After the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Joaquim Rodríguez ended his career.Barely two months later, he signed a contract with Bahrain Merida. Things can change quickly. "I felt valued," he tells Tuttobiciweb .

Soon after Rodriguez announced the end of his career, doubts started to surface. His Katusha team forced him to do three races in Italy late in the season and he did the events without being at a competitive level.

"If I'm closing my eyes and think about how this season ended, I'm not happy," the Spaniard explained his decision. "It was not how I envisaged the end of the film. And I was not happy. I won the Tour of Lombardy twice, but this year I was not able to make a difference. I would like to take leave like Fabian Cancellara, in top form at a big race."

Thus Rodríguez decided to continue for another year.

 "Before Bahrain Merida made me a proposal, they asked what I wanted to do. They were genuinely interested. I felt valued. "

Despite signing a new contract, it is still uncertain whether Rodriguez will ever race again.

"At the moment, the head is a bit divided," Rodríguez tells Cyclingnews in Croatia.

"There are moments where I say to myself 'let's get back into it, full gas, super focused, at the highest level'. But on the other hand there are moments when I say to myself, 'steady on, you're leaving cycling'.

”If I do return to racing again, it will be with 100 per cent commitment, and fighting for victories - a bit like how I left it all at the Olympics."