Macron reportedly advises young cyclist Seixas on contract amid transfer speculation

French President Emmanuel Macron has reportedly become involved in the high-stakes race for young cycling talent, advising 19-year-old Paul Seixas to extend his contract with the Decathlon CMA CGM team. Seixas, currently fourth overall in the Tour de France, is considered one of France's most promising cyclists.

Despite the French president's reported encouragement, Seixas's future with Decathlon CMA CGM, a team backed by a sports equipment manufacturer and a logistics company investing €45 million annually, appears uncertain. Other teams are reportedly offering substantially more lucrative deals. The team Pinarello Q36.5, not even in the top cycling league, is rumored to be offering Seixas an annual salary of €13 million, even though his current contract runs until 2027.

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I can only say that I have a contract. And that I intend to fulfill it.

Seixas himself stated shortly before the Tour's start that he has a contract and intends to fulfill it, while also noting that Decathlon has not yet offered him a new deal. He aims to ignore external pressures. This situation underscores a growing divide in professional cycling, often referred to as a "two-class society."

Only a handful of teams possess the financial resources, with annual budgets around €60 million, to compete for the overall Tour de France victory. These elite teams, including Netcompany Ineos, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Visma-Lease a Bike, and Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, dominate the sport's rankings and attract top riders like Tadej Pogačar, who reportedly earns €8 million annually. Meanwhile, the majority of teams must set more modest goals, such as winning a stage or a jersey.

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What is being brought to me from the outside, I try to ignore. Decathlon has also not yet offered me a new contract.