Roberts, 38, specialized in track and road racing during his long career, starting as pro on the road in 2002 with Team ComNet. He raced in Europe with CSC, Kuota, Milram and Saxo Bank, retiring from Stölting-Ruhr during the 2014 season.
Roberts won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics as part of Australia's team pursuit squad and has been a sports director at Team CULT Energy since ending his own career. He currently lives in Germany with his wife and two children.
Team Giant-Alpecin coach Rudi Kemna said that after extensive talks the team determined Roberts would be a good match both personally and professionally.
"Factors that played a major role in our decision were his experience as a pro cyclist, first as a track rider, with the specific training that involves, followed by his experience as a road cyclist, at both large and small teams, in combination with his knowledge of and interest in training science," Kemma said.
"He has also gained the necessary experience as a coach in recent years, and we want to bring him into our WorldTour team to help him develop into a complete and versatile coach within our organization."
Roberts said he has wanted to move forward as a coach ever since stepping away from his own career in 2014, and in Giant-Alpecin he found a WorldTour program that fit with his own philosophy.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"I have a lot of respect for the team and its approach to modern cycling, as it is always pushing the development of the team and the sport of cycling itself," Roberts said. "So I was keen to make a deal to work together and to progress as a coach. In my first year I will integrate into the team and begin to show my value to the team."
During an interview published on the team's website, Roberts said his own racing experiences helped him develop a 'vision for clean sports' that aligns with Giant-Alpecin's.
"I raced in a different era, when physicians advised me to use cortisone to cure minor injuries, which I accepted, but I soon realized that this wasn't the way I wanted to live my sport," he said.
"This realization helped me create a vision for clean sports, and this is also the reason I chose to work for Team Giant-Alpecin, as I see that they do things differently, supported by a strong vision and approach. Before I signed, we had extensive conversations and the team asked me if I had ever used banned substances, which I hadn't and I confirmed this."
Kemma said Roberts' first season will be spent working with the team's veteran coaches, learning about Giant-Alpecin's 'Keep Challenging' approach.
