Emmanuel Sesi clinched the 2026 Tour du Ghana, edging out his Police Cycling Team colleague Solomon Tagoe in a race that stretched over two days for the first time. The event, held on 9 and 10 October, saw Sesi claim the overall title after a fiercely contested competition involving top Ghanaian cyclists.
Sesi, who rode under number 077, crossed the finish line ahead of Tagoe, last year’s champion, and Francis Owusu of Obour Cycling Club, who took third place. Foster Doevi of Gladiators Cycling Club came fourth, with Victor Kudjo, another Police Cycling Team member, finishing fifth.
The two-day format was a new development since the Tour du Ghana’s inception in 2021. The first stage began at Independence Square, Accra, and ended at the Chief’s Palace in Mpraeso, Kwahu. The second stage covered 175km on Saturday, starting from Nkawkaw, passing through Koforidua and Mamfe, before concluding at the Ministry of Sports in Accra.
Sesi’s win continues the race’s history of producing different champions each year. Since the first edition, no cyclist has repeated as overall winner. Past champions Alexander Allotey (2021), Anthony Boakye (2022), Freeman Kporha (2023), Abdul Malik Yussif (2024), and Solomon Tagoe (2025) all took part in this year’s competition, but only Sesi managed to claim the crown.
Sesi had finished runner-up in 2024, when Abdul Malik Yussif made history as the first foreign winner of the race. He also earned the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Cyclist of the Year award for 2024 and 2025, reflecting his rising stature in Ghanaian cycling.
The competition was organised by 3FM and Media General, in partnership with the Ghana Cycling Federation (GCF). It aimed not only to promote competitive cycling but also to link sport with tourism by passing through diverse Ghanaian communities and landscapes. The 2026 race carried the theme “Ride the Rhythm. Discover Ghana,” drawing attention to the cultural and natural features along the route.
The Police Cycling Team dominated the men’s race, securing four of the top five positions and placing two further riders in the top 10. Obour Cycling Club, Gladiators Cycling Club, and River Park Cycling Club also had riders among the leading finishers. Abdul Razark of River Park Cycling Club placed 10th.
The women’s category was won by Treasure Meelubari of Corson Club Sky Team. Patient Otoudung and Abigail Ayah Tetteh finished second and third respectively. In para-cycling, Ebenezer Mensah Adjei of Young Stars Cycling Club took first place, followed by Richard Yaw Affa. Richard Annang was the masters category winner.
The youngest rider award went to 19-year-old Shabban Mohammed Farrak, rider number 032. Special awards also recognised achievements in the blind and amputee categories.
Prize money ranged from GH¢25,000 for the overall winner to GH¢1,000 for those finishing seventh to tenth. The women’s fastest cyclist received GH¢6,000 for first place, with lower amounts for second and third. Additional prizes acknowledged the youngest and oldest participants, as well as para-cycling winners.
The 2026 Tour du Ghana’s new two-day format added distance and complexity to the race, linking urban and rural areas while testing cyclists’ endurance. For Sesi, the victory was a breakthrough, breaking the pattern of a new champion every year and cementing his place among Ghana’s top cyclists.
According to 3News.
