Glen Mitchell Interview

A new update of whats been happening will be out later this week, but for now I wanted to write a bit about our team guru. This will give you a break from everything being written about what I have been doing, and let everyone know a bit about the Kiwi on our team, Glen Mitchell.
Glen winning a stage of the Tour of the Southland, while wearing the leaders jersey.

So here it is, an interview of Glen Mitchell; New Zealander, Olympian, National Champion, and all-round guru… Basically a “riding machine.”

Age: 33

Residence: Santa Rosa, California. Glen was born and grew up in Hamilton, on the North Island of New Zealand.

Glen started cycling in 1988 (when I was 5yo). When he was seventeen years old he won a junior mountain bike National title, and in the same year he won one of the selection races for the junior world road championships, giving him a ticket to the world titles. A couple of years later he made the long list for both the mountain bike and road teams to represent New Zealand at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. His focus then turned more to the road, and after going to the Olympics in the road team, decided his mountain bike racing days were over. This led to a career racing in elite amateur, and professional road teams, and continually representing his country.
The “riding machine” has spent two years racing in Belgium, one in Switzerland, one in Canada, and is now in his eighth year of racing in America. He spent two years racing for Shaklee, three years on the Navigators, two years at Sierra Nevada/Kodak Gallery, and is now the team star at Team Priority Health.
During this time Glen has represented New Zealand at two Olympic Games, three Commonwealth Games (including a 4th place at Manchester in 2002), and four professional world road championships.

Wearing the New Zealand National Road Champion's jersey, Glen wins one of his two stages in the Tour de Langkawi.

The highlights of the Kiwi’s career include:
Two time National Champion (3 silver, 2 bronze)
Oceania champion
Winning two stages in the Tour de Langkawi (4 x 2nd place)
Oceania Champion
Winner of Tour of the Southland
Stage wins in Southland Tour, Tour of Tasmania, Commonwealth Bank Classic, Waikato, NZ Colonial, Willamette, Tour of Wellington, and Tour of the South China Sea. More recently he came 5th in the San Francisco Grand Prix last year, which was won by Stefan Wegeman of Gerolsteiner.

At the head of the field in his 2006 colours of Team Priority Health.

Glen is married to Tonia, and they have a house full of pets Tonia brings home from work as a veterinarian; Rumour the dog, and three cats. When he is not busy training he enjoys going fishing or watching BroTown. The “riding machine” is also a master chef, and I enjoyed great meals when I first stayed at his house this year. While on the road we usually eat together thanks to Glen’s cooking, and he has saved me from starvation on many occasions. I was so upset the night he left the team at Arkansas that I couldn’t bring myself to eat!

Glen doesn't have a website, and I guess his shyness means not a great deal of people know how good he really is, so hopefully this interview will enlighten readers on the talent of this guy, even if he is from New Zealand!

Stay cool dudes, and there should be another update later in the week...