Coming from the classics heartland of Holland, Steven de Jongh brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Team Sky. The team's 36-year old sports director, who retired as a professional at the end of the 2009 season, has ridden for some of the world's top teams, with the last of these, Quick Step of Belgium, renowned as arguably the best classics team in the world.

De Jongh was no mean classics rider himself, wining Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on two occasions and regularly placing in the top 20 in the cobbled classics of northern Europe. But he was also a valued domestique for team leaders such as the former world champion, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix winner Tom Boonen.

"I feel perfectly at ease about retiring now as a rider, because I'm really excited about joining Team Sky," says de Jongh. "It's a fantastic project and I think that they have given me the chance of a lifetime to become a part of it.

"I have a lot of ambitions about the sport and I'm looking forward to being a part of a team that is starting up and will bring something new and different in cycling," de Jongh continues. "It's totally new for me to take on this role but I'm confident that I bring some experience and that I'll be working with great riders and fantastic colleagues at Team Sky."

Like Marcus Ljunqvist, the other recently retired rider who will become a sports director in 2010, de Jongh will have to adjust to life in a team car rather than on a bike. But Dave Brailsford, the team principal, is confident he has the attributes to become a successful member of the squad, explaining: "He has the right character and personality to be an excellent sports director.

He's a good communicator and has always been a highly-respected rider. I'm convinced that his hands-on knowledge will fit in perfectly with the technical staff we have for the classics and the other important races in our programme."