Francis, who finished as runner-up in 2024 before claiming the championship in 2025, once again proved his dominance among the professional cyclists by taking gold in the approximately 80.31-kilometre race.
The race began at the National Stadium and took the cyclists through the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road before returning to the Stadium, providing a demanding test of endurance, speed and tactical ability for the competing professionals.
Daniel Sunday, also representing Lagos State, secured the silver medal, while promising young cyclist Faruq Animasaun, another Lagos State athlete, completed the podium with the bronze medal.
The 2026 edition was officially flagged off on Saturday, September 12, by the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Grassroots Sports Development, Mr. Adebanji Adeoye Atewogboye.
Atewogboye led a 3.6-kilometre kick-off ride that started from the National Stadium, proceeded through Alaka Bridge and returned to the Stadium gate, setting the tone for a day that combined competitive cycling with fitness, recreation and community participation.
Speaking at the event, Atewogboye reiterated the commitment of the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu administration to developing sports at the grassroots while promoting healthy lifestyles and providing young people across the state with opportunities to participate in sporting activities.
He described Cycling Lagos as a growing flagship platform for fitness, community bonding and tourism, noting that the initiative aligns with the THEMES+ Agenda of the Sanwo-Olu administration.
“Today, we are not just riding bicycles. We are riding for health, for unity, and for the future of sports in Lagos. The Sanwo-Olu Administration will continue to invest in and support initiatives that take sports to the grassroots and make Lagos the sports capital of Africa,” he stated.
According to him, the state government would continue to create opportunities for Lagos residents to participate actively in sports while strengthening Lagos' position as a destination for safe, inclusive and sustainable sporting events.
Convener Hails Government Support
The President/CEO of Cycling Africa Limited and Convener of Cycling Lagos, Bamidele Adeleye, commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for what he described as an enabling environment for sports development in the state.
Adeleye also expressed appreciation to Atewogboye for his sustained support and encouragement for the Cycling Lagos initiative, stressing that the event's survival and growth over five years had been made possible through collaboration among government, private-sector sponsors, cyclists and other stakeholders.
“Celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Cycling Lagos event is a great milestone, which could only have been achieved through the commitment of the government, its agencies, brand sponsors, cyclists and other stakeholders. We are very proud of how far we have come. This is just the beginning,” he said.
He congratulated the winners across the various categories and thanked the sponsors and partners for continuing to identify with and support the cycling project.
Young Cyclists Shine
Beyond the professional race, the 2026 Cycling Lagos provided a platform for younger cyclists to showcase their abilities, with competitions held in the Under-15 and Under-10 categories for boys and girls.
In the Under-15 male category, Adesoga Temitope of Oyo State won the gold medal, while Azeez Mohammed, also from Oyo State, settled for silver. Popoola Emmanuel of Lagos State took the bronze medal.
Oyo State athletes dominated the Under-15 female category, with Azeez Hazanat successfully defending the title she won in 2025. Aminu Olamide also retained her championship for the second consecutive year, while Azeez Aminu claimed the bronze medal.
The Under-10 male category produced another competitive contest, with Abubakar Miyeed of Lagos State taking gold. Amao Malik of Ogun State won silver, while Adesoga Oluwatoku of Oyo State finished third.
In the Under-10 female category, Lagos State's Zainab Olarewaju emerged champion, while Adeleke Shindara and Farida Abasi, both representing Oyo State, won silver and bronze respectively.
The female professional category, however, was not contested at this year's event because of the low number of cyclists who registered online ahead of the competition.
Cycling, Sustainability and Tourism
The cycling competition formed part of a broader programme designed to promote healthy living, environmental consciousness, youth participation and sports tourism.
The 2026 Cycling Lagos programme had commenced on Thursday, September 3, with a webinar titled “Trash to Treasure: Unlocking Recycling Capacity for a Sustainable Future.”
The virtual session brought together industry experts and other stakeholders to examine ways of expanding Nigeria's recycling capacity, strengthening the circular economy and finding practical responses to the country's growing waste-management challenges.
The event itself attracted professional cyclists, children, cycling enthusiasts, corporate organisations and residents, reinforcing its growing reputation as a platform that extends beyond competitive sport.
Organisers said the initiative is intended to encourage a stronger cycling culture while using the sport to promote fitness, social interaction, environmental sustainability and youth engagement.
The 2026 edition received sponsorship from Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Aquafina, a brand of Seven-Up Bottling Company (SBC), with support from AIICO Multishield Limited, Checkers Custard, Golden Penny Foods, Stanbic IBTC, Adron Homes, Leadway Holdings, Tolaram Wellness, Mountains Energy Solution and BrandEscort, among others.
Cycling Lagos is organised annually by Cycling Africa Limited in collaboration with the Lagos State Cycling Association.
Now in its fifth year, the event continues to bring together cyclists and enthusiasts from different parts of Nigeria, combining competitive racing with advocacy for healthy living, environmental responsibility and the development of cycling as a viable sporting and recreational culture.
With Francis retaining the professional men's crown and young cyclists from Lagos, Oyo and Ogun states making their mark across the junior categories, the 2026 edition further strengthened Cycling Lagos' position as one of the state's emerging platforms for grassroots sports development and sports tourism.