Money. Lots of money. So much money that hardly any 19-year-old could resist it. The Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team is said to have made Paul Seixas an offer of 13 million euros – per year. This would take cycling salaries to a whole new level. However, his chances of winning a Grand Tour would vanish overnight if he were to join this team. Now it’s time for the French Tour hopeful to weigh up his options.
Offer worth millions to Paul Seixas
According to cycling insider Daniel Benson, the Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team has offered the 19-year-old Frenchman a contract worth 13 million euros a year. Paul Seixas could therefore be facing a momentous decision for his future. Should he opt for the offer from Switzerland, he would be by far the highest-paid rider in the peloton. Even Tadej Pogačar is said to earn “only” around eight million euros a year and is therefore currently the highest-earning driver.
A question of objectives
At the end of the day, it is likely to be primarily a personal decision for Paul Seixas. The talented rider is sure to earn a lot of money in any case, even with other teams. However, if he wants to stand at the very top of the Tour de France podium one day, the answer to the offer from the ProTour team Pinarello is likely to be a clear ‘no’. At least for the time being, the team – which does not hold a WorldTour licence – is not competitive when it comes to Grand Tour victories. That may change, of course, but it usually takes many years to build a strong team around a top rider like Seixas. On the other hand, there is this figure: 13 million. An incredible sum that could lure the Frenchman to the Swiss team.
Implications for cycling
This is likely to be good news for the athletes themselves. Whilst there remains a wide gap between the top earners and those on ‘average’ salaries as wages rise, higher top salaries always lead to an overall upturn for all riders. In the long run, everyone is likely to benefit from this.
The excitement, however, is likely to suffer as a result. Paul Seixas offers great hope as a new contender for the Tour victory. Many even reckon he has a realistic chance of beating Tadej Pogačar in the foreseeable future. And let’s be honest: who wouldn’t want to see that? Finally, some real competition again when the dominant Slovenian lines up for a race. If he were to move to a second-tier team, Seixas would probably not be in contention for the Tour victory for the time being. So, from a fan’s perspective, we can only hope that he decides against the transfer. What do you think? Will such a deal go through, and what will the consequences be?
Leon Weidner
Working student
