Migration Gravel Race – Riding the Maasai Mara

A successful race starts with a solid plan—and that goes for competitors and event organizers alike. First introduced last summer, the inaugural Migration Gravel Race invited riders from East Africa and further abroad for four stages of fast-paced competition across Kenya’s Maasai Mara Natural Reserve. Of course, leading up to the starting line were many months of behind-the-scenes work from members of the AMANI Project — the initiative behind the event — in coordination with local experts on the ground in Kenya.

This past February, a recce trip was organized to scout route changes in preparation for year two. Along for the ride were MGR Women’s winner, Nancy Akinyi Debe, Kenyan Pro rider Geoffrey Langat, both members of Team AMANI, as well as race partner and local guide, James Savage, and director/photographer Lian van Leeuwen.

“The Maasai Mara is the only place you can find the big five animals of the wild,” explains Langat. “As a cyclist, I was fortunate enough to be part of this reconnaissance trip to the exact place where the Migration Gravel Race happens, and it was a successful trip indeed.”
“The Ride around Mara was super cool and chilled, with mixed weather conditions,” remembers Debe. “We got properly rained on during day three, and riding was a bit tricky, but we also had some fair weather conditions, which was nice.”

For local riders and organizers, the Migration Gravel Race means both an opportunity to compete against top talent from around the cycling world as well as the chance to welcome international visitors to the beauty of the wild Kenya landscapes.

“The Mara is a very special place,” James Savage explains. “It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Greater Maasai Mara ecosystem amounts to almost 1,510 km2 (580 sq mi). The fauna and Flora are out of this world. There is no place better to see African wildlife. And the Maasai are an iconic people still living traditionally.”

For Geoffrey Langat, the area holds personal importance.

“The Maasai Mara means a lot to me. It’s close to my home, where I was born, and cycling once again in the Mara after having won a stage in the first Migration Race truly carries great weight for me and brings joy close to my heart.”

Facing endless miles of rough gravel roads, as well as unpredictable weather, the trip was challenging, but also fun—much like the MGR itself. Or as James put it:

“It was great to be reccing with the team. I got to ride with them (on an ebike) which was great. It’s not often I get to ride some of these routes with pro riders. The biggest obstacle this time was the weather. We got a lot of unseasonal rain which made some of the roads unpassable by vehicle. But that was ok. It was nice to ride without vehicle support.”

Beyond successfully scouting route changes for this year’s event, the mixed conditions also presented the perfect opportunity to put the new PEdALED Odyssey Collection through its paces. As for how the riders found the new kits and equipment:

“The PEdALED Collection is cool,” says Debe. “I like the long-distance Odyssey Bib Shorts a lot! The pockets really come in handy.”

According to Geoffrey: “To be honest, through the years of my cycling career, and having tried a variety of kits, this new collection is amazingly well designed. To me, it exactly suits the rider’s comfort needs on the road. With side zipped pockets on the bibs and the extra pockets on the chest and side of the jersey, it makes for quick access and saves time during the ride.”

“I’m proud to be competing in the race around Rwanda in it soon, all the way down to the last kilometer of the 1000km route around the country of Rwanda, and I can’t wait to give more testimonies about this new collection afterwards. Thanks so much, PEDALED team, for this incredible collection.”

Geoffrey has recently wrapped up his race around Rwanda, in which he earned an outstanding second-place finish.

Watch highlights from the Maasai Mara Recce trip below, and discover the new Odyssey Collection, available for both men and women, today.