Dario Cioni has announced his retirement from professional cycling but the Italian will stay with Team Sky in 2012 in a communications role.

Dario Cioni has announced his retirement from professional cycling but the Italian will stay with Team Sky in 2012 in a communications role.

Cioni, who joined the British team for their debut season in 2010, will now focus his attentions on liasing between Italian sponsors and the Italian media.

“I’ve been racing for 20 years and turned 37 in December and know that I can't race forever even though I'd love to,” Cioni said.

“One starts to look forward and when Dave (Brailsford) proposed this role I understood it was the right moment to start with the new job.

“I have a degree in international business with sports management and it looks like the perfect way to continue in the sport and with the team."

Cioni's career spanned 18 years, during which he claimed a fourth-placed overall finish at the Giro d'Italia in 2004 - probably his best result.

That achievement came in the colours of Fassa Bortolo, but Cioni also rode for Mapei, Liquigas, Predictor-Lotto and ISD and in a total of 19 grand tours.

"I would have liked to make it 20 grand tours but I guess you’ve got to stop at some point," said Cioni. “My first Giro is up there because it’s always special and the Giro I got fourth in is too of course."

Sky team leader Bradley Wiggins paid tribute to his former team-mate.

“It was a shame that he had to retire but it happens to everyone at some point.

"But it’s great to know that he is still going to be around and we’re still going to see him at races. So it's the start of a new career but at the same time he is still very much part of the family."

Eurosport