Destined for riding glory from age two

How do you make a champion mountain biker? Move to Arthurs Seat, the Peninsula’s highest point, when the child is aged one, buy them a bicycle with training wheels for their second birthday and teach them how to ride. Then, when the child is aged five and wants to ride the bike trails of Arthurs Seat, buy your own bike and follow them.

This is the magical formula stumbled on by Darren and Jane Doye that has seen their son Harry ride to the top of world mountain biking for junior men. Last month, Harry, 17, went to Europe with the Australian cycling team for the 2023 MTB European junior camp, one of just six young Aussies. They competed in three events – one in Switzerland and two in the Czech Republic, including the Nove Mesto World Cup. The team is competing in XCO races, the cross-country Olympic category. Harry finished second at the Switzerland event behind another Aussie, Jack Ward. “Not bad for your first European race,” said proud dad Darren, who is following the team in Europe. Harry said he was rapt to do so well in a competitive field.

A few days later he rode the highly regarded 3.9km Nove Mesto course of challenging hills and fast descents as part of the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Junior Series against the best in the world. In a field of 157, Harry started well and was 31st after the first lap. He fought through the field to be 15th on the sixth and final lap. With 500m to go, his front wheel slipped on a tree root. Harry stayed on his bike but the jarring dislocated his shoulder. He gritted his teeth, got the bike moving again and rode to the finishing line using one arm, crossing in 47th place. An anaesthetic was required in hospital to fix the shoulder. Harry was back on his bike training soon after, but had to pull out of the race at Zadov, a very technical course. However, he was still on hand to support the team.

But back to the beginning. “I managed to keep up with Harry for a couple of years, until he was about seven, but then had to let him pass me – literally,” Darren said with a laugh. “It was no good me leading; I was holding him back. I had to let him lead and just try and keep up.”

Nowadays Harry trains all over the Peninsula. He heads out for three hours at a time, from Portsea to Mordialloc and anywhere in between, following a rigorous training schedule set down by his coach, Adam Kelsall. The only time Darren has the chance to beat him up the hill these days is when he is in his car. They set off at the same time, but when Darren pulls into his driveway, Harry is there waiting with a big grin on his face.

“He has always been self-driven and intrinsically motivated to be the best he possibly can be,” Darren said. “This drive, combined with raw talent and careful coaching, has taken him to where he is today.” Harry chimes in: “I owe thanks to both my parents. They’ve backed me 100 per cent from the beginning.”

And Arthurs Seat, with its amazing mountain bike tracks? “This will always be one of my favourite places to ride,” Harry said.

Pictured, above: Harry Doye outside his favourite Peninsula bike shop in the Australian team kit; below: Harry Doye speeds down the challenging Nove Mesto course in the Czech Republic in mid-May.