Jubilee Group and the Grand Nairobi Bike Race (GNBR) on June 20, 2026 launched the sixth edition of the Jubilee Live Free Race, with organisers announcing a new venue at Uhuru Gardens and a redesigned route along Nairobi’s Southern Bypass ahead of the September 27, 2026 event.

According to the organisers, the 2026 race is expected to attract more than 5,500 participants, up from 3,387 last year, reflecting what they described as growing interest from cycling clubs, corporate teams, recreational riders and first-time participants.

The event’s main 72km category will also shift to a two-lap format, reducing the number of loops required to complete the distance. Jubilee Group said it will provide title sponsorship of KES 25 million (KES 25 million), up from KES 20 million (KES 20 million) last year.

The Jubilee Live Free Race has become one of a growing number of mass-participation sporting events in Kenya that blend wellness, corporate participation and community initiatives. For Nairobi, the move to a Southern Bypass route signals a continued push by organisers to use major road infrastructure for closed-course sports events, which typically require coordination with traffic authorities and medical providers.

Caroline Ndungu, Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Jubilee Insurance, said the event has expanded beyond competition into a broader cycling platform.

“We have witnessed the evolution of Jubilee Live Free Race into a powerful movement that promotes cycling and community engagement across East Africa,” Ndungu said. She added that the partnership is intended to support “meaningful conversations around investment, healthy living, and overall wellbeing,” according to the press release.

Desmond Momanyi, Grand Nairobi Bike Race Director, linked the event’s growth to changing mobility and lifestyle habits.

“The future of cycling in Kenya is incredibly exciting. What we are seeing today is the foundation of a movement that can transform how people think about sport, wellness and mobility,” Momanyi said. “Cycling is becoming part of how people live, commute and connect, the Jubilee Live Free Race continues to provide a platform that reflects that evolution.”

The organisers said the race will include multiple categories: a 72km main race and team race; a 36km para-cycling and Black Mamba category; a 20km family fun ride; and a 2km kiddies race. They said the structure is designed to allow participation across age groups and ability levels.

On safety and logistics, the organisers said the event will provide on-course support that includes medical response teams, mobile bike repair units, hydration points and full-route marshalling, alongside coordinated traffic management.

The press release also stated that each registered participant will receive outpatient medical cover for race-related injuries as part of the entry package, funded through a KES 50 allocation from the registration fee, with dedicated medical support available throughout the event.

A prize pool of KES 4 million (KES 4 million) will be awarded to winners across competitive categories, organisers said.

Beyond race day, the organisers said the platform supports community initiatives including the provision of prosthetic limbs for children with amputations and “food tower initiatives” in community schools, as well as programmes tied to health and investment solutions.

Registration is open, and organisers expect early uptake as they plan for what they said will be the largest edition to date. Key next steps will include final route logistics, safety planning, and coordination with relevant public agencies ahead of the September event.

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.