Mitchelton-Scott's Michael Albasini – who will retire as a professional rider at the end of the 2020 season – is set to take over the role of Swiss national coach from his father, Marcello, in January 2021.
"For me, it's a nice challenge at the right time," Michael Alabasini said on the Swiss Cycling [federation] website on Wednesday. "I'm looking forward to being able to pass on the knowledge that I've gathered in over 20 cycling seasons."
Albasini will make up part of the Swiss elite men's squad for this Sunday's World Championships road race, where the team will be riding for recent Tour de France stage winner Marc Hirschi.
Thirty-nine-year-old Albasini has spent the past nine seasons at Mitchelton-Scott, having turned pro with Phonak in 2003, and going on to ride for Liquigas and HTC.
Along the way, the Swiss rider has take 30 victories, including overall wins at the Tour of Austria, the Tour of Britain and the Volta a Catalunya, as well as having taken victories on home roads, with three stage wins at the Tour de Suisse and seven at the Tour de Romandie, while his most recent success was a stage and the overall title at the Tour des Fjords, in Norway, in 2018.
Next year, Marcello will continue to work alongside his son to offer help and advice. Since 2019, former pro Rubens Bertogliati has worked as Marcello Albasini's assistant at the Swiss federation, but the 41-year-old will allow Marcello to take on his assistant's duties while he completes his studies, and will then step in again as Michael's assistant from 2022.
"The father-son story is certainly special, but nothing unusual for me because we have been in the same business for a long time and have had professional dealings with each other," Michael Albasini added. "However, it is undoubtedly a great advantage to have him by my side during the transition phase and to be able to benefit from his experience."
