Rod Ellingworth has been announced as racing director of Ineos Grenadiers.

The news comes just days after Ellingworth resigned as team principal of Bahrain McLaren. Ellingworth left Ineos in 2019 to represent Bahrain McLaren.

Ineos Grenadiers will also move Dan Hunt to the position of Performance Director. The team confirmed this news after it was reported to staff this evening and Cyclingnews broke the news.

"I can confirm that we have appointed Rod Ellingworth as Racing Director and Dan Hunt as Performance Director. Rod and Dan will return to the team to establish a new approach to racing and build on the foundation laid on the road at the end of 2020. Rod will lead the racing program, including talent identification, development, and recruitment, while Dan will focus on developing performance strategies and systems," a team spokesperson said.

Ellingworth enjoyed great success with Team Sky/Ineos from 2010-2019, helping the team win the Tour de France several times. He was a key part of the management structure under Dave Brailsford when he was approached by Bahrain McLaren in 2019 and asked to lead their assault on Tour de France glory.

Ellingworth led the team throughout the 2020 season, with Mikel Landa finishing fourth in the Tour de France. However, the team suffered financial pressures from the COVID-19 epidemic, and in the spring some riders and staff salaries were set aside up to 70%.

The team failed to maximize its strength in the transfer market, with only Jack Hague under contract for 2021.

Ellingworth traveled to Bahrain last week for a series of meetings before tendering his resignation last Monday before it was officially announced on Thursday.

Upon his departure, Bahrain McLaren announced that Ellingworth wanted to focus on developing young talent. Bahrain McLaren managing director Milan Erjen insisted that he did not know where Ellingworth would be working in 2021.

"He has been with us in Bahrain for the last few days and we know that there have been offers from other teams," Eržen told Cyclingnews by phone.

"It's normal in sports and business. Because his ideas about cycling are great. For us, I don't think it will change much in the future."

"There was nothing wrong with it and this is just cycling. This is business. We've had meetings with other management teams and players, and now we just have to wait and see. For now, everything in the team will be run the same way as before. Life has taught me not to be disappointed in things like this. That's life and that's cycling."

Ineos features up-and-coming riders under the age of 23, including Tom Pidcock, Carlos Rodriguez, Ethan Hayter, Ivan Sosa, Pavel Sivakov, Egan Bernal, and Honatan Narrabaez.