Ahead of the Africa Track Cycling Championship popularly known as Africa Cup slated for Velodrome complex of the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja, the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN) has taken delivery of 40 track cycles acquired at the cost of Euros 42,000, equivalent to N17.1 million.
The amount we gathered include unit cost of the bikes brought differently in three batches of 10 or 11 bikes from Spain, Italy, Bulgaria and elsewhere, as well as cost for freighting and clearing at the port.
A highly placed source at the federation said the federation had to bend backwards to acquire the first class track equipment when it became obvious that the World Cycling body, the International Cycling Union (UCI) was not forthcoming with their earlier promise to support the championship with track bikes.
And with little or financial support also coming from government, President of the federation Engr. Giadomenico Massari said CFN is working with the stadium management to upgrade and maintain a large section of the Velodrome that has not been put to use since its construction about 16 years.
“As part of the preparation we are working with the stadium management to update some of the facilities at the Velodrome. Most of the offices and conference rooms had not been in use since the facility was constructed in 2003.
“We need to wash the tracks, cut grass that has taken over part of the facility and maintain the lighting equipment. Lights have been fairly stable for sometime now but we cannot be sure, so were working with the stadium management on the possible use of the standby generators during the competition,” he said.
