, this time in Nyanza.