On a sun splashed Sunday in Nairobi, the Jubilee Nairobi Bike Race delivered high drama, tight sprints, and a powerful statement about the rise of cycling across East Africa. With an estimated 3,500 riders filling the capital’s streets and a vibrant Race Village at Nyayo National Stadium, this fourth edition of the Jubilee Insurance Grand Nairobi Bike Race, also known as the Jubilee Live Free Race, became a celebration of endurance, community, and regional rivalry.
Uganda and Ethiopia owned the elite podiums, turning the city circuit into a showcase of grit and tactical nerve. Uganda’s Jordan Schleck Ssekanwagi reclaimed the men’s 75 kilometre crown in a breathless sprint over defending champion Charles Kagimu, while Ethiopia’s Merhamit Hadush, only 20, commanded the women’s race with poise and power. In a field that drew riders from over 20 nationalities, the elite contests served up the kind of spectacle that forces fans to lean forward and hold their breath.
How the men’s race was won
Schleck’s victory was as much patience as it was power. The Iten based Team Amani training partners, Ssekanwagi and Kagimu, turned the final kilometres into a head to head chess match on wheels. Kagimu punched first, forcing a split in the second lap as the pace pinballed through Nairobi’s avenues. The Ugandan tandem then went toe to toe from inside the third lap, a duel that set up a finish for the brave and the precise.
After 1 hour 30 minutes 39 seconds of hard racing, Schleck surged at the line to win by a single second. The defending champion Kagimu settled for second, his shoulders relaxing in recognition of a clean fight. Kenya’s John Muchiri, a steady presence through the closing circuits, arrived third in 1:33:50 to break the Ugandan stranglehold on the podium and give home fans a moment to cheer.
“We went toe to toe from inside the third lap and I guess I had reserved some power for the sprint finish,” Schleck said, reflecting on a tactical battle that hinged on patience and positioning.
Schleck, 23, knows this race well. He won the inaugural edition in 2019, and, after defending his Loop Safari Gravel Series title a month earlier, he came to Nairobi with form in his legs and clarity in his mind. He also trains with Team Simbas in Kikuyu when in the city, a sign of his deep roots in Kenya after six years living and working in the country. His message was as grounded as his ride, it is about hard work, clear goals, and the sacrifices that come with chasing them.
The men’s field presented its own complexities even before the final surge. With the women’s peloton rolling out first, positioning became a tactical puzzle. Schleck described moments of weaving, quick thinking, and the need to keep rhythm without risking collisions, a reminder that city circuits can compress space and multiply decisions in a heartbeat.
Merhamit Hadush commands the women’s race
In the women’s 75 kilometre contest, Ethiopia’s Merhamit Hadush rode with the control of a rider beyond her years. She stopped the clock in 1:38:25, a performance built on steady pacing and crisp accelerations that put pressure on the field at the right moments. Uganda’s Mary Aleper followed for second in 1:46:55, while Kenya’s Jamila Abdula secured bronze in 1:47:28, a result that drew warm applause from the home crowd.
Hadush’s win underlined the growing depth in women’s cycling across the region. With the course rewarding those who could hold speed on the flats and dance through the corners, she kept her lines clean and her cadence constant. In a race where early positioning mattered, the Ethiopian’s calm execution made the difference when the pace snapped late.
A city circuit that became a stage
Nairobi’s central arteries turned into a rolling theatre, starting at Nyayo National Stadium at dawn and sweeping through Bunyala Road, Lower Hill Road, Haile Selassie Avenue and Kenyatta Avenue. Riders then pressed down Uhuru Highway, turned to Langata Road, and reached Douglas Wakiihuri Road. The looped format amplified crowd noise and gave families camped at the Race Village multiple looks at the action.
Temporary road closures began at midnight and reopened at 1 pm, a window that transformed familiar commuter routes into a day for bicycles. Beyond the racing, the Village pulsed with entertainment and community activities, a festival atmosphere that offered live performances and family friendly fun for those not on two wheels.
Categories, community and a bigger vision
The Jubilee Live Free Race has grown quickly by design, combining competition with advocacy for physical activity, holistic wellbeing, and environmental conservation. The program featured a 75 kilometre main race, the Black Mamba 45 kilometre event, Para Cycling at 45 kilometres, a Family Fun Ride at 15 kilometres and a Kiddie Race, a full spectrum intended to welcome newcomers and challenge the best.
- Main race 75km,
- Black Mamba 45km,
- Para Cycling 45km,
- Family Fun Ride 15km,
- Kiddie Race.
Prize money reflected the event’s growth. Winners were set to share Sh4 million, an increase from Sh3 million last year. Jubilee Insurance backed the fourth edition with Sh20 million, bringing overall support since the 2022 inception to more than Sh100 million in cash and kind, a commitment matched by strategic partnerships with the Kenya Cycling Federation, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority, and the County Government of Nairobi.
It is no surprise then that the start list expanded beyond borders. The race attracted more than 20 nationalities, a milestone that elevated the quality of the peloton and gave the elite races a sharper edge. The effect was visible in the men’s final sprint, and in the metronomic strength that carried Hadush away from her rivals.
Other highlights from a packed program
Beyond the elite road results, the heritage rich Black Mamba race delivered a stirring podium. Willy Kato took the win, followed by Dominik Mugonda and Ssempiijja Aziz, a sweep that had spectators thrilled by the craft and courage required to push classic bicycles through a modern course. The women’s wheelchair race crowned Caroline Wanjira, with Merceline Atieno second and Rahel Akoth third, an inspiring finish that underscored the inclusive spirit of the day.
At the Race Village, notable figures added weight to the moment. Kenya’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations Environment Program, Ababu Namwamba, was among the dignitaries in attendance, alongside Jubilee Insurance chairman Zul Abdul and Jubilee Insurance chief executive Julius Kipngetich. Their presence reflected a shared belief in sport as a catalyst for wellbeing and environmental stewardship.
Voices from the road
Schleck’s post race reflections offered a window into the tactical friction that defined the men’s contest, from the rolling dynamics of a mixed start to the micro decisions of a sprint finish. The Ugandan emphasized focus, patience, and the small margins that separate first from second, the very essence of city circuit racing at speed.
“It was somewhat chaotic with women in front of us. We had to weave through carefully and fight for a good position to accelerate and avoid collisions,” Schleck said, describing the traffic within the peloton and the importance of timing.
Kagimu, who represented Uganda at the UCI World Road Championships in Rwanda and also at the Paris Olympics, was gracious and forward looking. He acknowledged Schleck’s strength in the home straight, then quickly pivoted to his next target, the Africa Road Cycling Championships scheduled for November in Kwale, Kenya.
“Schleck looked stronger at the home straight. This is what we want when a race draws international entries,” Kagimu said, tipping his cap to rivalry done right.
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A platform for growth in Kenyan cycling
Schleck spoke to a broader horizon, pointing to the rise of cycling communities in Kenya and the need for more quality races like this one. He dreams of seeing a Tour of East Africa or a Tour of Kenya, ambitions that resonate with the event’s mission and its recent growth in scale and prestige. His comments echoed through the Village, where thousands of families and fans felt the day’s promise.
The organizers leaned in on that same vision. The Race Village was designed for families, children, and cycling enthusiasts, and the day offered live performances that kept the energy high. Organizers also highlighted environmental initiatives connected to the race, from planting kitchen gardens and food towers to restoring water towers in marginalized community schools, projects that turn a day of competition into long term community impact.
Why this edition mattered
The Grand Nairobi Bike Race has always been more than a stopwatch. This fourth edition confirmed that the city circuit can both crown champions and build community, that a race can be a megaphone for health and sustainability, and that sport can open doors for the next generation. The elite results were compelling, the participation numbers inspiring, and the message unavoidable, cycling is on the rise in Kenya and across the region.
For the purists, the numbers tell a special story. Schleck won the men’s 75 kilometre race in 1:30:39, a single second ahead of Kagimu, the simplest margin in sport. Muchiri rounded out the podium in 1:33:50, a result that showed the local peloton’s growing strength. In the women’s race, Hadush’s 1:38:25 underlined control, with Aleper’s 1:46:55 and Abdula’s 1:47:28 proving they held their own in a fast and focused field.
For everyone else, the images will linger. The early morning rollout from Nyayo National Stadium, the blur of color around Kenyatta Avenue, the cheers on Langata Road, the sprint that split the air, and the medals raised under Nairobi’s sky. The Jubilee Live Free Race, as it is affectionately known, gave the city a reason to celebrate two wheels and the possibilities they carry.
Looking ahead
As the barriers came down and the roads reopened, the conversations turned to what comes next. The Africa Road Cycling Championships in Kwale loom for some, community rides beckon for others, and the organizers will already be sketching plans for another edition. The lesson from this year was clear, invest in people and the sport pays you back, build a stage and the riders will fill it.
On October 5, 2025, Nairobi owned that stage and the riders did not waste it. Ugandan and Ethiopian excellence led the headlines, Kenyan resilience filled the gaps, and thousands of cyclists, many taking part in the Family Fun Ride and the Kiddie Race, reminded us why this movement matters. The Grand Nairobi Bike Race is not just growing, it is blooming, one circuit, one cheer, one hard fought finish at a time.
Key takeaways at a glance
- Jordan Schleck Ssekanwagi won the men’s 75km in 1:30:39,
- Merhamit Hadush captured the women’s 75km in 1:38:25,
- Charles Kagimu finished second in the men’s race by one second, with John Muchiri third,
- Mary Aleper and Jamila Abdula completed the women’s podium,
- Black Mamba winner was Willy Kato, followed by Dominik Mugonda and Ssempiijja Aziz,
- An estimated 3,500 cyclists took part, representing more than 20 nationalities.
As Schleck put it, you need to know what you want to achieve. Nairobi’s grand day on the bike showed that the city knows exactly that, create a space where champions can win, where communities can gather, and where the road points to something bigger.
