The LOOP Safari Gravel Series will return for a third season with a four-leg calendar starting in Limuru on March 7, 2026, according to a press release issued on February 17, 2026.

The organisers said the Limuru opener is expected to attract more than 700 cyclists from across the region, competing for a top team prize of up to KES 125,000. Limuru will host the series for the first time, with the organisers citing the area’s rolling hills, tea plantations and gravel routes as the setting for the race.

The LOOP Safari Gravel Series has positioned itself as one of the region’s competitive gravel cycling events, and its continued expansion highlights the growing business around endurance sports in Kenya, including event logistics, hospitality, local tourism and brand sponsorship tied to sports participation. Limuru’s inclusion also broadens the geographical footprint of the event beyond previous host locations, potentially spreading race-related spending to new areas along the circuit.

“The LOOP Safari Gravel Series is set to return for the third year with an action packed four-leg calendar that will once again bring competitive gravel cycling to some of Kenya’s most scenic landscapes,” said Nancy Muthoni, in the statement shared with media.

Muthoni said the Limuru event is a new destination for the series. “The season opener will be held in Limuru on March 7, 2026, a new destination for the series offering fresh terrain and new challenges for riders and spectators alike,” she said.

For 2026, the series will add what it described as a rider-led element to determine one of its host venues. “This year’s season is anchored on giving cyclists a voice with the introduction of a new riders’ choice leg which will see riders vote for the location that will host the fourth leg,” Muthoni said.

After the Limuru opener, organisers said the second leg will be held in Naivasha on June 13, 2026, and will be a UCI-qualifying race. The third leg is scheduled for Vipingo on August 28, 2026. The final “riders’ choice” leg will conclude the season on October 24, 2026, with the host location to be selected through voting by participants.

The inclusion of a UCI-qualifying race in Naivasha signals the organisers’ focus on aligning at least part of the calendar with international cycling standards, which can influence the type of participants attracted to the series and the level of scrutiny on route design, safety and race operations. For Kenya’s sports events market, UCI-linked races can also strengthen the country’s positioning as a destination for competitive cycling, with potential spillover for training camps, equipment retail and cycling tourism.

Key milestones for the series will be the Limuru opener in March, the Naivasha UCI-qualifying event in June, and the announcement of the rider-voted final-leg location ahead of the October finale.