Darren Kenny OBE, six-time Paralympic champion, on Beijing, bikes and staying warm. Stephen Shrubsall asks the questions
Q: Of your many successes, what is the most satisfying?
A: My road race win in Beijing, by far, although I have to share that victory with my teammate Simon Richardson MBE. I wouldn’t have won without the incredible ride he put in to help me. With every big win there’s always a number of people behind the scenes helping. My coach Dr Gary Brickley is top of that list, and having him there as I crossed the line was very special.
Q: Where do you like to cycle when in the South East?
A: I love Surrey, but I’m awful at place names or coming up with routes, so I normally just rely on the locals to show me new places. I love riding out from Windsor because I know such a good bunch of people. Dave at the 700 bike shop organises some rides; he’s big on teaching people how to ride correctly in a group, which is often missing these days. I did the Box Hill Sportive recently, and while Box Hill itself is overrated as a climb, they did spring a few real kickers on us nearer the end that caught out a lot of people!
Q: What’s your favourite café?
A For cycling it’s easily the Cinnamon Café in Windsor – and not because of the cookie dough cheesecake! In fact, I love the location so much that we used it in our photoshoot for Estrella bikes (Darren’s newly launched range). Coffee before, during or after a ride is a nice way of making things more social, as it’s not always easy to chat when you’re riding full gas.
Q: What do you never leave home without in winter?
A Staying warm is crucial for me, as the cold has such a big effect on my condition (restricted movement on his right side), so I’m normally wearing two more layers than other people. Gloves are vital and I tend to wear pairs that you can layer. I have some great ones from Cervo Rosso – they’re a Swiss brand, so they know about riding in the cold.
Q: Finally, you’ve just launched a new range of bikes. Would one help me climb Leith Hill?
A Riding something nice does give you a boost, but a bike that fits correctly and has the right gearing for you and your riding is probably the most important thing. We’ll help you with both of those. Failing that, you’ll just have to look great while riding slowly!
Check out Estrella Bikes to find Darren's new range of bikes
Follow Darren on @darrenkennyOBE and @estrellabikes
