Kenya’s top cyclists led by the number one rider Nancy Akinyi will race for individual glory at the national mountain bike and cross-country cycling championships set to take place at Karura Forest on Saturday.
The race is a landmark event as Kenya becomes just the second country in Zone 5 to have a points-earning national championship under the international Union of Cycling .
Riders with UCI licences will get one of their best opportunities to score big international points in what’s set to be a thrilling contest.
82 cyclist from across various clubs in the country have been invited to battle it out at the National Mountain bike and Cross-country cycling event which will take place at Karura Forest.
Riders licenced under the International Cycling Union, the UCI, will be eligible to collect valuable points to help them earn a place at this year’s Paris Olympic Games.
Five Kenyan riders led by Nancy Akinyi are in contention to qualify for the Olympic games from Africa but they face fierce competition from Morocco,Mauritius, South Africa and Namibia.
The Kenya Cycling Federation chairman Julius Mwangi however believes that Kenya stands a strong chance to qualify for the games on both the Cross country and Mountain bike events.
The Kenyan riders will be heading to other qualifying events in Morocco and the Czech republic after the national event in an attempt to make the cut .
A home UCI race is of significant importance to local riders’ chances to qualify for Paris; the race, therefore, opens up new opportunities for cyclists looking to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
