Chantal Biya Int'l Mountain Bike Race: First edition set to hold in Bagofit Saturday.

It will assemble some 60 participants. The race will cover a distance of over 12km featuring hurdles, plantations and forest areas. 

The showpiece will tipoff with a launching ceremony at the Jean Sembong Stadium in Bagofit in an event that is expected to be presided over by the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Prof Narcisse Mouelle.

The ceremony will be held in the presence of the promoter of the competition, Minister Joseph Le of Public Service and Administrative Reforms and the President of Cameroon Cycling Federation, Honore Yossi. The competition’s technical operations will be coordinated by South Africa’s Hendrico Burger. 

Per the Cameroon Cycling Federation, the South African will lead the operations alongside Frenchman Nicholas Philippon who will serve as the photo finish operator. 

The two will headline the coordination following their appointment as the president of the race’s jury of commissioners to ensure the effective holding of the event which is sanctioned by cycling’s governing body, the UCI. 

Some 60 cyclists will compete in the one-day competition across the men and women’s categories. The participants are expected to come from the Central African Republic, Morocco, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and other countries.

Cameroon is expected to field in 28 of the participants. The Cameroonian contingent is expected to be grouped into four teams.

Major milestone for Cameroon

The forthcoming race sees Cameroon breaking new grounds as arguable the first country to organise an international mountain bike race competition on the African continent. 

The holding of the international event comes after two experimental race courses were held at the national level. Following the experimental races, the competition gained recognition from the global governing body of cycling, the UCI.

Speaking in a recent interview, Minister Joseph Le revealed that the race will also be marked by exhibitions of the cultural diversity of Cameroon.

The competition adds to the growing list of sporting activities that are organized in Cameroon under the patronage of the First Lady, Chantal Biya. 

It notably follows the Chantal Biya International Cycling Tour which flagged off in 2001 and is now recognized globally as one of the most celebrated road cycling competitions under the UCI Africa Tour program.

By Ndi Mark Kanjo, Journalism student on internship 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3547 of Thursday August 28, 2025