Umosen, Godwin triumph in first Ride Abuja race

Godstime Umosen from Team Subsea and Osaretin Godwin from Team Edo won the first Ride Abuja Cycling Race for men and women. The event took place on Sunday, October 4, in Abuja.

The race covered 87 kilometers. It was organized by the 76 Cycling Club Abuja Roadies and approved by the Cycling Federation of Nigeria. Cyclists from Nigeria and other countries joined in for the event.

Umosen finished the race in 2:01:18. His teammate Daniel Sunday came in second with a time of 2:01:19. Isah Momoh from the Kaduna State Team took third place, finishing in 2:03:43.

Godwin won the women’s race with a time of 2:09:11, just one second ahead of her teammate Divine Ogbe. Treasure Coxsen from Team Subsea secured third place at 2:09:13. The winners in the professional categories shared over ₦6 million in prize money.

In the recreational categories, Hamza Abubakar, Marcus Wenz, and Ayodimeji Olugbewasa were the top three men. For the women, the top spots went to Nadia Godis, Shakira Ige, and Moonie Ophyong.

Ian Atfield, who works at the British High Commission and lives with a disability, completed the 87 kilometers using a recumbent handcycle.

Mohammed Basheer, the technical director of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, mentioned that they would support efforts to make this event a national championship. He said this could allow Nigerian cyclists to earn UCI points needed for major competitions like the World Championships and the Olympics.

Joel Akinuwa, the federation's secretary-general, said the race followed UCI guidelines. He added that medical personnel, police, and security agencies were present to ensure safety.

Henry Okelue, the chairman of the organizing committee, expressed gratitude to partners and volunteers. Club captain Katka Gonyak noted that the turnout showed a growing interest in competitive cycling.

The organizers announced plans to make the race an annual event. They also requested more support from the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

Many cyclists called for safer roads. Wenz from Germany pointed out issues like poor road conditions, damaged drainage, and missing manhole covers. He urged the administration to work on better cycling infrastructure.

Kaduna-based coach Samaila Usman, who has trained over 40 cyclists from grassroots to elite level, said events like this help spot athletes who can represent Nigeria. He praised the registration process and race management, saying they compared well to competitions in Europe.