Oluchi Chibuzor
A cycling community called PitStop Lagos is advocating for the establishment of more cycling academies across the country in order to attract young riders. The call was made during a criterium event titled “60 for 60KM race” held in honor of Iboroma Akpana, a cycling enthusiast and managing partner of Solola and Akpana. Akpana emphasized the need to replicate the success of Eritrea’s grassroots cycling program in Nigeria, stating that it would contribute to the development of the sport and produce strong athletes.
“We’ve adopted a model in the PitStop community where the sport is built around the athletes. In the meantime, we need to replicate the PitStop community idea across different states in the country, thereby expanding the reach of the sport,” said Iboroma Akpana, who expressed his gratitude for having the criterium held in his honor.
Iboroma, who is also an Independent Non-Executive Director at Access Bank Plc, emphasized the importance of viewing cycling as a sport that can be developed from the grassroots level, rather than being limited to the elite. He believes that by adopting this approach, Nigeria can uncover exceptional talent in the cycling arena.
The criterium event saw Innocent Emmanuel emerge as the winner, with Bassey Okon and Zakariyu Faruq clinching second and third place respectively. Other winners, including Diepreye Jackbara and Chisom Oveh, secured fourth and fifth positions and were rewarded with cash prizes.