By Aderonke Ojo
The 2026 Abuja Chaingang Mountain Bike (MTB) Festival has been adopted as a national qualifying competition for the 2027 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Cycling World Championships in France.
Olatunji Olanrewaju, Chairman of the festival’s Local Organising Committee (LOC), disclosed this on Friday at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, ahead of the 10th anniversary edition scheduled for Nov. 21 and 22.
He said the partnership with the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN) would provide Nigerian cyclists with opportunities to qualify for international competitions and improve the country’s standing in mountain biking.
Bashir Mohammed, CFN Technical Director, said the competition would identify and qualify male and female cyclists for the Cross-Country Short Track (XCC) and Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) events at the 2027 championship.
He said the qualification process would create opportunities for Nigerian athletes to represent the country internationally.
Olanrewaju said the 2026 edition would feature the XCC and XCO formats and unveil the Sunrise Hills Mountain Bike Course in Asokoro, Abuja.
He said the approximately 4.5-kilometre course, bordering Guzape, featured steep climbs, rocky descents and natural switchbacks designed to meet international competition standards.
According to him, the course was developed in line with relevant UCI guidelines to support the growth of mountain biking in Nigeria.
Olanrewaju said previous editions featured the Cross-Country Marathon (XCM), an endurance race covering 50 to 100 kilometres, but this year’s festival would focus on the shorter XCC and XCO formats.
He said the two-day event would also feature a trail run, children’s mountain bike race, veterans’ recreational ride, city-wide fitness ride, hiking and camping activities.
He added that children would participate in their race free of charge, while media practitioners and other interested participants would be encouraged to join recreational cycling activities.
Olanrewaju said the festival also aimed to promote fitness, tourism, youth development, environmental awareness and community engagement.
He listed the planned corporate social responsibility initiatives to include the restoration of Jigakushi School in Mpape and a road-safety street mural campaign to encourage safer road use by cyclists.
Joel Akinluwa, CFN Secretary-General, said the federation’s partnership with Chaingang Cycling Club Abuja had strengthened the festival’s technical organisation and helped identify athletes suited to mountain biking.
“We have been working together and deploying our professionalism in officiating to ensure that the competition is conducted in line with UCI rules and regulations,” he said.
Akinluwa said the collaboration had helped cyclists develop their abilities in specialised mountain biking disciplines.
He added that participants in previous editions had received prize money and opportunities to qualify for the African Mountain Bike Championship and other international competitions.
The organisers expect at least 150 participants at the 2026 festival, he said.
Olanrewaju said registration was open through the club’s website, www.chaingang.ng.
NAN reports that the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships will hold in Haute-Savoie, France, from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5, with mountain biking events scheduled for Les Gets.
The XCC event is scheduled for Aug. 31, while the XCO events will hold from Sept. 2 to Sept. 4, 2027. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
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