Matti Breschel had little time to enjoy retirement: after competing in his last race as a professional at the Bretagne Classique d'Ouest-France on September 1, the 35-year-old will be back at the Vuelta a España this weekend as EF Education First's Sports He enjoyed a return trip to Denmark to visit family and friends before beginning training for his new role as director.

The 2019 season marks his third year running under the direction of Jonathan Vaughters. He announced his decision to retire last month due to psoriatic arthritis and has struggled to remain competitive.

Breskel's 15-year professional career began in 2005 with the CSC, and he finished third at the 2008 UCI Road World Championships in Varese, Italy, and second at the 2010 World Championships road race in Geelong, Australia, behind Norway's Tor Hushovd He won a stage at the 2008 Vuelta a España, nine Tour of Denmark victories, and the 2010 Dwar de Hvarndelen. He also had two top-10 finishes in the Tour of Flanders and finished ninth in Paris-Roubaix in 2009.

"It was a no-brainer for me," Breschel told the EF Education First website about being offered a new role as the team's director sportif.

"When I started to get into my thirties and had to think, 'What am I going to do after this?' I realized that everything about my education and my sport was what this team needed. I realized that my whole education and my whole life was in cycling, so I decided to move in that direction."

"I was really happy to be invited to join the team. Being a part of cycling is kind of my identity. Just the thought of jumping off a train is weird. So to be able to be part of cycling and still be a part of the EF and the whole world tour is a big deal for me."

His young family may have expected him to be home more often than he is now, but taking on a staff role with the team has allowed for a gentle transition into "civilian life."

"I have three kids, and I haven't really explained it to them yet. They seem to think that my dad is going to stop and start staying home more, but that's not the case. I think it's good for me and my family that I continue to travel. Otherwise, I think I would go crazy."

Breschel heads to the Vuelta on Thursday and will be "looking over the shoulders" of sporting directors Juan Manuel Garate and Ken Vanmarcke.

He admitted that he was initially nervous about driving the team car, but was confident he would soon get the hang of it.

"It won't be a problem," Breschel said. 'I just have to get used to eating a lot of bad sandwiches, I'm told. I'm really looking forward to it."

He added that he was especially looking forward to working with the team's young riders.

"I want to get a little more aggressiveness out of everyone.

"What I remember as a young pro is that in the big circus that is the World Tour, sometimes you get a little lost.

"I've seen a lot of sport directors who seem to forget that they are cyclists. I try not to forget who I am." The job of a sport director today demands a lot. Using the right words, pushing the right buttons, sometimes facing negative thoughts and trying to turn them into something positive.

"It's difficult because you're dealing with people, not machines, but that's the interesting part.