Friday 9 December 2016 16:28, UK
Joaquim Rodriguez will not be continuing his WorldTour career with Bahrain Merida next season but is joining the team's technical staff.
'Purito' had opened up the possibility of riding for the team, which launches in 2017, after initially announcing his retirement during the Tour de France in July.
The Spaniard, who spent the last seven years of his career with Katusha, won three Tour stages, two more at the Giro d'Italia and enjoyed great success on home roads in the Vuelta, where he won nine stages and came home with the mountains jersey in 2015.
His new role with the team, which was given its WorldTour licence last month, will see him help to mentor their younger riders and learn from his own cycling experiences.
Rodriguez, who also won Fleche Wallonne in 2012 and Il Lombardia the same year and in 2013, said: "After taking enough time to think, and also trying to come back to a working routine, I realised it was not possible for me.
"So, with the support of my family and friends, I decided not to come back to competition at the highest of levels.
"I would like to thank everyone that supported me to come back - I am honoured and you really made my decision difficult.
"But I believe it is better not to come back if I am not sure I can do it at the top level and be competitive to offer my fans what they deserve.
"I am also grateful to the Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team. They believed in me, they gave me all the conditions to return and they gave me the freedom of choice. But I realised that I am not prepared physically and mentally for a 100 per cent comeback."
