Published 16 September 2026 · London Dynamo members’ newsletter
Like a lot of you, I’ve been following the Vuelta closely again this year. There have been plenty of twists and turns, but one of the standout moments came with the shocking crash involving Tadej Pogačar on Stage 8. It was a dramatic moment and a real reminder of just how quickly things can change in professional cycling.
His departure certainly seemed to add another dimension to the race, opening things up and creating a much more closely fought contest between Roglic, Gall and the eventual winner, Enric Mas. I wish Pogačar all the best with his recovery, of course, but his absence undoubtedly brought a different dynamic to the race and made for some fascinating racing.
My preoccupation with the Vuelta has, however, been somewhat distracted over the last few weeks by reports from our members about youths in balaclavas behaving in a menacing way towards cyclists in Richmond Park. These incidents typically appear to involve souped-up, illegally modified e-bikes, and the reports we have received are concerning.
It’s particularly sad to hear that these incidents have prompted some of you to avoid the park altogether. Richmond Park has always been an important part of the cycling landscape for London Dynamo and, more importantly, somewhere where our members should be able to ride without feeling threatened or intimidated.
I certainly don’t want the Club to get to a point where members have to think twice before entering the park, or where we have to consider restricting or stopping official Club rides there because of concerns about personal safety.
So, what are we doing about it?
First, we would encourage all members who regularly use the park to join the “Richmond Park Chatter” WhatsApp group. When incidents occur, information and descriptions tend to be circulated quickly, which can help members stay informed. We would also encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses an incident to report it to the police, via 999 if something is happening in progress or through the usual non-emergency channels where appropriate. The more incidents that are properly reported, the better the picture the authorities will have of what is actually happening.
On the wider response, we are working with Richmond Park Cyclists (RPC), the main body representing cyclists in the park. RPC has been liaising directly with the police and pressing for a greater police presence in the park. They are also seeking clearer evidence of how many of these threatening encounters have resulted in reported crimes and, ultimately, charges. We are waiting to hear more on this.
We have also contacted a number of media organisations, including road.cc, Cycling Weekly and the BBC, in an effort to raise the profile of the issue. Hopefully, greater exposure will help to generate pressure for a meaningful solution.
In the meantime, for those who are concerned about entering the park, please consider buddying up with other members, particularly when entering or leaving the park. There is, quite simply, safety in numbers.
Putting those concerns aside for a moment, I want to finish on a more positive note. We have some fantastic events coming up over the next few months. While our wonderful summer of cycling is gradually drawing to a close, there is still plenty to look forward to as we head into autumn and the colder months, and plenty of opportunities to keep riding, racing, socialising and enjoying our beloved sport.
Please read on for more details, and I hope to see many of you out on the road over the coming weeks.
Ride on and ride safely,
Andy Taylor, Chair
Sweating the small stuff: Health & Performance Social
Tuesday 13 October, 19:00 · The Clubhouse, Putney
Join us for an evening with two athletes-turned-founders on a mission to help you perform better, recover faster, and get the most out of yourself on the bike.
- Yanto Barker, Le Col founder and former British junior road race champion, gives practical insights into how cyclists can better look after themselves to perform consistently for longer, particularly through Engyne Health.
- Stefan van der Fluit, former Dutch national Ironman age group champion, founded FlowBio after a career in tech. FlowBio develops wearable sweat sensors that measure sweat and sodium loss in real time. He will talk about the relationship between electrolytes, hydration and performance.
Tickets: £15 per person, which includes:
- Pizza
- Free drinks (up to £500 club tab)
- Two sessions dedicated to health and performance
- Post-event social
Come along, join us for a drink, and learn something new.
London Dynamo Club Championships
The annual club championships are back. Join us at Hillingdon Cycle Circuit (UB4 0LP) on Saturday 3rd October for your chance to take those bragging rights for the next 12 months.
Races
- Team Time Trial
- Men’s and Women’s Championships
- Masters (45+)
- Youth and Junior
- Entry Level / First Time Racers
Timetable
| 13:00 | Sign on / track opens |
| 13:30 | Team Time Trial |
| 14:30 | Concurrent independent races |
| 15:30 | Men’s Championship |
| 16:00 | Pizza and social |
All racers must register on the sign-up sheet (you can enter more than one race). If you are entering the Team Time Trial, register yourself and then add team names on the separate TTT sign-up sheet.
London Dynamo Hill Climb
Fancy yourself as a climber? The London Dynamo Hill Climb Championships are back, and this year we’re heading back to the spectacular Denbies Wine Estate for a short, sharp test of legs, lungs and determination.
- When: Sunday 25 October 2026
- Where: Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking
- Climb: 2km at 6.1% average gradient
- Prizes: Men’s, Women’s, Juniors and Vets
- Places: only 50 available
Whether you’re chasing the fastest time, looking to beat your mates or simply want to see what you can do when there’s nowhere to hide, this is one of the most fun and competitive events in the LD calendar. Join the “LD Hill Climb Champs 2026” WhatsApp chat for event updates, timings and all the latest information as we build towards race day.
Ride Captain’s Challenge 2026: results
The results of the Ride Captain’s Challenge are in. In all, 19 riders took on the challenge, tackling a fairly brutal route through Kent. A number of others joined the route simply for the (Type 2) fun of it.
The flying Baritsch brothers made it something of a family affair, with Antony Baritsch and George Baritsch currently sitting 3rd and 6th on the Toys Hill leaderboard. Antony’s blistering 6:33 puts him just six seconds behind Joe Blackmore.
In the Junior Boys, a Junior Dynamo (name redacted) took the title with a seriously impressive effort, with another Junior Dynamo (name redacted) finishing runner-up. Katy Hill set a new PB on Toys Hill with a fantastic 8:01, while Andre Salum won the Men’s Masters by a considerable margin. Anna Streule took the Women’s Masters title, and a Junior Dynamo (name redacted) won the Junior Girls.
| Category | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| Men | Antony Baritsch | George Baritsch |
| Women | Katy Hill | Katie Tasker |
| Junior Boys | Junior Dynamo (name redacted) | Junior Dynamo (name redacted) |
| Junior Girls | Junior Dynamo (name redacted) | – |
| Masters Men | Andre Salum | Orlando Finzi |
| Masters Women | Anna Streule | – |
Congratulations to all the riders who took part, and particularly to our winners and runners-up. The prizes will be given out at our Annual Awards dinner, scheduled for 6th November 2026.
Race Team Report
By Jim Northway
London Dynamo’s racers continued their scorching summer form through August.
The month commenced with Alexa Forbes securing a sizzling second place in her category during the RTTC National Female and Junior 25-Mile Championships, finishing runner-up to UCI Gran Fondo World age-group time trial world champion Linda Dewhurst in Norfolk.
Charissa Turner secured her Cat 2 licence with a fine top 20 finish in the Duncan Murray Wines National B road race out in Northamptonshire.
West Thames League: continued Dynamance
As the West Thames League drew another season to a close, a Junior Dynamo (name redacted) ignited a stunning solo win from the break. It was an all-Dynamo podium as Lavinia Chiodi Daelli took second while another Junior Dynamo (name redacted) took third in her first-ever race.
In the final round a week later, Ben Chrichard lit the afterburners to win the open Cat 4 race. Dynamo women stacked the field as track superstar Emma Patterson sprinted to victory into a fiery third place.
A Junior Dynamo (name redacted) took second in the open Cat 3s, while Tim Lynch smouldered the field once again. He was chatting to fellow competitors, waving at spectators, and when it suited him, teleported himself around the circuit to secure third in the open E/1/2/3. Alex Mutter lit the fuse for various attacks and finished fifth in the same event.
The club was in red-hot form all season to win both the men’s and women’s West Thames League championships. Tim was untouchable at the top of the men’s individual tables, while 2026 Rising Star Cece Liu burned bright for third overall in the women’s individual series table.
National B success
A Dynamo rider (name redacted) was in red-hot form to claim second overall in the Clive Tiley Memorial Stage Race, having been helped into the winning break by teammate Owain Williams thanks to his grilling efforts on the front.
Smoking
Davide Richardson finally warmed to the task of securing his Cat 2 licence. He was joined by Ben Heap and Alex Mutter, who warmed up by riding down to Mountbatten Circuit in Portsmouth. Ben ignited the E/1/2/3 with a second place and spiced up the race with the Most Aggressive Rider award.
Masters magic
The old embers of youth flared late in August at the VC Godalming & Haslemere Surrey League Road Race. Ken Knight took the victory in the masters’ over-60s race, as Duncan Edwards took fifth in his race that day and earned his Cat 1 licence with a rash of podium places across the month of August.
Finally, the slow-burner that is the British Women’s Team Cup concluded on 27 August after a season-long series of five National B races. Our women’s Dynamo squad took 12th overall and plan to rocket up the ranks next season.
Trip to Assen report
Our very own junior Dynamos took on one of the most prestigious youth road races in the world when they competed at the European Junior Cycling Tour Assen. The trip was supported by funding from the Raptor Development Fund, based at the Clubhouse in Putney.
This five-day stage race, held from 27th to 31st July, serves as a major proving ground for budding young talent and attracts more than 1,000 riders from countries across the globe. Three of our juniors travelled to Assen, in northern Netherlands, and found themselves in the mix. One of them gave us an insight into how it went.
“My Dad and I took the overnight ferry to Assen, which was very smooth. We had a few days to spare before the race, so I completed a couple of recons of Stage One and Stage Three.
Stage One was very hard and fast from the start, with both me and a Junior Dynamo (name redacted) being dropped from the main group. We both found smaller groups of our own, which worked together until the finish.
Stage Two was a longer, 55km road race with not many corners. This led to a faster, but more together, peloton. My teammate and I made it to the final lap, however, there was a crash in front of both of us and I dropped my chain. This caused me to be dropped but my teammate managed to hang on in the bunch until the finish. He won the special jersey sprint lap, which meant he took the first white jersey special sprint points and put him in the polka dot jersey.
Stage Three was by far the most eventful. For each of the nine laps, we went up Col du VAM, which was a short 400m climb with 15 per cent gradients. The Danish national team, who controlled the entire race, just ripped it up there every time and this spread the field massively. I really struggled in the heat, so I was dropped quite early, and my teammate did a strong effort to stay in the group for a while.
Stage Four was an individual time trial, with a short climb, or a 20-minute effort. Apart from the short hill, it was completely flat, and again it was dominated by the strong Danish national team.
Stage Five was another short criterium in Assen and featured a cobbled sector. I was caught sleeping on the first lap and got dropped, while my teammate managed to stay in the group for the whole race and came out with a very good result.
Overall, the quality and the vibe I got from the event was very good. The Danish national team cleaned up and had a leader to every jersey, showing the calibre of their team. I think for both of us, it was a very good experience racing abroad and a real eye-opener to top European junior under-17 racing.”
Round the Island: Dynamo tradition turns six
This ride was born in lockdown. Back when rides further than the local park felt like a distant memory, the idea of cycling all the way round the Isle of Wight became something to dream about, a bit of romance to hold onto through the darker days of Covid-19. When restrictions finally lifted after that first national lockdown, nine of us turned the daydream into reality back in September 2020 and made the inaugural trip to the island.
It was a brilliant day out, and it’s been a fixture on the club calendar every year since. Six years on, it’s still one of our favourite dates in the Dynamo calendar, and this year was bigger than ever, with around 50 members joining us on 16 August 2026. True to form, the weather was glorious again; this ride seems to have a habit of dodging the rain.
None of it happens without help, so huge thanks to all the volunteers who made the day run smoothly, especially the catering crew at David Stroud’s house in Ventnor, and Malcolm Springett, who spent the day as our roving support and was, as ever, an absolute lifeline out on the road. Here’s to another one next year!
Kit update: Jakroo winter kit and Le Col
As we head into the colder months, it’s time to start thinking about adding a few more layers. We’re delighted to announce the next phase of our move to Jakroo, with new winter kit now available to order. We’ve been working hard over the last month to get everything ready, and there’s lots to update you on.
Jakroo
- New winter kit now available
- Next ordering window: dates and details
- Sizing: how to get your personalised sizing recommendation and provide feedback
- 20% discount on Jakroo’s regular, non-club kit
Le Col
- Club kit store closure: details of when the current store will close
You can find the full details on the club forum post.
Tech Talk: is this the beginning of the end for bike tool bags?
Is the humble saddle bag on borrowed time? Increasingly, bike manufacturers are finding ways to hide our essential tools and spares inside the bike itself. The Scott Addict is a great example, with a discreet compartment in the frame containing a spare tube, tyre levers and mini-pump, while a multi-tool is cleverly integrated into the handlebars. No straps, no rattling and, importantly, nothing spoiling the clean lines of your pride and joy.
So, is this the beginning of the end for the saddle bag? Probably not quite yet. The beauty of the traditional bag is its flexibility: you can cram in whatever you need for the ride, and it moves with you when you change bikes. But as integrated storage becomes more sophisticated, perhaps the future is a smaller saddle bag carrying the extras, with the bike itself taking care of the essentials.
Would you be happy to ditch your saddle bag if your bike could carry everything you need to get you home?
