All is set for the third leg of the 2026 LOOP Safari Gravel Series, with more than 500 cyclists expected to take on the Vipingo Ridge course in Kilifi County this Saturday, 29 August. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.
The coastal leg has attracted a strong field of elite riders from Kenya, Uganda and beyond, with Stanley Ngugi, Ivan Kipruto and Dan Kiptala among the leading contenders in the men’s elite race.
Ngugi will be seeking his first victory of the season after finishing runner-up in both the Limuru and Naivasha 100km races. The 19-year-old will also be looking to challenge Uganda’s Jordan Schleck, who has won the Vipingo race in the last two editions and will be targeting a third consecutive victory at the coastal venue.
Ngugi, Kipruto and Kiptala will also draw from their recent international experience, having competed at the Evertsberg Gravel 2026 in Sweden earlier this month.
Kipruto, who finished third in Naivasha, will be targeting the top step after working on his endurance ahead of the Vipingo race.
“Naivasha was a good learning experience for me. My endurance dropped towards the end, but I was still able to stay with the leading pack and secure a podium finish. Since then, I have worked on my endurance and I feel much better prepared going into Vipingo. I know the competition will be strong, but I am going there with one goal, which is to fight for the win,” Kipruto said.
The women’s elite race is also expected to provide stiff competition, with Kendra Masiga, Monica Jelimo and Dinnah Safari among those set to line up at Vipingo.
The Vipingo edition will feature 105km, 55km and 30km routes, catering for elite, amateur and recreational cyclists. The event continues the series’ objective of growing gravel cycling in Kenya by providing competitive racing opportunities for riders of different abilities.
Troy Barrie, Coordinator of The Amani Project, said the strength of the field is expected to make the Vipingo leg one of the most competitive races of the series.
“Vipingo is shaping up to be one of the most competitive legs of this year’s series, with a star-studded field bringing together some of the best gravel cyclists from Kenya and across the region. With riders like Stanley Ngugi, Ivan Kipruto, Dan Kiptala and the leading women’s contenders on the start line, we expect a very high level of competition. The coastal terrain will add another dimension to the race, and we are looking forward to seeing the riders push each other all the way to the finish,” Barrie said.
The winning team will take home KES 125,000, while the second and third-placed teams will receive KES 100,000 and KES 70,000 respectively. The top five finishers in the elite race in both the men’s and women’s categories will also receive cash prizes of KES 20,000, KES 15,000, KES 10,000, KES 7,000 and KES 5,000 respectively.
The Vipingo race follows a closely contested second leg in Naivasha, where Rwanda’s Claudette Nyirarukundo and Uganda’s Lawrence Lorot won the women’s and men’s 100km races respectively.
Nyirarukundo crossed the line in 4:16:52, edging Sarah Diekmeyer by one second, with Diekmeyer finishing in 4:16:53 and Theresa Rindler completing the podium in 4:27:23.
In the men’s 100km race, 21-year-old Lorot won in 3:29:04, with Ngugi finishing just one second behind in 3:29:05. Kipruto was third in 3:29:22.
