Abaka, Odom win 2018 Lagos City Criterium

Timi Abaka and Sylvia Odom have emerged winners in the male and female professional category of the 2018 edition of Lagos City Criterium (LCC) organised by Sustainable Cycling Foundation (SCF) and Cycology Riding Club.

At the event where about 250 cyclists competed and over N2m was given as cash prize among other gift items like phones, Tunde Afolabi and Mercia Kamara won the male and female Masters’ class, while Joseph Ibaku and Elizabeth Obene clinched the junior category.

Odom, who thanked the organisers of the competition, said she was happy for her feat despite placing fourth in the last year edition. She added that her next target was to win gold medal at the National Sports Festival.

Captain of Cycology Riding Club, one of the organisers of the LCC, Bimpe Olufemi, stated that the competition was part of efforts to fulfill its objectives of developing cycling at the grassroots, promote healthy lifestyle.

She said with the conclusion of the competition that the club hopes to identify talents from the grassroots who can cycle for Nigeria at the international stage.

She noted that the infrastructure for cycling is a huge challenge, as the environment does not promote cycling, while imploring the government to come with polices and facilities that promote cycling.

Chairman, SCF, Faiz Imam, said things are building up gradually with cycling and that sooner the country will have a strong showing in the international scene.

According to him, Sustainable Cycling Foundation and Cycology Riding Club have organised over 16 criterium in Lagos and Port Harcourt, with the December edition of the criterium the opener of the 2018/2019 cycling season.