"You can't buy someone, not even for 13 million euros": Visma and Decathlon play their cards for Seixas

The future of Paul Seixas is becoming one of the major battles in the cycling market. UAE, Visma, and Pinarello, along with other powerful WorldTour teams, have already shown interest in the young Frenchman, while Decathlon CMA CGM is working to build a sports project strong and attractive enough to convince him to stay in the structure beyond his current contract.

Visma tries to convince Paul Seixas while Decathlon prepares its project to retain him

According to the Dutch media WielerFlits, Visma Lease a Bike has been in talks with Seixas since last summer. Richard Plugge reportedly made an initial approach during a training camp in Tignes, and since then, the team has maintained contact with the rider and his representative, Joona Laukka.

Visma's proposal would primarily have a sporting argument. The Dutch team would not be willing to enter the huge financial bidding that has arisen around Seixas, and would try to convince him by offering a plan to become their future leader in grand tours.

The idea would be for the Frenchman to grow during his early years alongside Jonas Vingegaard and take advantage of the experience of the two-time Tour winner. A path similar to the one Vingegaard himself took when he began to gain prominence in the team under the shadow of Primoz Roglič until he became one of the great references in three-week tours.

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But Decathlon CMA CGM does not seem willing to let go of the greatest talent in French cycling easily.

Dominique Serieys, the team manager, confirmed to Daniel Benson during the Tour de France that negotiations to extend Seixas's contract have been postponed until August and September. This decision would allow the rider to focus entirely on his first Tour before facing discussions that could shape his sporting future.

Seixas currently has a contract until the end of 2027, but movements around the Frenchman have accelerated in recent months. Serieys himself has made it clear that resolving an operation of this magnitude solely with money is difficult: “You can't buy someone, not even for 13 million euros.”

The reference to that figure comes after reports placing Q36.5, a team sponsored by Pinarello, behind an offer close to 13 million euros per year. A contract that, if materialized under those conditions, would make Seixas the highest-paid cyclist in history.

Decathlon, however, seems to be working in another direction. Beyond improving the financial conditions for the Frenchman, the team needs to build around him a project capable of competing with the sporting proposals of structures like Visma or UAE.

In this context, the movements the team is preparing for the next season must also be understood. Serieys has confirmed the departures of Felix Gall and Gregor Mühlberger, although he has not wanted to announce the return of Ben O’Connor.

The Australian, however, has been linked to Decathlon for months, and market rumors practically confirm his signing for the next season. His arrival would represent a significant boost for a structure that seems determined to considerably raise its sporting level and

The battle for the Frenchman goes far beyond a contract renewal. UAE Team Emirates-XRG has already publicly acknowledged its iinterest in bringing Seixas and Tadej Pogačar together in the same team, while Visma tries to convince him with the possibility of growing alongside Vingegaard and becoming their future leader for the grand tours.

Additionally, there is the desire of France to keep its greatest talent within a national project. Even Emmanuel Macron has spoken about the rider's future and expressed his intention for Seixas to remain in a French team.

Netcompany INEOS and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe have also reportedly shown interest in his situation, so it seems that Seixas's future will feature one of the most intense negotiations in recent years.

For now, all parties will have to wait. Seixas is focused on the Tour de France, and Decathlon has decided to postpone discussions until after the race. It will be then that the French team will have to demonstrate that it can offer something more than money: a project strong enough to compete with Visma, UAE, and the other giants that are already moving to try to sign the cyclist destined to lead the future of French cycling.