Mikel Nieve will leave the WorldTour in 2022 to continue his long career as a mountain domestique with Caja Rural Seguros RGA, his junior and U23 affiliate.

The 37-year-old Spanish climber has been with Team Bike Exchange for the past four seasons, but without a contract extension offer, he struggled with his options to continue riding at the sport's highest level.

On Wednesday, it was announced that he will begin his 15th season with his former team, the old Green Colors.

"It is special to wear the Caja Rural Seguros RGA jersey again. It was the team where I started my apprenticeship as a cyclist and where I spent five very memorable years," Nieve said in the announcement from the team.

"Since then the team has grown and during this time I have been able to be part of other teams with different languages and cultures.

Nieve had been a member of Caja Rural when it was under the Club Ciclista Brunda banner and before the launch of the professional team he would join in January; he spent five years there from his late teens to age 22, most notably winning the Memorial Balenciaga in 2007.

He then began his career with the Orbea Oreca team and turned pro in earnest with Euskaltel Euskadi in 2009, finishing 10th in the Vuelta a España in 2010 and 2011 and the Giro d'Italia in 2011 and 2012, quickly He emerged as a force to be reckoned with.

He finished 12th in the 2013 Tour de France, but the Basque team disbanded later that year. He signed with Team Sky and took on a domestique role, helping Chris Froome win the 2016 and 2017 Tour de France and the 2017 Vuelta.

In 2018, he joined BikeExchange to perform similar duties for Simon Yates, but had a rough season in 2021, suffering a crash.

"I want to pass on my experience to my younger teammates and help them grow.

"On a personal level, I want to enjoy cycling; in 2021 I crashed a lot and things didn't go well. Every race will be special with this jersey and I want to do my best enjoying cycling."