by Michael Wood
The Independent, August 16, 1994
Radio call signs - Zero, Daisy, Rooster, Red Nic - boomed out over the speakers and the talk was of down shifts, compounds, slicks and gear-set. In dazzling sunshine, a never-ending sea of lycra and trick machinery peddled by at high speed. Part race,part fashion show, this was the event that London's bicycle couriers had long been waiting for - the chance to prove that they are the toughest, smartest and fastest messengers in the world.
The urban wasteground of the East End's Royal Victoria Dock was the location for the second Cycle Messenger World Championships, an event which proved that the spirit of anarchic organisation is alive and kicking in the courier community.
Have you ever wondered about the sanity of London's cycle-mounted dispatchers? They shoot away from traffic lights on amber, jump kerbs and go for the smallest of gaps between moving vehicles, in the vainglorious pursuit of a perfect drop-off. Any fearsabout their mental health were confirmed this weekend as they played host to 400 couriers, in 50 teams from 12 countries including Germany, Spain, Russia, the United States and even Afghanistan.
T Buffalo Bill, general secretary of the International Federation of Cycle Messengers and Companies, who doubled as commentator, explained the ethos of the competition. 'Of course, everybody wants to win the big race, but we are also working to buildlinks within the world community of couriers and provide a voice for those who make their living the tough way, by riding the city streets.
'This weekend gets a real spirit going and, of course, helps to promote the use of pedal power for commercial purposes. which improves the urban environment.'
There were all kinds of competitions taking place around the docks, from the sandwich classic, a race for trade cycles, to the best-dressed messenger award. Thankfully, this year Viktor from San Francisco did not resort to riding naked to attract theattention of the judges. Smokin' Tyres sprints were held over a 150-metre course, with 10 riders taking part in each heat. This was a real dash for cash as each rider put a fiver in the kitty to enter, with the winner taking the lot.
Sprinters reached a terminal velocity of 35 mph over the short course. So intense was the competition that the organisers jokingIy refused to start one race, saying there was too much testosterone on the track and appealing for oestrogen donors from thecrowd. The home teams put up a strong showing in this event, with the London-based Velo City crew taking two heat wins.
The crowds, resembling a collision between the Tour de France field and the cast of Mad Max, busy meeting fellow competitors and sampling food and beer from their respective countries. Mr Awkward's Stay Awake Cafe proved particularly popular, offering amenu consisting of tea, coffee and tequila. Perhaps that's what Buffalo Bill meant by the spirit of the championship.
The darker side of the biker lifestyle was represented by a sculpture commissioned specially for the event, designed as a tribute to those who have died in road traffic accidents. The messenger monument, built by London courier and artist, Genghis,honoured the memory of four cyclists killed in London in recent years. A truck wheel formed its centrepiece, with shards of frames and wheels radiating out representing city cyclists everywhere. Tributes to dead colleagues were laid on the monumentbefore a minute's silence was held in their memory.
The Afghan Amputee Bicycles for Recreation and Rehabilitation team provided a more uplifting spectacle, competing despite the fact that two of their team ( Hyatt Khan and Rahamatullah) were both lower limb amputees. This charity gives amputees, most ofwhom were injured during the civil war, the chance to regain their mobility, by providing them with bikes and training. AABRAR were knocked out of their respective heat in the main competition, but Rahamatullah got a standing ovation for his foot onsaddle stunt ride.
Over the two days competitors raced in heats across a course laid out on the dockside. The aim of the race was to test how quickly riders could learn routes, how fast they could go and how well they handled their machines over a variety of road surfacesfrom tarmac to gravel and cobblestones.
Competitors set off Le Mans-style, running 10 yards to their locked bikes, before heading out on to the course which was dotted with Portacabins representing the postcodes of London. Life imitated art as W1 and WC1 proved the most popular hang outs forthe crowd. Riders had to pick up a parcel at the first checkpoint, deliver their package and get a proof of delivery (POD) on their daysheet before collecting another package and planning their route to the next checkpoint. Potentially fast routes werecomplicated by a one-way system.
Having delivered eight parcels, over a combined distance of 10kms, it was a straight sprint to the line.
The top eight from each heat went through to the grand final where 80 of the world's top messengers locked wheels for a Sunday afternoon of blood, sweat and gears. The blood was not long in coming at the gravel jumps where competitors approached a kerbat speed, bunny jumped it, then had to negotiate a steep downhill gradient. Ghoulish onlookers camped out to watch a steady stream of fallers. None of the competitors seemed peturbed by their injuries; in this profession the daily hazards of gravel rashand scabby knees are badges of honour.
As the final progressed, the field thinned out as the 10 riders finishing last after each eight-parcel circuit were eliminated. Some couldn' t take the pace, others, such as Erik Zones, missed the cut after a leisurely beer and fag break at thecommentary position.
Most, however, were deadly serious and after an hour on the track the pain was evident. Punctures, crashes and hangovers all took their toll, but the fight for the right to wear the rainbow shoulder bag given to the winner. made competition fierce.
From Britain, Pony Express of Glasgow and Cyclone and A-Z of London all had well-placed men at the mid point, as did Exodus from New York and Bike Express from Toronto. But it was the German and Scandinavian teams that proved particularly strong, withriders from Per Bad of Cologne and De Gronne Bude of Copenhagen showing superb stamina and speed. Per Rad Kurier from Karlsruhe eventually emerged as winners of the team race over the two days.
After two-and-a-half hours the race was down to two men, the reigning Cycle Messenger World Champion Andreas Schneider (Per Velo, Cologne) and Thomas Saverwein (Velo of Freiburg, Germany) Schneider had been at the front almost from the start, butdespite three punctures, a highly motivated Saverwein slowly reeled him in.
As the crowd at the EC3 checkpoint waited for a head-to-head sprint in the penultimate lap, disaster struck. On the edge and flat out. Saverwein hit a patch of gravel and went down. The chain was off and the bike was totalled, but Saverwein pushed itback to the start/finish line, determined to complete the race.
So Andreas Schneider retained the Cycle Messenger World Champion title he first won last year in Berlin. After more than three hours' racing. with 50 parcels delivered and over 60 miles completed, he still looked fresh and fit.
'Tom was beginning to worry me, but he had to struggle to keep up he said, smiling. 'He had trouble with punctures and crashes and I could maintain a strong, steady pace. This race was much harder than Berlin, the conditions were just like the everydaystreets, so l am very pleased to have retained my title. With that, Andreas headed off towards the bar to join the other spectators and competitors, determined to party long and hard.
The Cycle Messenger World Championships have already been pencilled in to take place next year in Canada. Toronto, you have been warned.
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