DYNAMITE! The OFFICIAL London Dynamo Newsletter #65, 29.07.05
AWASH WITH EMOTION
Like tears from the gods, the rain poured down on Sunday as many mourned the end of an era in cycling – and apparently Lance Armstrong also retired. That’s right, Dyna-motional reader – a major chapter in the Dynamo history books drew to a close at the weekend as Putney housemates CHRIS ‘VAN CHADDERS’ CHAPMAN, RICHARD ‘BOY RACER’ DOLBY, LUCY ‘DEMURE’ DOVE and TOM ‘HUMBLE’ HEMMANT threw a barbecue before going their separate ways. Things will never be the same again! Unlike IAN ‘KING OF’ PAINE, MARTIN ‘PIN-UP’ WILLIAMSON and Dynamette MEL WILLIAMS, your favourite flame-grilled weekly wasn’t there to witness the remarkable sight of Tom tucking into a burger – so to commemorate the awesome foursome’s huge contribution to the capital’s Dyna-mightiest cycle squad, this week’s missive will be a special deluxe collector’s edition dedicated to the now-disbanded branch of London Dynamo formerly based at 5 Solna Avenue. So come with us as we get ready to haul away the contents of their groaning silverware cupboard into the spacious removals van. Here comes the first heaving crate…
SO SOLID CREWE
In addition to creating the highest concentration of ‘Mos in one residence, the Solna Avenue story is a heart-warming yarn of how three very different characters – the trainspotter, the car junkie and the eco-warrior – found a common bond in their love of two-wheeled adventures which has lasted to this day. The tale of the crew from Crewe began many years ago when locomotive lover Chris joined Richard’s primary school in what the boy racer describes as “posh Nantwich”. We’ll have to take his word for it on that one! Richard reminisces: “Chappy had an excellent train set – I seem to remember it was the smaller ‘N’ gauge rather than your common ’00’. I think this fact was the only reason I made friends with him.” The rail-crazy kid must have been chuffed! When he wasn’t pacing the platform of Crewe station with a jotter and pencil, the young Van Chadders was out on his mountain bike perfecting the high-cadence style that would later earn him many a point on those tough uphill Surrey League finishes. His achievement is all the more impressive considering the Cheshire plain only has one hill! Richard’s dedication to the knobbly-tyred cause saw him go on to win the champion’s fluorescent green jersey in the 1995 Europa cup – although ecologically-aware Tom reckons: “He only got into biking because he wasn’t old enough to indulge his petrol-head tendencies.” We bet the ozone layer was grateful for a few years’ respite! Meanwhile, Dynamo’s quiet man was still recovering from a cruel psychological blow he received a good few years before. Tom, who incidentally won the E/1/2/3 race at Crystal Palace on Tuesday, reveals: “I had to endure years of being bullied after my dad turned up at a football match to pick me up on a tandem wearing full lycra. I was only a nipper and the embarrassment brought me to tears. The upside was that it was half time and I was about to get taken off, but the teacher in charge thought this was the cause of the crying so he let me carry on playing.” To help ease the pain of this incident, Tom had cultivated the air of a relaxed, cool teenage mountain biker while secretly sneaking off to time trials at a local bypass and races around Oulton Park. University intervened in the trio’s innocent bike-related enjoyment – but they were back on the cycling scene with a vengeance in winter 2003 when the trio came down to the big smoke and moved into a certain suburban street in SW15. Tom’s girlfriend Lucy didn’t relocate to her fella’s Putney base for another year, but the Scots lass recalls: “The boys spent many happy summer evenings in 2003 rushing home from work to get on their mountain bikes before heading out for some radical off-road action on Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park.” There was no stopping them! It was then that the three lads and their new female recruit decided to take on their biggest challenge yet, the 2004 Etape – which meant Chris breaking his vow never to get a road bike and Richard investing in a Litespeed. Lucy, who was 15th lady at the Milton Keynes triathlon on Sunday with a time of 2hrs 21mins, says: “That was when the Dynamo Sunday rides began for team Solna and many a train journey home from Surrey for me.” It was also around this time that Tom famously turned up late for the Parkride on the quartet’s shared Swinnerton and had to pedal even more furiously after the back wheel came out – but this minor blip aside, it’s been onwards and upwards for the Green Party voter, who rocketed from 4th to 1st category last season while 2nd cat Chris has proved himself worthy of the title King Of The Spinners. Like a more famous ginger star, Van Chadders was the first to leave the hugely successful group last month when he shacked up with his fiancé Nic – so to mark the foursome’s disbanding, everyone on the DYNAMITE! team would like to salute the enormous contribution that one humble homestead in south-west London has made to the club as we hope to continue receiving news of future successes from their new homes. We’ll be round for the housewarming parties, buddies!
KEN WATCH!
But it’s not just Team Solna that has bitten the dust – because man of mystery KEN BUIST is about to become even more mysterious after sensationally quitting the racing scene. Say it isn’t so, pal! The secretive New Zealander emerged from the shadows on Wednesday to get his bike serviced at A Certain Hampton Wick Retailer and broke the shock news to handy mechanic SAM ‘SLAM DUNK’ HUMPHESON, who helped to score a sensational Dynamo double on Tuesday by complementing TOM ‘HUMBLE’ HEMMANT’s Palace win with 1st place in the 3/4 race. The self-styled “thrilla from Herne Hilla” says: “I think Ken’s taken a leaf out of Lance’s book.” He’ll be snogging rock stars next!
PARK NIGHT
Talking of Palace, TOM ‘TUFTY’ DAVIES has been in touch with a reminder that the club is scheduled to marshal at the south-east London park on the evening of Tuesday, August 9th. The organisers need 12 willing Dynamates for the club’s final marshalling stint this season – and as Tom points out: “We always get a good turnout to race at Palace, so it would be great if we could show the same commitment to helping out.” Them’s wise words! Dyna-mail news@londondynamo.co.uk with “Park Night” in the subject heading if you want to do your bit at the circuit and we’ll pass on all your details to Tom. It will be your last chance to wear a high-visibility tabard this year!
IS THAT THE GUY?
In the meantime, we hope to find out the identity of the mystery Dynamate who passed JAMES HEATH as he slogged up the gruelling Aubisque and unnerved him with the merrily-observed judgement “it’s all uphill from here” – only to pull up with cramp on the descent as James flew past him. International Man of Leisure CHRIS ‘HOSPITAL’ WARD recognised the description in last week’s edition and reckons it was none other than club president GUY ‘MAINWARING’ ANDREWS who stopped to get his legs massaged by a French peasant at the Etape. It sounds like one of the grouch-in-chief’s cruel quips as well! Chris rode the Etape with ‘BUFFALO’ BILL GILBERT and ED ‘THE MAN’ MCKINLEY – and he reckons Ed stopped to give Guy a rub. Could it be true? Chairman ‘Mo, it’s over to you!
YEP – THAT’S GUY!
Finally, ever-competitive GUY ‘THE ENGINE’ POWDRILL just about managed to beat our strict deadline with the news that he had taken 11th place among a very strong field at the 90-mile E/1/2 race at Dunsfold on Wednesday morning. The recently-promoted 1st cat licence holder could only pant two words about his exhausting three-and-a-half hour baptism of fire: “Sweet Jesus!” That says it all, really! In another E/1/2 race, Cyclefit sensation WARRICK ‘SPEEDY’ SPENCE finished 8th after an hour whizzing around Milton Keynes Bowl with Hillingdon big-hitter Tony Gibb, to name just one of the crit kings flexing their muscles in the latest round of the national elite series – and DYNAMITE! was pleased to see GORDON ‘KEN-A-LIKE’ KENNAWAY in 6th place on the general classification for the Crawley CC two-day. He’s recently become as hard to spot as his namesake!
THAT’S SOL FOR NOW
The removal van has disappeared into the sunset, never to return to a certain address on the Putney-Roehampton border – but unlike Pickfords, we’ll be returning in seven days. Until then, try to remember that we are a short-term lease and we would be nothing without you, our kind landlord. So please keep Dyna-mailing your news, gossip, and further sightings of the elusive KEN ‘PACK YER BAGS’ BUIST to news@londondynamo.co.uk – or simply hit your reply button if you are reading this on e-mail. The deadline, as ever, is Wednesday afternoon for Friday’s edition. And now, as we pull up and begin to unload, it only remains for us to remind you about…
THIS WEEK’S RIDES
SATURDAY
The Parkride. Richmond Park, roundabout by Sheen Gate, 9am. Four laps split into fast, intermediate and steady groups.
SUNDAY
Hampton Court bridge, 9am for Surrey Hills ride. Fifty-ish miles at a steady pace. Bring a pump, inner tubes, drink, and brown overalls.
WEDNESDAY
Richmond Gate, Richmond Park, 7:30pm. Five laps of the park at race pace.
So until next week, Dynamates, goodbye and happy riding.
The DYNAMITE! team.
THE SMALL PRINT
SATURDAY, JULY 23 – MILTON KEYNES TOWN CENTRE CIRCUIT RACES, MILTON KEYNES BOWL, E/1/2, 1 HOUR: 1 Dean Downing (Recycling.co.uk); 2 Ben Hallam (DFL); 3 Rob Hayles (Recycling.co.uk); 4 Ross Muir (Viner Bikes/Agisko Sports Nutrition); 5 James Taylor (www.sports-coaching.com); 6 Russell Downing (Recycling.co.uk); 7 Ian Holt (Viner Bikes/Agisko Sports Nutrition); 8 WARRICK SPENCE (LONDON DYNAMO); 9 Justin Hoy (Evans Cycles); 10 Martin Smith (Milton Keynes); 11 Martin Ford (DFL); 12 Tom Smith (Viner Bikes/Agisko Sports Nutrition); 13 Steve Higgins (JE James/Direct Plastics); 14 Aaron McCaffrey (Alpha); 15 Gareth Hewitt (JE James/Direct Plastics); 16 Tony Gibb (PlowmanCraven); 17 Campbell Noon (Milton Keynes); 18 Ben Price (Stilton).
SATURDAY, JULY 23 – SUNDAY, JULY 24 – CRAWLEY CC 2 DAY, 3/J, 170KM, FINAL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION: 1 Mark Leggett (www.agiskoviner.com); 4.52.38; 2 Simon Warren (Norwood Paragon) 4.52.52; 3 Martin Sellars (i-team.co.uk) 4.52.53; 4 Steve Price (www.agiskoviner.com) 4.52.55; 5 Russell Shingle (In-gear) 4.53.05; 6 GORDON KENNAWAY (LONDON DYNAMO) 4.53.06; 7 Justin Radford (Python); 4.53.09; 8 Chris Salt (Kingston Wheelers) 4.53.09; 9 George Higgs (Brighton Excelsior) 4.53.13; 10 Andy Seltzer (East Grinstead) 4.53.14; 11 Sean McDougall (Finsbury Park) 4.53.14; 12 Jonathon Partington (Redkite Cycles); 4.53.15; 13 Kevin Davey (Pacific Racing) 4.53.20; 14 Jason Edgell (Ride Beyond) 4.53.25; 15 James Beaumont (Kingston Wheelers) 4.54.03; 16 Tom Copeland (Evans Cycles) 4.55.44; 17 Andrew Daniels (Twickenham) 4.56.09; 18 Richard Ellis (Eurocycler) 5.00.21; 19 Jon Poynter (Ride Beyond) 5.01.48; 20 Anthony Miller (Glendene) 5.01.55; 21 Richard Tozer (Twickenham) 5.03.25; 22 Jonathan Jones (VC Deal) 5.08.24; 23 ROBERT JEFFROY (LONDON DYNAMO) 5.10.19; 24 Tom Roberts (Brighton Excelsior) 5.11.47; 25 David Jakeman (Eurocycler) 5.17.07; 26 Tarik Djeddour (Kingston Wheelers) 5.19.42; 27 Matt Green (Evans Cycles) 5.24.11; 28 David Ravenhill (www.agiskoviner.com) 5.33.18; 29 Lawrence Oldershaw (Eurocycler) 5.35.39; 30 STUART JEFFREYS (LONDON DYNAMO) 5.38.25; 31 Jayson Weale (Evans Cycles) 5.50.41; 32 Duncan Murdoch (Redhill) 5.51.35; 33 Jonathan Maher (Sigma Sport) 5.57.37; 34 James Shrubsall (Norwood Paragon) 5.59.09; 35 Stuart Cook (www.agiskoviner.com) 6.49.21.
SUNDAY, JULY 24 – SOUTHERN COUNTIES CU CHAMPIONSHIP RR, EDENBRIDGE, KENT, E/1/2/3/4, 120KM: 1 Eric Ranson (Viner Bikes/Agisko Sports Nutrition); 2 Gary Dodd (Sigma Sport) +0.01.30 3 Gary Baker (Anglia Sports/Condor); 4 Alex Higham (Stilton); 5 TOM HEMMANT (LONDON DYNAMO); 6 Robert Hurd (Bioagrico Fabelec Selexion); 7 Simon Brooks (VC St Raphael); 8 Seth Kay (Poshbikes.com); 9 James Holland (www.agiskoviner.com) +0.07.00; 10 Geoffrey Lulham (Evans); 11 Simon Lawn (Sigma Sport); 12 Russell Page (SP Systems/Wightlink); 13 Phil Starr (Starr Guttering); 14 Joel Stewart (www.agiskoviner.com); 15 Jason Edwards (Wildside Cycles); 16 Nigel Ling (Gemini); 17 Kevin Tye (Poshbikes.com); 18 Mark Sussex (Wildside Cycles); 19 Robert Stimpson (unatt); 20 James Scoular (unatt) +0.08.00; 21 Meurig James (Willesden) +0.32.00.
TUESDAY, JULY 26 – CRYSTAL PALACE LEAGUE #14, CRYSTAL PALACE PARK, E/1/2, 30KM: 1 TOM HEMMANT (LONDON DYNAMO); 2 John Sadler (Addiscombe); 3 Yves Milliers (Kingston Wheelers); 4 Matt Seaton (VC Londres); 5 Ian Paine (LONDON DYNAMO) +0.02.06; 6 Dan Rudd (Edwardes Cycles); 7 Anne Boorsma (Dulwich Paragon) +0.02.00; 8 Neil Pearson (Gemini) +1 lap.
TUESDAY, JULY 26 – CRYSTAL PALACE LEAGUE #14, CRYSTAL PALACE PARK, 3/4/W/J, 27KM: 1 SAM HUMPHERSON (LONDON DYNAMO); 2 Max McCalla (VC Londres); 3 Michael Ricciardi (BEC); 4 Julian Cunnington (SERC); 5 Brian Randall (Sutton); 6 Graham Pearce (Brixton Cycles); 7 James Hughes (BEC).
THE LAST WORD
“My pelvis is a bit out of whack at the moment. Of all things I did the injury at home! I have just shifted house and thought I would do a bit of heavy lifting. Unfortunately, my new ‘lighter’ body didn’t handle this new work too well. Who would have thought?”
The DYNAMITE! Files 
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