Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Mitch Docker – Retirement and Life Outside the Peloton

“I have three kids now and I want them to grow up in Australia, around their grandparents – and I want to have a cold beer with my dad now and again.”

-

HomeInterviewsMitch Docker - Retirement and Life Outside the Peloton

I owe this interview to my dog, Seoras.

On the weekends I take him for big walks and have started listening to podcasts as we enjoy the Fife Coastal Path and the mighty River Forth.

My favourite listen is, ‘Life in the Peloton’ hosted by the man with the mullet, ‘tache and natty choice in head wear – Mitch Docker.

I go way back with Mitch, to June 2010 when I interviewed him after his stage win in the UCI 2.1 Delta Zeeland Tour in the Netherlands.

He was a Skil Shimano man back then but moved on to GreenEDGE in 2012; with his final team being EF who he was with from 2018 until he closed out his career at the end of last year, in Paris-Roubaix.

I thought I should catch up with Mitch and ask about his new career as a ‘podcaster,’ but also run back over his early years too.

Photo©Mitch Docker

You were a track man originally, with a win in the legendary Bendigo madison back in Oz but you didn’t pursue a track career?

“In Australia you ride both road and track, the 2008 Worlds in Mallorca was my last serious campaign on the track, I could see there was no future in it for me.”

You were in the Aussie junior team pursuit squad which went all the way to the Worlds final – but you didn’t get to ride the final, that must have been a heartbreaker?

“It was a heartbreak and it would have been an easy point to turn away from the sport – no final, no medal.

“But it actually made me more determined to succeed, it was probably the best thing that could have happened to me at that time.”

Mitch Docker
Mitch Docker racing for the National Team at the World Championships in 2016. Photo©supplied

Your first pro team was Drapac in Australia; that sounded like a great little team.

“It was a really good team, it started with three riders the first year, then six riders the following year and in the third year we went Pro Conti.

“The philosophy of the team was to produce well rounded human beings with a good education, not just bike riders.

“It was an alternative to having to go and live in Italy and fight to get a team.

“I went to university during that time and would do the things you do at uni – get drunk on a Friday night but still race on the Saturday.” 

Mitch Docker
Mitch Docker in his beloved Paris-Roubaix early in his career. Photo©Cor Vos

Skil Shimano – how did the contract come about?

“The idea behind Drapac was that they would eventually push riders up in to the professional ranks.

“We rode the Tour of Qatar and got our asses kicked but I shone a little in the race and whilst I never won big I was consistent with some nice results like second on a Tour de l’Avenir stage and second on a Tour de Langkawi stage where I finished top 10 on GC.

“The first pro year was hard, I was getting kickings in all my races, I said to my DS, the former Dutch Professional Road Race Champion, Rudi Kemna; ‘why did you sign me, Rudi?

“He replied; ‘I’m not sure!

“That wasn’t the answer I wanted to hear but in my second year I won that Zeeland Tour stage and then one in the Route du Sud, Rudi said to me; ‘that’s why we signed you!’ 

“But that’s what pro bike racing is about, serving your time in a harsh environment, learning the ropes.”

Mitch Docker, on the attack with Bert De Backer at the Ronde van Vlaanderen in April, 2017. Photo©Yuzuru Sunada

GreenEDGE, an Aussie team, that must have been cool?

“It was great for a number of reasons, it was an Aussie team with Aussie culture, it was World Tour and I was team mates with guys who were my idols, Stuey O’Grady, Robbie McEwen, Baden Cooke.”

“I was there for six years but then didn’t get offered a contract renewal because the team was changing direction, they signed Matteo Trentin – and perhaps I’d become complacent?

“It was another of those times when it was probably the best thing that could have happened to me – a wake up call!”

Then EF, the team’s easy vibe looked made for you?

“It was a similar vibe to early GreenEDGE, I could be myself…

“It was a breath of fresh air.”

Mitch Docker
Mitch Docker concentrates on the 9% gradient of the Puig Lorenca, on Stage 2 of the 2019 Vuelta a España. Photo©Martin Williamson

You ended your career there, at Paris-Roubaix.

“I had two kids by then and wanted to get back to Australia to live.

“I had thought about ending my career after Paris-Roubaix in April but ending your career mid-season didn’t seem right, so when the race was re-scheduled for October it was perfect.

“But of course, I had to get selected for the race and it was a bitch because I broke my elbow at the Benelux Tour, three weeks before Roubaix and had to work hard to get selected.

“But when I was in the race I didn’t want to be there, I had a crash early and was scared, I had a bad crash in Roubaix in 2016 and know the effects that crashing on the cobbles can have on you.

“I soldiered on to Arenberg where there some guys from my fan club and they gave me a lift to the finish.

“It was a good way to end, in a car with my fans having a beer with them, a celebration – not coming in to the velodrome an hour down or in some other team’s car, full of misery.” 

Mitch Docker
Mitch Docker was happy to draw his career to a close in the showers at the Roubaix velodrome. Photo©supplied

It strikes me that with your nature that you’d be ideal DS material?

“I love working with people, that’s true but the DS role entails being away from home and family for extended periods and that’s not something I want to do.

“There are couple of young guys I’m mentoring over here and I’m enjoying the experience.” 

You’ve gone back to Oz after your career ended, I thought you were well settled in Girona?

“I had 14 years in Europe and it was a great time, but I’m an Aussie through and through.

“I like to wander into a pub and chat to the barman about nothing for a while – I can’t do that in Belgium or Spain.

“I have three kids now and I want them to grow up in Australia, around their grandparents – and I want to have a cold beer with my dad now and again.”  

Final question on your career – the ride you’re most proud of?

“Paris-Roubaix 2011 when I was in the break and sprinting for a top 10 spot – I finished 15th and always tried to live up to that performance, it drove me.” 

Podcasts?

“When I’d come back to Australia people would always ask me about the pro peloton and what it was all about.

“I thought it would be good to start the podcasts so folks could gain an understanding of what it was all about.

“To start with they were pretty average but have morphed into where they are now.”

Has anyone ever knocked you back for a podcast chat request?

“Sometimes, support staff in particular don’t want to be in the limelight, they’d rather stay in the background.

“And you do get folks who lead you on, tell you they’ll come on and let you down”

Who would you like to have on the podcast but haven’t yet – Lance perhaps?

“Tom Boonen, that’s a hero kind of thing, I messaged him but he never got back to me.

“I messaged Lance but never got a reply, he’s not someone that I’d particularly think of but I guess everyone thinks about him.”

Regrets?

“There are heaps of things where you think, I should have done this, or that but I think that worrying like that shortens your career.

“You have to be happy in the peloton if you want a long career – I had 13 years in the European pro peloton and have no regrets about my time at all.”

Mitch Docker
A great career and a big character, Mitch Docker Photo©supplied

And the latest podcast, Mitch?

“It’s with my former EF team mate, Joe Dombrowski of the USA, he’s with Astana now.

“He won the Baby Giro in 2012 and won a stage in the Giro, last year – he’s an articulate and interesting guy, well worth a listen!”

With thanks to Mitch for his time with this interview.

Check out Mitch’s podcast, Life in the Peloton.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

John Pierce – My Favourite Six Day Men; by one of the World’s Best Photographers

It’s not every day that you receive pictures from one of the world’s best cycling photographers – they’re way too good to keep to ourselves so with Mr. John Pierce’s permission allow us to share his memories of some of his favourite Six Day riders of the 70’s and 80’s. John attended the last London Six in 1980 and these first images are from that race.

Norrie Drummond – A Hard Man in Belgium

It's just under two weeks now until the 2007 European season starts with the GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise in the south of France on February 6th. The first major tests come a few weeks later though, on the first weekend in March, far from the Mediterranean, to the north, in Flanders. Het Volk and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne are true classics in all but UCI category, albeit shorter than the Tour of Flanders with which they share many kilometres of parcours.

Janet Birkmyre – 123 National, Worlds and Euro Masters Titles, and Counting!

Janet Birkmyre won’t be a new name to you if you follow Masters racing; the woman has won on a prolific scale but not just as a Master, at UK Elite level too. Here’s her tale...

Jordan Kerby – the new World Pursuit Champion; “It’s pretty surreal”

VeloVeritas first spoke to 24 year-old Aussie Jordan Kerby three years ago; he was 2010 world junior points and team pursuit champion but then turned to the road. Success came quickly and he won the 2013 Australian U23 Road Race Championship. There followed a forgettable spell with Michael Rasmussen’s ill fated Christina Watches team before he moved back to Australia, winning the 2014 Australian U23 Time Trial Championship. We caught up with Jordan shortly after his Worlds success where he rode the third fastest time ever in qualifying then beat reigning world champion Filippo Ganna of Italy in the final.

At Random

Two Outa Three – Fabian Cancellara and Tyler Farrar

Fabian Cancellara - I got that one right; and I said that Tyler Farrar would be right up there, as Meat Loaf would say; "two outta three ain't bad!"

A Pictorial Look Back at the Berlin Six Day 2014

Watched by 75,000 spectators over the course of the event in the velodrome Landsberger Allee, Andreas Müller and Kenny de Ketele won the 103rd edition of the Berlin Six Day. On the last day and the last race they overtook the long-time leaders Leif Lampater and Jasper de Buyst with a race winning attack - exciting stuff. Third place went to Robert Bartko, which was his last time in Berlin at the Six with his young partner Theo Reinhardt.

Harry Tanfield – Signed by Katusha for 2019/20

VeloVeritas caught up with Harry Tanfield a few days after his move to the Swiss/Russian squadra Katusha hit the browsers. The thing about a Harry interview is that no matter how big the result he never gets too excited - and signing with a World Tour team for two seasons doesn’t seem such a big deal for the 23 year-old from Great Ayton in north east England.

Grenoble Six Day 2010, Night Two – Getting the Job Done

The average speed last night for the first madison of Night Two at the Grenoble Six Day 2010, run over 35 minutes, was 52.310 kph - file under 'not as slow as Vik says it is.' The thing you have to remember is that when you're in Grenoble, you're much closer to the Mediterranean than you are to the Channel; 'le Munich Six jours est finis? ah!' The cold, grey North is a long way away.