Kenyan riders have called on the government to buy them good bicycles to enable them compete against the world in cycling across the world.
With the CAC Africa happening in Kisumu County, the riders says that they use warn-out and cheap equipment to compete against other African nations like South Africa, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Eritrea Mauritius among others.
The reigning Kenyan Under-23 national cycling champion Ivan Kipruto said that they use old bicycle as he hopes to clinch golden triumph on Sunday’s men’s U23 road race 175.2km.
Kipruto, who has steadily climbed the ranks at the continental showpiece, will be making his third appearance at the championships, having featured in the first edition hosted by Kenya in Eldoret in 2024 before returning for last year’s edition in Diani.
At the 2024 championships in Eldoret, the youngster finished 64th before improving to 40th in Diani.
With the experience of two previous continental campaigns under his belt, the 20-year-old is now setting his sights on breaking into the medal bracket in Kisumu.
The Kenyan youngster believes his previous outings have taught him valuable lessons about race positioning, pack dynamics and tactical awareness, elements he considers crucial in a fiercely contested road race.
He also heads into Sunday’s showdown buoyed by his physical condition, insisting that his preparations have put him in a strong position to challenge for the top honours.
”I feel my fitness is good now and I am more than ready for the competition.”
One of the biggest motivational factors driving Kipruto’s quest for continental glory is the national U23 title he secured earlier this year, a victory that has placed him firmly in the spotlight as one of Kenya’s riders to watch in Kisumu.
Kipruto claimed the men’s U23 national 110km road race title at the national championships staged in Kericho on June 21, clocking an impressive 2:45:29 to emerge victorious.
”Coming here as the Kenyan national champion, all Kenyan riders will be looking up to me so I have the morale to strive for my best,” he said.
However, the road to gold will be far from straightforward, with the championships bringing together some of the continent’s strongest cycling nations, including Eritrea, South Africa and Ethiopia, all expected to mount a serious challenge in the U23 category.
The three countries have established themselves as formidable forces in African cycling.
Kipruto’s international exposure has been built through demanding gravel races across Europe.
He launched his 2026 campaign at the UCI Gravel World Series – Castellón Gravel Race in Spain, tackling a demanding 97km course to finish 38th overall.
He subsequently lined up for the UCI Gravel World Series – Monaco Gravel Race on April 19, taking on a gruelling 120km assignment to finish 34th overall.
Although gravel racing differs from conventional road racing in terms of terrain and race dynamics, the demanding distances have offered Kipruto an opportunity to build endurance and sharpen his tactical awareness.
In preparation for the continental challenge in Kisumu, Kipruto has put in long hours on the saddle, with his training programme designed to build the stamina required to remain competitive over the demanding race distance.
”I have been doing 180km long ride, mostly I did 130km or 140, but for endurance I did 180km. I also did 200km sometimes which is around six hours,” he said.
Beyond the technical demands of the route, the weather in Kisumu has also offered the Kenyan riders a welcome boost compared with the conditions they experienced during last year’s championships in Diani.
”The weather here is also better than in Diani. So that will turn out favorable for us.”
He also believes Kenya’s opportunity to host the championships has provided a significant boost to the country’s medal ambitions, allowing the national federation to field a larger contingent than it might have managed had the competition been staged abroad.