By Juliet Umeh

In an effort to promote female cyclists to be able to compete in the international scene and also address the issue of
disparities in prize money, Cycology Cycling Club held Cycology Amazon CRIT.
Amazon CRIT 2025 is an all-women and junior girls cycling race.

The event, inspired by the #AccelerateAction campaign for gender equality, provided a competitive platform for female cyclists across Nigeria, showcasing their talent, resilience, and dedication to the sport.

Captain of the Cycology Cycling Club, Temitope George, said the Amazon CRIT 2025 was born out of the need to encourage female cyclists and address gender disparities in prize money.

She said: “In many cycling events, men receive significantly higher prize money than women, which discourages female participation.

“This year, instead of just an all-women leisure ride, we decided to organize a professional race to support our young female pros and prepare them for global competitions,” she stated.

George explained: “With generous support from corporate sponsors and private donors, the prize structure was set to motivate participants:

“Senior Race Category: 1st place – N1 million, 2nd place – N750,000, 3rd place – N500,000, and cash prizes of N50,000 each for the 4th -10th finishers.

Junior Race Category: 1st place – N125,000, 2nd place – N75,000, 3rd place – N50,000, with additional cash prizes of N35,000 each for the 4th -10th finishers.

Vice-Captain, Kunle Osunkunle highlighted the importance of partnerships in advancing women’s cycling in Nigeria. He said: “Globally, cycling teams thrive on sponsorships and government support. We need Nigerian brands to invest in the sport, just as they do for football and basketball.

“The government also has a role to play in providing the necessary infrastructure and funding to support young talents and help them compete on the international stage,” he noted.

Also, Vice-Captain, Internal Rides for Cycology Cycling Club, Yejide Taiwo, said the Amazon CRIT 2025 marks the first edition of what Cycology hopes will become an annual event.
She said: “This is just the beginning. We want to see more female cyclists recognized and supported. The success of today’s event proves that when given the right opportunities, Nigerian women can excel in professional cycling, with participants traveling from across Nigeria, including Rivers State and Ibadan, the event demonstrated the growing interest in women’s cycling.”

The event, inspired by the #AccelerateAction campaign for gender equality, provided a competitive platform for female cyclists across Nigeria, showcasing their talent, resilience, and dedication to the sport.
Speaking about her victory, the senior category race winner, Ese Ukpeseraye expressed excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to compete.

“I feel great because it has been a long time since I last raced. When I got the information about this event, I was excited to participate. Cycling is a passion for me, and I started with a local bike at home before transitioning into professional cycling,” she said.

As a member of a European cycling team, she emphasized the need for greater investment in cycling in Nigeria. “Cycling is not well-known in Nigeria, and I hope both the government and parents will introduce more children to the sport.

“Many people think it’s too risky because of traffic, but with proper infrastructure and support, cycling can be a safe and rewarding career path.”