Joaquim Rodriguez postpones retirement to join Bahrain-Merida
By Matt Westby
Last Updated: 02/04/20 11:51am
Veteran Spaniard Joaquim Rodriguez has postponed retirement by signing for the newly formed Bahrain-Merida team.
The 37-year-old quit cycling after riding Il Lombardia earlier this month but has been tempted into agreeing a one-year extension to his career.
He will retire again at the end of next season and then join Bahrain-Merida's technical staff in 2018 and 2019.
Rodriguez, who has raced for Katusha since 2010, said: "My decision to leave the competition has always been firm, but Bahrain-Merida proposed a very interesting project to me and assured me that I will feel so comfortable and motivated with them that I have decided to put a race number on my back for one more year."
Rodriguez has enjoyed a glittering career so far, winning three stages of the Tour de France, nine stages of the Vuelta a Espana, Il Lombardia twice and finishing on the podium of all three Grand Tours.
Bahrain-Merida have been set up by Prince Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, of Bahrain, and have already signed the likes of Vincenzo Nibali, Giovanni Visconti and Ion Izagirre.
