Author: Elizabeth A. Gyamfi
An afternoon of pure cycling skill, road control, and raw courage turned TotalEnergies, Osu, into a cauldron on Sunday as Solomon Tagoe of the Ghana Police Cycling Team was crowned winner of the 2026 Duku Cycling Championship.
The 4th Edition of the Duku Cycling Festival delivered everything fans love about the sport — breakaways, tactics, heat, and a sprint finish that had the Osu crowd on their feet.
MEN’S ELITE: 120KM OF WAR ON TWO WHEELS
Flagged off by Amoako Boafo, Executive Officer of Dot Ateliers and the brain behind Duku, 80 elite riders — 69 men and 11 women — rolled out with one thing on their minds: the cash and the crown.
The men’s assignment was brutal: 120km, covering 30 laps around the Osu circuit. By lap 10, the road was already boiling.
A dangerous move formed early, with Frank Akuffo, Emmanuel Sesi, Victor Cudjoe, Prince Adjei, Solomon Tagoe, Francis Owusu, and Alexander Allotey testing the legs.
With 20 laps to go, the race settled into a fierce battle. A five-man Police contingent, plus one rider from Obour Cycling Club, controlled affairs at the front. The pace was relentless.
Then, with four laps to go, came the decisive moment. Solomon Tagoe and Francis Owusu launched a two-man attack and tore clear of the remaining breakaway. They were gone.
Behind them, the peloton exploded into echelons. Frank Akuffo, Victor Cudjoe, Emmanuel Sesi, Prince Quaye, and strong riders from Gladiators, Team Sky, and FCG threw everything into the chase, but the gap held.
With two laps to go, the signal was clear: the winner would come from the Police team. Tagoe and Owusu rode shoulder to shoulder, calculating, suffering, and smiling through the pain.
In the final sprint along 28th February Road through to TotalEnergies, it was Solomon Tagoe who got the nod — a narrow but deserved victory over teammate Francis Owusu, who finished second.
Victor Cudjoe Akpabli, another Police officer, stormed out of the chase group to take third place.
2026 DUKU CYCLING FESTIVAL — TOP FINISHERS
- Solomon Tagoe — 1st Position
- Francis Owusu — 2nd Position
- Victor Cudjoe Akpabli — 3rd Position
- Frank Akuffo — 4th Position
- Prince Quaye — 5th Position
- Emmanuel Sesi — 6th Position
The average speed was 33.27 km/h, with a winning time of 3 hours, 36 minutes.
Of the 80 riders who started the race, 45 were dropped along the way, while only 20 riders completed the race. The cadence, the heat, and the pressure made it a race beyond description.
WOMEN’S 50KM: NIGERIAN POWER PREVAILS
The women’s race was no less fierce.
Over 50km and 12 laps, Nigeria’s Patience Effion Otu showed class to claim first position.
Ellen Anim of Gladiators finished second, while Abigail took third place and Kensema finished fourth.
All four leading riders received cash prizes.
Fifteen women started the race, while six pulled out, but the fireworks never stopped.
MORE THAN A RACE
The Special Guest of Honour, Hon. Kobena Mensah Woyome, former MP for South Tongu and Chairperson of the Government Relations & Stakeholders Subcommittee, spoke on the theme: “Women Empowerment, Health Is Wealth.”
He commended the Ghana Cycling Federation and Amoako Boafo for investing in the Osu Cycling Festival.
“Do not see the bicycle only as a means of transport,” Hon. Woyome urged. “See it as an opportunity. A leisure cyclist can gradually develop into a competitive cyclist and eventually a professional athlete representing Ghana on the international stage. Competitions like this are critical to identifying promising talent and providing a pathway to professionalism.”
Also in attendance were top executives of the Ghana Cycling Federation.
THE STREET HAS SPOKEN
From 80 riders to a breakaway of six, and finally to a duel between two riders, Duku 2026 delivered drama, discipline, and unity.
The Police Team walked away with the top positions, but Osu walked away with pride.
As the dust settles at TotalEnergies, one thing is clear: the bar has been raised.
And if 2026 was this hot, 2027 promises to be even bigger.
