Nanyuki to debut LOOP Safari Gravel Series with UCI points up for grabs

The LOOP Safari Gravel Series will head to Nanyuki for the first time on Saturday, 17 October 2026, for the fourth leg of the 2026 edition, with 600 cyclists expected.

The Nanyuki event is the latest addition to the Safari Gravel Series calendar and will give riders an opportunity to earn UCI points that will count towards their annual world ranking after being elevated to a UCI-approved National Championship.

Registration for the Nanyuki Leg is now open at www.safariraceseries.com with riders encouraged to book their slots early and make Nanyuki their next cycling adventure as the timing of the event also presents an opportunity to turn the trip into a longer getaway.

This season, cyclists had a say in the destination of the final leg of the series following the introduction of a new riders’ choice event which saw them vote and settle for Nanyuki as the preferred stop.

The Nanyuki race will feature 11 km Chui Route, 45 km Duma Route, and a 90 km Simba Route for the elite. The top five finishers in the elite 90-kilometre race for both men and women set to claim cash prizes of Ksh 20,000, Ksh 15,000, Ksh 10,000, Ksh 7,000, and Ksh 5,000, respectively.

Winning team will take home Ksh 125,000 while the second and third-placed teams will receive Ksh 100,000 and Ksh 70,000, respectively. 

Speaking ahead of the Nanyuki event, Troy Barrie, Coordinator of The Amani Project, said:

“Nanyuki gives us a completely new setting for the LOOP Safari Gravel Series and we hope it will be as interesting as the other destinations have been. Getting UCI-approval makes it more appealing and of great use to cyclists who want to improve their world rankings.

“We have seen the cycling community grow tremendously, and we are happy to have made it possible in the series for the third year in a row. This season the competition was very stiff, and we cannot wait to see what the leg has in store.”

Limuru hosted the season opener in March before paving the way for the UCI-accredited leg in Naivasha in June, followed by the recent outing at Vipingo Ridge in August. 

Uganda’s Jordan Schleck and Mary Aleper successfully defended their LOOP Safari Gravel Series titles in Vipingo Ridge last month, winning the men’s and women’s 105km elite races.

Schleck retained his Vipingo crown after clocking 3:31:59 in the 105km men’s race, holding off Kenya’s Bernard Njoroge, who finished second in 3:36:44. Billy Mangwana completed the podium at 4:08:07.

Aleper also successfully defended her title in the women’s 105km race, completing the course in 4:42:24. She finished ahead of Kenya’s Alice Miring’u, who clocked 5:24:19, while Mercy Eregae was third in 5:51:51.

Following his win in Vipingo, Schleck leads the Men’s Overall Individual Standings for the season with 270 points. Stanley Ngugi is second with 267 points while Njoroge rounds off the podium places with 254 points.

In the Women’s Overall Individual Standings, Kendra Masiga leads with 250 points followed by Dinnah Safari on 236 while Monica Jelimo is third with 235 points.

Black Mamba Development Squad tops the Overall Team Standings with 1306 points while Ariya Finergy Solar Cycling and Joy Riders are second and third with 1025 and 864 points, respectively.