An event with its own light, although the 2025 African Road Cycling Championships – starting Thursday 20th – are to be read in full as a reflection of the first World Championship held on the Continent. It could not be otherwise, because despite the absences due to change of venue and period (in full off-season), what is taking shape in Kenya is the first act of the D.M. era, or after the Rwandan World Championships, to which UCI has assigned a certainly ambitious task, though not easy to realize from today to tomorrow.

African cycling wants to grow as a whole, leveraging its potential that is both competitive and demographic. While Rwanda is even thinking of inserting a competition in the World Tour calendar (without jubilating the fortunate February Tour du Rwanda), there is a need to consolidate the level of UCI Africa Tour races, imagining new ones. In short, in Kwale County, cyclists from 29 nations are meeting, for what at least in terms of host country proposes itself as a remake of what happened in 2025. Then races were held in Eldoret, a location over 2000 meters in western Kenya, this time, instead, no highlands where marathoners are born, but roads along white beaches of the Ocean. Wanted: successors of Henok Mulubrahan and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, one Eritrean and the other South African, and the Red Sea Camels might answer the call for the men's elite race, the final act scheduled for Sunday 23rd. It's no secret that Eritrea represents the beacon of African cycling, even fielding a selection without Mulubrhan, Tesfatsion, Ghebreigzabhier, that is the World Tour troop in discharge period, like the most emblematic of all, Biniam Girmay.

MEWAEL DELEGATED BY BINI, AND THERE'S THE "INSTIGATOR" COUSIN
One moment, however, Bini has signed a delegation to his family member, brother Mewael (also arrived in Belgium), who will represent him in Kwale wearing the time trial national champion jersey. The African championship tells another story linked to the Girmays: in the Eritrean roster (which mainly relies on Merhawi Kudus of Burgos Burpellet BH) the good instigator of the two cousins is featured, who got on the bike following the example of Meron Thesome Hagos, now 33 years old and bearer of Bike Aid, with a continental time trial title and a stage at the 2015 Tour du Rwanda. On Sunday, Alex Mayer of Mauritius (Kudus' teammate and son of the federal president) can assert his professional belonging, where these days Kim Le Court (Pleenar) has been celebrated as a national glory, taking a bit of a siesta.

Those doing things in grand style are Algeria among men, as if to underline the first place of Team Madar among African teams. For South Africa, veteran Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (for almost a decade in the Qhubeka orbit) will seek glory, taking on captain's role, backed by the first black cyclist to become national champion, Daniyal Matthews. With an open forecast, on Saturday among Elite women, will another Mauritian like Lucie Lagesse shine? Rwanda's podium hopes are entrusted to Jazilla Mwamikazi, expression of the work done by the World Cycling Center development structure, between South African Paarl and Aigle. And the results are showing.

HERE COMES THE GREAT PROMISE OF ETHIOPIA
Going back in the program, the logical favorite is the 18-year-old Tsige Kahsay Kiros, a splendid seventh among juniors at the Rwanda World Championship. Rising star of an Ethiopia that welcomes the birth of a women's continental team, Team Amani, on the impulse of Tsabu Grmay. He knows Kenya well, not only for his participation in gravel races: "In Iten, cradle of the world's greatest runners, we have created a training base" – claims the former rider who also rode for Lampre. From the organizing core, the eve's statements of intent entrusted to the organization curated by Golazo Kenya, a subsidiary of the same Belgian group that set up Kigali 2025 together with ASO, do not seem circumstantial. "It's not just about encouraging a cycling culture, because Kenya has everything to become a global sports hub. We see the African championship as an opportunity to develop tourism, create infrastructure, attract new investors". Vast program. Yet the lasting legacy rests on three intentions: birth of an excellence center and a 5-day stage race (Tour of Kenya) under UCI aegis, as well as transferring knowledge to the Kenyan national federation. Almost forgetting that race results are looming, starting from the men's and women's time trials of juniors and under 23s. The African champions in the elite field will be designated by a flat circuit developed along the sea, although the finish is at 376 meters, reached with a very steep climb. Don't call it a small tooth. Who's up?

THE PROGRAM
Thursday 20
1 - 08:40 Women Junior TT - 14 km
2 - 10:25 Men Junior TT - 28 km
3 - 13:00 Women Elite | U23 TT - 28 km
4 - 15:30 Men Elite | U23 TT - 28 km

Friday 21
5 - 09:00 Mixed Relay Elite| Under 23 - 28 km
6 - 11:30 Women Junior Road Race - 64.5 km
7 - 15:40 Men Youth Road Race - 42 km
8 - 15:43 - Women Youth Road Race - 28 km

Saturday 22
9 - 09:00 Local Fun event - 14 km
10 - 13:30 Women Elite | U23 Road Race - 107.6 km

Sunday 23
11 - 08:00 Men Junior Road Race - 107.6 km
12 - 13:00 Men Elite | U23 Road Race - 163.8 km