BY PHILLIP ORWA
Uganda’s Lawrence Lorot and Rwanda’s Claudette Nyirarukundo won the men’s and women’s races of the second leg of the 2026 LOOP Safari Gravel Series, held today at Hell’s Gate National Park.
The event drew 956 cyclists from across the world, a record number for a leg since the inception of the Series in 2024.
The 21-year-old Lorot won the race after clocking 3:29:04, closely followed by Stanley Ngugi, who timed 3:29:05, with Ivan Kipruto rounding up the podium finish with a time of 3:29:22.
“It was a brutal pace, and you could feel the tension every kilometre. In the last few hundred metres, I just gave everything I had. Those one-second margins are what make racing special – you can train for months and still have to trust your instincts in the sprint. I am so happy to come here and win today. I have been racing more on the road, and I am just getting into gravel. I look forward to more wins on the gravel.”
In the women’s 100KM race, Nyirarukundo crossed the line in 4:16:52, narrowly defeating Sarah Diekmeyer by one second (4:16:53), with Theresa Rindler completing the women’s podium in 4:27:23.
“The race was everything I hoped for and more. It was fast, tactical, and unpredictable,” said Nyirarukundo, who added: “We rode as a tight group for most of the day, and it came down to pure determination at the finish. I was second last year here, and I am happy to step onto the podium as the winner this time around.”
The 60KM men’s category was won by Michael Matindi, who took the win in 2:16:18, followed closely by Ravan Ngugi (2:16:19) and Kelvin Kamore (2:32:44).
The 60KM women’s category was won by Jacinta Wanjiru in 3:01:24, with Marit Luijckx coming in second (3:18:11) and Faith Kangichu third (3:42:21).
Eric Muriuki, CEO of LOOP Digital Financial Services, said: “Today’s turnout of 956 riders and the calibre of competition demonstrate that LOOP Safari Gravel has matured into a marquee event on the continent, being one of only four UCI Gravel World Series Qualifiers in Africa. Our goal has always been to build an inclusive, challenging platform that elevates gravel cycling in Africa, and today, we witnessed that vision in full. We thank the athletes, volunteers, partners, and Hell’s Gate National Park for making this edition unforgettable.”
Up next on the Series calendar is the Vipingo Ridge edition in August.
The LOOP Safari Gravel Series is organised by the Amani Project, an initiative focused on developing and supporting athletic talent across the region, with support from LOOP DFS as the title sponsor.
