Michael Rogers joins UCI as innovation manager

The three-time time trial world champion, Michael Rogers, has taken on a new role with cycling's world governing body, the UCI, as their innovation manager, the federation announced at their virtual UCI Congress on Thursday.

Rogers retired as a rider in early 2016, having ridden for teams including Mapei, T-Mobile, HTC-Columbia, Team Sky and Tinkoff-Saxo. Besides his time-trial world titles in 2003, 2004 and 2005, the Australian took victories that included a Tour de France stage victory and two stages at the Giro d'Italia in 2014, the Tour Down Under title in 2002 and the overall classification at the 2010 Tour of California.

He rode the Tour 11 times, finishing ninth overall in 2006, and rode the Giro four times, with a career-best of sixth overall in 2009.

Rogers had been working this season as NTT Pro Cycling's technical partner manager, and, prior to that, had been the founder and CEO of virtual-world training platform VirtuGO, which closed down in November 2019.

But while the NTT Pro Cycling team's future hangs in the balance, Rogers' newest role will involve the management of new technological innovation within the sport, including athletes' in-race data, technology for cycling events and the development of esports, the UCI reports.

"In the context of cycling's ongoing modernisation, and to ensure our sport's position at the forefront of the sporting world, the UCI Congress welcomed the federation's appointment of Michael Rogers," read a press release, stating that the 40-year-old will join the UCI Sports Department on November 15.