The shocking news that Rod Ellingworth is stepping down from his coaching position at Bahrain McLaren (open in new tab), almost a year and a half after he left the British team to run his own team, the first to finally return to the Ineos Grenadiers (open in new tab) It appears to be a step in the right direction.

News of Ellingworth's departure from Bahrain McLaren (open in new tab) broke Thursday evening, with the team stating that the current former manager's "passion is rider development, so he has decided to move on and focus on a new project close to his heart."

According to Cycling News, Ellingworth announced his resignation at a meeting with the team's owners and management in Bahrain on Monday. He returned home shortly thereafter.

Four different sources told Cycling News that Ellingworth would be returning to Dave Brailsford and the Ineos Grenadiers. However, Ellingworth did not confirm this news for the British team.

Although there were connections between Ellingworth and Qhubeka Assos, a move to an African team was highly unlikely. Another team with ties to Ellingworth is Israel Startup Nation, but they flatly denied any talk of Ellingworth joining them when interviewed by Cycling News. The team, led by Sylvan Adams, also recently announced that Rick Verbrugghe will join its management after 2021.

Bahrain McLaren managing director Milan Ergen insisted that he did not know where Ellingworth would be working in 2021, but a source close to the story told Cyclingnews that an announcement would be made next week.

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

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

Ergen insisted that he has no idea where Ellingworth will work next season, adding that the team will not be looking for a replacement anytime soon.

The departure marks the second high-profile team management change in the past 12 months since Brent Copeland saw Ellingworth take over the team in 2019. Copeland moved to Mitchelton Scott earlier this year.

"I didn't ask and I really don't know where he's going," Ergen added.

"Nothing went wrong and this is just cycling. This is business. We've had meetings with the other management and the 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. Ellingworth's return to Ineos has not yet been officially confirmed, but the move makes sense in many ways.

The team has signed several high-profile players over the winter and invested in a program to develop young players. At the same time, the team has not fully decided on a replacement for coach Nicholas Portal, who tragically died earlier this year.

With former CEO Fran Miller already working on other projects, the team's management team definitely needs a familiar and experienced hand, and Ellingworth, who worked for the team from 2010 until spring 2019, fits the bill.

Bahrain McLaren pulled Ellingworth from Ineos in 2019 as the Gulf-born team looked to close the gap on its main rival in the Tour de France. McLaren came on board as a sponsor and Ellingworth was given a substantial (but still not yet at the level of Ineos) budget to build the team.

Mikkel Landa was signed before Ellingworth arrived, but he pulled several young players and Wout Poels from Ineos. He acquired Jack Hague from Mitchelton Scott for the 2021 season and also made significant changes to the role of sporting director. However, the COVID-19 pandemic hit Bahrain McLaren more than any other team, forcing staff and riders, including Ellingworth, to take significant deferrals of up to 70% of their salaries.

In the summer it was announced that McLaren would be stepping away from the financial burden, and the majority of rider contracts since then have been rehires rather than new hires. [In 2021, the team will be renamed Burleen Victorious, but Ellingworth will not be at the helm.