London Dynamo Newsletter #11, 11.06.04
THE SUS-SPENCE IS KILLING US
For some time now, the Newsletter has been pacing up and down its subterranean office, anxiously hoping for a call from Cyclefit sensation WARRICK SPENCE. But after weeks of waiting in vain for the bunkerphone to ring, we were forced to swallow our pride and give the great man a bell instead. And what a relief that we did! Within minutes of our brief chat, “Wonder” Warr grasped how important it was to talk directly to his public – that’s you, our growing army of loyal readers – so he decided to drop everything and come to the Newsletter HQ at once. A short while later he was getting comfy on our plush leather sofa, which sits beneath a life-sized oil painting of Keith ‘I’ll Get You’ Butler, as we offered him a freshly-chilled bidon of PSP22 coupled with a delicious Sainsbury’s fig Newton. How could he refuse? After a few bites, the mild-mannered champ had opened his heart about those rumours that he’s set to ditch the Dynamos for a glamorous life in an American team – and he was keen, as ever, to talk about his recent race successes. So kick off your Carnacs and settle down on the settee as he begins his tale…
HELL-BRENT
Literally several Dynamates will be surprised to learn that the bespectacled boy wonder can become as poorly as us ordinary mortals, which was amply demonstrated when a recent bout of illness recently forced Warrick to stay off his bike for a fortnight. He confessed: “I did one race too many, basically, and my glands came up.” The Newsletter was about to sympathise, as we have learned from painful experience that saddles are not always built for comfort, until Warrick clarified that he was talking about the glands in his throat. Silly us! The Brentwood Town Centre Crit was the scene for Warrick’s return to racing and the elite race was certainly no walk in the park. Warrick explains: “The circuit was hard because it had hairpin bends. It didn’t really matter what line you went through because you still came out the same speed, which was damn slow – about 10mph. I had the legs for the repetitive stop-starts but I was suffering with my lungs and I had a bit of a stitch because I hadn’t ridden for two weeks.” That’s gotta hurt! The 50-minute plus 5-lap race ended with Malcolm Elliott, the former Tour of Britain winner and Warrick’s sparring partner at the Crawley Criterium, beating the pony-tailed thoroughbred once again by out-sprinting him for 2nd place. Damn the man! Not that it mattered – because the Macklin Street marvel managed to nab the top spot at the E/1/2 event at Crystal Palace just two days later with the help of fast-rising star TOM ‘HUMBLE’ HEMMANT, who came fourth. The modest rider, who grabbed Warrick’s wheel as he shot through a corner to establish a break, hovered at the front with his mentor, chasing down other competitors and attacking when they eased up during the 26-mile race. Warrick admits: “It was the first time I’d ridden with Tom. He was doing what I wanted him to do without me telling him. I thought: ‘This is cool.'” High praise indeed!
FOR THE RECORDS
As usual, the Crystal Palace races were running the same night as Eastway’s regular 10-mile time trial, and regular readers will remember that Warrick is keen to set the record at the latter event. He chose to head for south-east London this week as the murderous pace of a time-trial could ruin his recovery – but he wants to have a go at making history at Lee Valley in the next fortnight or so. That’s the spirit! The New Zealand hour record – Warrick’s other big goal – is on hold until he undergoes tests to measure his power output, while the chance to race with the Sierra Nevada team if they come to Europe is still on the cards. The California outfit’s offer came about through a mutual association with Serotta bikes – the team race on them, Cyclefit sell them – and Warrick would like to ride for the Yanks in the newly-resurrected Tour of Britain in September if they decide to hop over to Blighty. But he’ll only race in the States if they can “co-ordinate it right” with his commitments in the UK, so we’ll probably still be seeing Spence in the familiar blue, black and orange Dynamo livery for the foreseeable future. Hurrah!
KEN WATCH!
There is, of course, someone else we always like to see. And this week, dear reader, we’ve got him – we’ve finally got him! Dozens of Dynamates have spent months watching and waiting for a rare appearance from elusive Aussie KEN BUIST – but now an eagle-eyed photographer at last month’s Cutmill race has gone one better by actually capturing Dynamo’s mystery man on film. The anonymous snapper passed on the pic to RUSSELL ‘RUSTY’ SHORT, who reveals: “He informed me that he had heard of the phenomenon that is Ken Buist, but he only saw him for a couple of laps before he disappeared.” That sounds like our Ken! As you can see from the photo, the rider in front is so excited by being in the presence of the south-east cycling scene’s Greta Garbo that he can’t help turning around to take a sneaky peak at him. And if you look closely, you can just about make out the trademark hangdog expression and classic Buistean stretched-out riding style which has got everyone at Cyclefit shaking their heads in disbelief. Don’t try changing him, guys – we love him just the way he is! Meanwhile, towering triathlete GUY ‘THE ENGINE’ POWDRILL got to check out that distinctive “arms out, shoulders down” posture on Wednesday when he shared not one but THREE laps of Richmond Park with the great man. What an honour! During their hour together, which is surely some sort of record for Ken, the enigmatic Antipodean explained in maddening detail how he had failed to get rid of a creak from the headset of his brand new Colnago. Now we know why Sigma mechanic SAM ‘SLAM DUNK’ HUMPHESON saw him browsing in the shop last week! Guy reports that the blue and black frame, coupled with a Dura-Ace 10-speed groupset, looked “gorgeous”, adding: “Ken remonstrated at one point with a bloke on a scooter, but I’m not sure why.” You see – Ken’s always enigmatic, even when he loses his cool!
CHAT’S YER LOT
Warrick has drained his bidon, and the plate which was stacked with fig Newtons is now empty, save for the crumbs. We are sure you’ll agree it’s been a cosy and enlightening chat with Covent Garden’s crafty Kiwi, but there’s a queue of punters waiting to get fitted up at the WC2 bicycle emporium, so he can’t possibly lounge around all day talking to us. Many thanks for your contributions – always remember that we are the hard-working bike fitting technician but we would be nothing without you, our trusty jig. So please send us your news, gossip, and further sightings of the elusive KEN BUIST to news@londondynamo.co.uk. The deadline, as ever, is Wednesday afternoon for the following Friday’s edition. Incidentally, last week’s issue – and indeed each issue as it comes out – can be found on the London Dynamo website under the “Newsletter” banner on the front page. Apparently a few disappointed readers thought that their favourite seven-day chronicle of all things Dynamoid hadn’t come out as it wasn’t in their inbox. Our apologies – hopefully we’ll have sorted out the gremlins now. And now, as Warrick waves goodbye and climbs into the lift to the ground floor of Dynamo Towers, it only remains for us to remind you about…
THIS WEEK’S RIDES
SATURDAY
The Parkride. Richmond Park, Roehampton Gate, 9am. Four laps split into fast, intermediate and steady groups. Anyone who wants to lead a group should leave a message at http://www.londondynamo.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=21.
SUNDAY
Hampton Court bridge, 9am for Surrey Hills ride. 50ish miles at a steady pace. Bring a pump, inner tubes, drink, and a sturdy handshake.
WEDNESDAY
Richmond Gate, Richmond Park, 7:30pm. Steady two-hour ride to Surrey and back.
So until next week, Dynamates, goodbye and happy riding.
London Dynamo Newsletter.
THE SMALL PRINT
TUESDAY, MAY 25, SURREY LEAGUE GOODWOOD GALLOPS #5, E/1/2/3/4/J, 30 MILES: 1 Lee Day (Liphook Cycles); 2 Matthew Starey (unatt); 3 Nick Allen (VC Meudon); 4 Andrew Dilkes (VC Meudon); 5 MIKE DEBNEY (LONDON DYNAMO); 6 Justin Hoy (Evans Cycles); 7 Simon Felmore (Dbennett Training); 8 Max Harris (Army CU); 9 Keith Knight (Addiscombe CC); 10 Mark Sussex (Tunbridge Wells); 11 Tim Costello (Southdown Velo 2V); 12 Christopher McNamara (Team Synergy); 13 Lee Oliver (Tunbridge Wells); 14 PAUL CALLINAN (LONDON DYNAMO); 15 Martin Markowski (Bayeux Landscapes); 16 Mike Paget (Hants RC); 17 Robin Didymus (Principia RT).
SUNDAY, JUNE 6, BRENTWOOD TOWN CENTRE CRITS, ELITE, 50MINS+ 5 LAPS: 1 James Taylor (City of Edinburgh); 2 Malcolm Elliott (GS Pinarello); 3 WARRICK SPENCE (LONDON DYNAMO);
4 Mark Cavendish (Team Persil); 5 Simon Gaywood (CC Luton); 6 Simon Cope (Team Edwardes); 7 Jason White (Team JD Cycles); 8 Richard Whitehorne (Glendene); 9 Gary Baker (AngliaSport); 10 Matt Holmes (Arctic/Shorter Rochford).
TUESDAY, JUNE 9, CRYSTAL PALACE CIRCUIT RACES, E/1/2, 26 MILES: 1 WARRICK SPENCE (LONDON DYNAMO); 2 Simon Cope (Team Edwardes); 3 Bryan Taylor (VC Londres) +10secs; 4 TOM HEMMANT (LONDON DYNAMO) +15secs; 5 Brett Perez (Freerider) +17secs; 6 Matt Rugman (Kingsnorth); 7 William Bell (Gemini BC); 8 Dave Worthington (Prestige VC); 9 John Sadler (Addiscombe); 10 Nic Cheetham (Dulwich).
The DYNAMITE! Files 
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