Yates riding in yellow during the 1994 Tour de France

Sean Yates has agreed to join British squad Team Sky as sports director from the start of next year.

The 49-year-old Englishman, who briefly wore the yellow jersey during the 1994 Tour de France, has been a sports director at Astana since 2008.

He said: "To be part of a British team at the highest level is truly special."

Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford added: "We've been very keen for a long time to bring him on board. He has a deep understanding of the sport."

Yates became the third British cyclist to ride in yellow at the Tour de France, following in the footsteps of Chris Boardman, who won the 1994 prologue, and Tom Simpson in 1962.

Since then, only David Millar, in 2000, has worn yellow for Britain.

Yates rode for Peugeot, Fagor, 7-Eleven and Motorola in his 14-year pro career, which saw him contest 12 Tours de France, and was a team mate of Robert Millar and Lance Armstrong.

He added: "I have a lot of experience in a winning team and I look forward to helping Team Sky to fulfil its goals.

"The scope and the ambition of the project is unique and I really believe we can be contenders on all levels in the future and I'm proud to become part of that."

Yates, who was at Team Discovery Channel and Team CSC before Astana, will join Scott Sunderland, Steven De Jongh and Marcus Ljungqvist as sports directors at Team Sky.

"He will be a true asset to our management team and a great colleague for the other Sports Directors we have signed," added Brailsford.

Team Sky will compete from the start of 2010, beginning with January's Tour Down Under in Australia, and they hope to gain an invite to next year's Tour de France.

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