Luke Rowe is to leave Ineos Grenadiers after 13 years and join French team Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale as a sports director.
Rowe, 34, announced earlier this year he would retire from racing this autumn despite having a contract to ride for Ineos until the end of the 2025 season.
The Cardiff-born rider joined what was then Team Sky in 2012 and established himself as one of the leading super-domestiques in cycling.
He rode in eight successive editions of the Tour de France, helping Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal to victory.
Speaking on the podcast he hosts with Thomas, Rowe said there was “no reason” why he was leaving Ineos for his first ‘directeur sportif’ (DS) role.
“I’ve had some great years at Ineos and before that Sky, 13 years there as a rider,” said Rowe.
“I think sometimes change is good. Who knows in five years I could be back at Ineos but for now I’m just fully focussed on being the best I can at that role.”
Rowe will take up his new position with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale in November, with a particular focus on next spring’s cobbled classics and rider recruitment.
“I took a bit of time to reflect on my future and see what the new chapter would be,” Rowe said in an official team announcement.
“[The] project appealed to me, particularly with the big step forward made this year in terms of performance, but above all with the future project and the long-term vision.
“I will be eager to bring my experience from the years spent at the highest level and to support the riders, especially in the classics.
“The other part of this new project is the team’s ambition to become more international.
“Obviously, there are some incredible French talents but, with this approach, the team can also be a very attractive option for English speakers and international riders looking to join the team.”
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale have won 30 races this season, its most since 1999.
Discussing the new role with fellow Welsh cyclist Thomas, Rowe told the 2018 Tour de France winner he expects to be a lot busier than when he was just riding his bike.
“There’s a responsibly to the riders,” he said.
“What you put in has a direct correlation to their results and their performances and as a result their careers and their income.
“It’s just a knock-on effect… a lot of it starts with how much input and what level the DS is at, so I want to try and be the best.
“If I’m going to do something I want to do it properly and do it 100%.”