Tour D’Afrique 2026 concludes with Lagos return
June 28, 2026 12:56 am
By Peter Akinbo
The organising committee of the Tour D’Afrique 2026 has officially declared the seventh edition of the cross-border cycling expedition a success, after the 30-man contingent completed a gruelling 1,110km journey across four West African countries and returned to Lagos.
The final stage of the tour, which covered 145km from Cotonou in Benin Republic to Lagos, brought the curtain down on a seven-day ride that took professional cyclists through Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana under the theme Ride Against Climate Change.
Of the 30-man entourage, 20 were professional cyclists while the remaining 10 comprised support staff, media and logistics personnel.
The returning contingent received a formal welcome at the finish line from Lagos State’s incoming Deputy Governor, Princess Damilola Sonayan James, whose presence the committee described as a reflection of the state government’s commitment to sports development, youth engagement and climate action.
Riders singled out Benin Republic as a highlight of the 2026 edition, citing the warmth of public support and an official police escort that accompanied them through the country.
The organising committee paid tribute to all 20 professionals who completed the ride, acknowledging the physical demands of the journey.
“You endured rain and sun, daylight and night-time stages, delays and extreme fatigue. You overcame every challenge. Today, you are part of history,” the committee said in a statement.
The tour was supported by Pocari Sweat as official energy partner, ibis Styles Hotels of the Accor Group, which provided hospitality during the Ghana leg, and the ECOWAS Commission. It is an initiative of FT Cycle Care in partnership with the Cycling Federation of Nigeria and the Velo NG Community.
Peter, who has been covering sports for PUNCH for close to two years, focuses on combat sports reporting, special features and human angle stories
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