Umosen, Godwin Take Top Honours at Inaugural Ride Abuja Cycling Race
ABUJA — Godstime Cyril Umosen of Team Subsea and Osaretin Godwin of Team Edo emerged winners in the professional men’s and women’s categories respectively at the inaugural Ride Abuja Cycling Race, organised by the 76 Cycling Club Abuja Roadies (76CC) in Abuja.
The 87-kilometre road race, held on Sunday, October 4th, 2026, brought together professional and recreational cyclists from across Nigeria and abroad. The event was sanctioned by the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN) and conducted under the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the global governing body for cycling.
The race took cyclists through some of Abuja’s major districts and landmarks, providing a competitive platform for cyclists while showcasing the Federal Capital’s road infrastructure and distinctive urban landscape.
In the professional men’s category, Godstime Umosen of Team Subsea completed the 87-kilometre course in 2:01:18 to take first place. His teammate, Daniel Sunday, finished second in 2:01:19, while Isah Momoh of Kaduna State Team placed third in 2:03:43.
In the professional women’s category, Osaretin Godwin of Team Edo emerged winner in 2:09:11, finishing just one second ahead of teammate Divine Ogbe, who recorded 2:09:12. Treasure Coxsen of Team Subsea finished third in 2:09:13.
The recreational categories also produced competitive finishes. Hamza Abubakar, Marcus Wenz and Ayodimeji Olugbewasa placed first, second and third respectively in the men’s category, while Nadia Godis, Shakira Ige and Moonie Ophyong claimed the top three positions in the women’s category.
One of the notable moments of the race was the completion of the 87-kilometre course by Ian Atfield, a staff member of the British High Commission and a person living with a disability, who completed the race on a recumbent handcycle.
The professional men’s and women’s winners shared a prize purse of more than ₦6 million, which organisers said was intended to provide greater incentives for cyclists and encourage emerging talent to participate in competitive cycling.
Organisers Commend Partners and Volunteers
Chairman of the Ride Abuja Organising Committee, Henry Okelue, expressed appreciation to the event’s partners and sponsors, including Prixair, 09 Bikers, Farm City, Lesha Hospital, Pocari Sweat, Sunrise Water Parks, CINI, Global SoftLayer and Best Bike Care, for their contributions to the success of the event.
Okelue also commended the volunteers and other personnel who supported the race, noting that their efforts contributed significantly to the smooth running of the competition.
The Club Captain of 76 Cycling Club Abuja Roadies, Katka Gonyak, acknowledged the challenges involved in organising a road cycling event in Abuja but said the turnout demonstrated growing interest in competitive cycling. According to Gonyak, the club was already looking ahead to the next edition of the race.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of 76 Cycling Club Abuja Roadies, Dawud Kyari, said Ride Abuja was conceived as a platform to bring cyclists and their families together, promote cycling as a culture in Nigeria and showcase the beauty of Abuja.
CFN Backs Development of Ride Abuja
Technical Director of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, Mohammed Basheer, said the federation would support efforts to build on the success of Ride Abuja and explore the possibility of developing the event into a national championship.
Basheer said such a development could provide Nigerian cyclists with opportunities to earn UCI points, which are important for qualification pathways to major international competitions, including the World Championships, Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games.
He described the event as evidence that Abuja could successfully host well-organised cycling competitions, citing the city’s road infrastructure and the performance of the participating cyclists.
Basheer called on cycling clubs and other corporate entities to organise more competitions to expand participation and strengthen the development of the sport in Nigeria.
On his own part, the Secretary-General of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, Joel Akinuwa, said the race was conducted in accordance with UCI rules and supported by medical personnel, security agencies, police, Vehicle Inspection Office personnel and road barricades.
Akinuwa said the federation remained willing to provide technical support to 76 Cycling Club Abuja Roadies and other organisations seeking to organise similar competitions. He also encouraged stakeholders to contribute resources towards the development of cycling in Nigeria.
Cyclists Call for Safer Roads
While participants described Abuja as an enabling environment for cycling, several cyclists called for greater attention to road safety and infrastructure for cyclists.
They noted that many modern cities around the world have incorporated dedicated cycling infrastructure into their transportation systems, allowing bicycles to function as part of the wider urban mobility network.
German cyclist Marcus Wenz, who participated in the race, said Abuja still had considerable room for improvement in cyclist safety. He cited road conditions, damaged drainage infrastructure, missing or vandalised manhole covers, traffic and what he described as unfavourable attitudes by some motorists towards cyclists. He urged the Federal Capital Territory Administration to give greater attention to cycling safety and infrastructure.
From Grassroots Cycling to International Competition
Cycling coach Dr Samaila Usman, who has helped develop more than 40 cyclists from grassroots level to elite competition, described events such as Ride Abuja as important platforms for identifying and developing athletes capable of representing Nigeria internationally.
The Kaduna-based coach commended the organisers, particularly the race’s registration process and overall management, which he said compared favourably with cycling competitions in Europe.
The organisers said Ride Abuja would become an annual event and would continue to contribute to sports development while promoting Abuja as a destination for competitive cycling.
They also appealed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration and other stakeholders to provide greater support for the event, which they said had the potential to showcase Abuja and Nigerian cycling to a wider national and international audience.