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DYNAMITE! The OFFICIAL London Dynamo Newsletter #148, 29.06.07
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+++ Having a blast every Friday +++ Dyna-mail race reports, news, views, and gossip to dynamite@londondynamo.co.uk +++ Have a peek at our pics – http://tinyurl.com/k34tf +++ Check out DYNAMITE! on the web – http://tinyurl.com/36xkay +++ WEEKEND WEATHER: Sat, heavy rain, 20C max, wind S 13mph; Sun, heavy showers, 20C max, wind SW 12mph +++
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BIG MEATING
+++ Bunch of ‘Mos have a butchers at Smithfield +++
Whiling away the hours in the company of a few Dynamates is a much-loved pastime of this publication – and the editorial team may get to indulge that passion on Saturday after the Parkride, when club boss NICK ‘CAPTAIN’ PEACOCK begins flogging the latest batch of Dynamo-branded water bottles from the back of his spacious Subaru. The presence of DYNAMITE! among the Dyna-massive gathering is sure to make up for last week’s frustration at being stuck in a Welsh hotel room 170 miles away from JOE ‘BLOW’ HEMMANT, LUCY ‘DANCIN’ DOVE, JOE ‘CHEEKY BEGGAR’ STEGERS, JAMES ‘HITMAN’ STRATTON, MARTIN ‘PIN-UP’ WILLIAMSON and a few of the aforementioned Mos’ partners, who had all gathered in Smithfield to watch some of the best racing the capital has seen in recent years. Thankfully, Liggett-like spectator TONY ‘CHUCKLES’ SMEDLEY was able to provide us with an enthusiastic commentary via his mobile phone as GAVIN ‘NO LYIN’ RYAN, GUY ‘THE ENGINE’ POWDRILL and MATT ‘IRON’ BRIDGE sprinted for 4th, 5th and 6th respectively in the 40-minute 2/3/4 support race… http://tinyurl.com/3d26g2 …which briefly took our mind off the daunting prospect of losing our sportive virginity on the Dragon Ride. Ominous clouds were gathering over Bridgend in South Wales on the eve of the 120-mile trek, which were to make the conditions of the following day somewhat of a surprise. We’ll be revealing all later – but first let’s beef up our coverage of what went down in the shadow of London’s famous meat market. Here come the prime cuts…
NOC-OUT PERFORMANCE
+++ Spence lights up evening crit +++
Responding to a quip made by TOM ‘HUMBLE’ HEMMANT in the previous edition of the newsletter, multi-sport master MARTIN ‘PIN-UP’ WILLIAMSON has let it be known that he utilised his “feeble triathlete’s muscles” to take 5th overall among the 1,657 finishers in the Windsor Triathlon last weekend, while his time trial buddy JAMES ‘HITMAN’ STRATTON claimed 7th… http://tinyurl.com/27ogh8. Perhaps smarting from Tom’s jibe, the Kingston hunk points out that he had the 2nd-fastest bike split behind big-hitter Laurence Harding – and he extended his run of form on Saturday with 10th in the Dambuster Triathlon in Rutland, near Leicestershire, which also saw James finish 27th… http://tinyurl.com/36x3jb. Ever the gentleman, Martin rushed back down the A1 to escort his girlfriend Esther to the much-anticipated Smithfield Nocturne that evening, where they met up with their Dynamo chums to watch former club-mate Warrick Spence in the top-billing E/1/2 race. Martin admits: “I’d been bigging-up Warrick’s prospects to anyone who would listen. Having watched him at Hillingdon in last year’s elite criterium series, I promised he would be in every attack. First lap round and he’s off the front with some sorry companion. It was fantastic to watch and made the race. Even people in the huge crowd who knew nothing about cycling could see that something amazing was going on. He made the field look silly.” Winner James McCullum admitted it took the bunch around 28 minutes to claw back the 4th-placed Cyclefit sensation’s lead of 28 seconds – and as the Plowman Craven rider popped the champagne on the podium, enthusiastic Esther shouted “we love Warrick” above the blare of the commentator. “I reckon she spoke for most of the crowd,” says Martin. You’re probably right, pal! As an epilogue to the night’s action, support race crash victim GORDON ‘KEN-A-LIKE’ KENNEWAY dusted himself down and took 15th the following day in the SERRL 2/3/4 event on the Tenterden/Appledore circuit, which also saw SAM ‘SLAM DUNK’ HUMPHESON nab 4th a week after getting knocked down by a motorist on his way back from Crystal Palace… http://tinyurl.com/3bufc3. There must be something rejuvenating about the Kent countryside!
WEATHER OR NOT
+++ Welsh sportive stays dry against the odds +++
It’s a miracle, Dynamates! The 21 ‘Mos who gathered at Bridgend recreation centre on Saturday morning had piled on their wet weather gear in anticipation of a thorough soaking – so you can imagine their joy at completing the hilly Dragon Ride before the heavens finally opened above South Wales. This publication was part of the biggest Dynamo group among the 2,300 participants at the staggered start, which meant we got to witness SIMON ‘IT’S GOOD, BUT IT’S NOT’ WRIGHT drop almost all of his club chums before the first climb of the day on the long, power-sapping Bwlch mountain road. Rollicking Wrighty parted company with DYNAMITE! soon after the feed station at the halfway point of the 120-mile route, and we headed back down the M4 with Mrs Dynamite that evening thinking he was the fastest ‘Mo of the day. But it turns out that honour goes to inseparable climbing chums and heroes of last week’s Polka Dot Challenge SIMON ‘THAT ONE OUT OF SIMON AND GRAHAM’ RYNTJES and GRAHAM ‘THAT OTHER ONE OUT OF SIMON AND GRAHAM’ ROBINS, who appear to have started in a totally different group to the rest of their club buddies. Well done, sirs! Sportive director SAM ‘EPIC’ WOODHOUSE reckons the event was the friendliest he has been on, although ROBIN ‘OSSIE’ OSBORNE didn’t make too many friends when he emptied his fit-to-burst bladder at a traffic light in full view of some female riders. Sam adds: “Perhaps it was divine intervention for his flashing, but he got chronic sickness for the last 35 miles, mostly up the second climb of the Bwlch.” Lensman Sam didn’t manage to capture the moment as it happened, but the Prince of Daftness was happy to re-enact his chundering in the finish area, which you can witness for yourself in the DYNAMITE! gallery… http://tinyurl.com/k34tf. Busy Robin has also compiled the near-complete list of finishing times at the end of this missive. Thanks, pal!
GET ETAPE EARLY
+++ Meeting point set for TdF event +++
This item was merely going to publicise the official Dynamo meeting point for the Etape Anglais until sportive director SAM ‘EPIC’ WOODHOUSE rushed into our famous soundproof bunker to reveal that BBC London is interested in doing a piece on the club’s participation in the event. How’s that for a dramatic “stop press” moment! The Beeb’s producers want to film riders before, during and after the sportive, which means they may be at the Parkride on Saturday. Keep an eye on the forum for updates… http://tinyurl.com/2h5j4r. To return to our original subject, Sam and PAUL ‘ALL BLUE’ HARKNETT have decided that the meeting place for Sunday’s much-anticipated sportive will be at 5.30am on the junction of Hare and Billet Road and Mounts Pond Road, just south of Greenwich Park… http://tinyurl.com/2udvn7. Set those alarm clocks, Dynamates!
SOGGY LEAGUE
+++ Five wet days for stage race +++
Sadly, the rain clouds that spared the Dragon Riders weren’t as kind to the Surrey League 5-Day. Friday’s opening stage – an eight-mile time trial in Withyham, East Sussex – was affected by a storm that broke before the start, and the next three days were a case of surviving the diluvial conditions. The second stage was abandoned after a serious crash – and DAVID ‘PINKY’ GARDNER revealed: “I was caught behind the guy that came down. He slid for about 40 feet down the road. After that, I lost a lot of confidence riding in those conditions, and I only moved up the GC because people punctured or got dropped.” Unlucky RICHARD ‘PLACING’ MASON and RUSTY ‘RUSSELL’ SHORT got punctures on the second stage, and Rich got another the following day. The relatively dry final stage on the Staplefield circuit saw Rusty take 4th. A hearty congratulations to plucky finishers Dave, DAVID ‘DORIAN’ STREULE, ROB ‘THE SAINT’ JEFFROY, Rich and Rusty, who took 9th, 15th, 24th, 29th and 35th respectively on the final GC… http://tinyurl.com/2qt6pz. We hope you’ve recovered, fellas!
NEARING THE FINISH
+++ Heaney’s end-to-end charity bid +++
Finally, TERRY BISHOP reports that VINCE ‘SNEAKY’ HEANEY has reached Pitlochry in the heart of Highland Perthshire on his 910-mile charity ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Terry reveals: “He’s battled through exceptionally difficult conditions and has just three more days to go which, if trends continue, will be into the teeth of gale-force winds, horizontal rain and widespread flooding.” Vince has raised almost £5,000 for the Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability, where PATRICK GOODACRE is being cared for, and you can make a donation by visiting http://www.justgiving.com/vinceheaney. Let’s give him that extra boost to the finish, Dynamates!
SCRAG END
We’ve reached the rump of this rib-tickling edition, which means there’s just enough time to say thanks offally to everyone who sent stuff in. Always remember we never mince our words, but we would be nothing without you, our fresh meat. So please keep Dyna-mailing your race reports, news and gossip to the address in the “from” field of this message – or simply hit your reply button. The deadline, as ever, is Wednesday afternoon for Friday’s edition. And now, as we mop up the blood, it only remains for us to remind you about…
THIS WEEK’S RIDES
SATURDAY
9am: The Parkride. Richmond Park, roundabout by Sheen Gate. Four laps split into fast, intermediate and steady groups.
SUNDAY
8am: Kingston Gate, Richmond Park. Non-stop ride through Surrey Hills.
9am: Hampton Court bridge, south side, Surrey Hills ride. Fifty-ish miles at a steady pace. Stop at Box Hill for tea and cake. Bring a pump, inner tubes, drink, and a sirloin steak.
WEDNESDAY
7.30pm: Richmond Gate, Richmond Park. Steady ride to Chertsey, back via Weybridge, 28 miles.
So until next week, Dynamates, goodbye and happy riding.
The DYNAMITE! team.
THE SMALL PRINT
Sunday 24 June 2007, The Dragon Ride, Bridgend, South Wales, 120 miles: 22 Graham Robins 06:20:02; 23 Simon Ryntjes 06:20:02; 69 Simon Wright 06:36:04; 79 Elloitt Katz 06:39:55; 86 Dominic Callaghan 06:40:36; 88 Kenny Clarke 06:41:04; 110 Jamie Jenkins 06:45:54; 137 Augusto De Magalhaes 06:50:57; 139 Marcus Schnell 06:51:04; 140 Martin Haenlein 06:51:10; 157 Antony Di Lorenzo 06:55:27; 347 Robin Osborne 07:29:18; 348 Sam Woodhouse 07:29:22; 349 Jonathan Gittos 07:29:23; 350 Rory Park 07:29:39; 529 Terry Bishop 07:57:08; 530 Craig Stewart 07:57:08; 568 Tim Brown 08:01:58; 666 Steven Wood 08:18:36. 84-mile route: 13 Rune Sanbeck 04:45:07; 38 Andrew Granger 04:55:34; 210 Roger Barbour 05:40:22.
The DYNAMITE! Files 
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