Stretton soaking up brother’s advice in coach-cyclist relationship

Elite cyclist Dalton Stretton wants to use his journey to help mentor Tasmania’s promising juniors as an AusCycling track academy coach - including his younger brother. Check out who’s in the squad here.

AusCycling Tasmania Track Development Academy's development coach Dalton Stretton (right) with younger brother and academy member Mitch at a workshop with the TIS at Silverdome on Wednesday. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

It’s a benefit to have an older sibling who has navigated the path to elite cycling, let alone having him as your coach.

That’s the privileged position Penguin 14-year-old Mitch Stretton finds himself in, with brother Dalton the development coach of AusCycling-Tasmania’s Track Development Academy.

The Academy and Tasmanian Institute of Sport riders converged on the Silverdome at Launceston on Wednesday for a workshop, marking the inception of a developmental collaboration.

Dalton, 20, rides for Team Bridgelane and having not been too long out of juniors himself, is excited to use his life experience to help guide the state’s Generation Next.

“I’m the development coach and I’ll move into junior state track coach after the state championships (at Silverdome next Saturday), once we pick the state team to go away to nationals in March,” he said.

“It’s really exciting for me personally. I feel like it’s a big opportunity for the young guys coming through because I’ve had that experience, and been there in recent years. Hopefully I can pass it onto these riders.

“One of the reasons I wanted to get into coaching is explain to them how to move through the ranks. That’s the exciting thing having this partnership with the TIS, to smooth out some creases and create a pathway for these guys.”

Dalton insisted he isn’t tougher on City of Burnie Cycling Club’s Mitch than the other riders, with 14 included in the academy track program.

Mitch is one of a handful of academy members with older brothers who have already begun to make their mark in the sport.

Mitch Stretton finished third in the under-15 points race a the AusCycling Junior Track Championships. Picture: Supplied

“It’s definitely exciting to be working for him. He showed last year at nationals he can be up to the mark (bronze in under-15 scratch race),” he said. Bronze at nationals in the scratch race. “The goal is to get his under-15 results to translate to under-17s, it’s definitely exciting to work with him and have your brother around.”

Mitch said it was a huge bonus having a family member to follow and lean on for advice.

“He understands (what I’m aiming towards) more than other people,” Mitch said.

“It’s definitely quite helpful, having him come to a lot of my races and help me fix up my mistakes.

“Today (at workshop) I just want to get more experience I’d say, and the chance to practice before states.”

Dalton said it’s crucial Tasmania continues to develop another crop who can later impart their knowledge to the next, similar to what the state’s current elite riders did for him.

“You don’t have to look very far in Australian cycling results let alone the world, to see Tasmanians pop up,” Dalton said.

“Hopefully there’s a few more to come in the next couple of years, especially in this group.

“I think there are some very talented kids so hopefully they can prove themselves at a national championships, that’s their big goal.

“Having people to look up to like Georgia Baker, Josh Duffy, Felicity (Wilson-Haffenden, work junior time trial champion) and Nicole (Frain, 2022 national road race winner), it’s really exciting times for cycling in Tasmania.”

As part of Wednesday’s workshop cyclists were updated on pathways/categorisation and toured the TIS facilities.

AusCycling Tasmania Track Academy members: Gus Challis, Caleb McKenzie, Nicolas Broxam, Mitchell Stretton, Thomas Blazely, Sybil O’Rourke, Ava Napier, Campbell Skirving, Angus Gullick, Ruby McKeon, Sunny McKeon, Sid Natera, Connor Howard, Sophie Brotherton

Coaches: Justin Morris (head coach), Dalton Stretton (development)