The future of French superstar Paul Seixas remains up in the air as the offseason rolls on, with the 20-year-old's Decathlon CMA CGM contract set to expire at the end of the 2027 season.
Seixas is the brightest rising star in the sport, having won La Flèche Wallonne, Itzulia Basque Country, and Il Lombardia this season while finishing fourth in his debut Tour de France.
Decathlon will be hoping to keep their leader on board well beyond then as he looks to challenge Tadej Pogačar and inherit the Slovenian's crown as the world's most dominant rider, though UAE Team Emirates-XRG are among the teams interested in his signature.
Seixas is currently enjoying his off-season vacation in Asia, taking on the Tour de France Singapore Criterium before heading to its sister event in Saitama. He told L'Equipe that he's putting contract negotiations out of his mind for now, saying he'd "go crazy" if he devoted too much thinking time to the process.
"I'm on vacation right now. If I start discussing contracts here, I think I'll go crazy. I've taken this time to rest, and I figure if I don't think about it for now, things might be clearer when I think about it again. We'll see what I think about it in the future. But for now, I'm giving myself time," Seixas said.
"It’s a vacation, no doubt about it. I’m really enjoying it; I took the break I wanted. Of course, it makes for a busy day or two, but on the other hand, I’m enjoying being away and seeing things that are completely new to me, so it’s cool. The real restart will be on November 20th, a few days after Saitama, which gives me time to rest a bit and readjust. And then it’s back to racing."
Despite not wanting to devote his mental space to thoughts of his future, Seixas acknowledged that it's a fact of life within the sport. He said that he finds speculation over his future as "pointless", however.
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"I think it's part of the sport. It's normal that people talk about what's next; it's good, because it means that people are interested in me and want to know where I'm going," he said.
"Personally, though, I sometimes find it a bit pointless. Will I stay? Won't I stay? Right now, there's no certainty. Sometimes I come across articles, things on social media, and it makes me laugh a little because there are things I learn."
Seixas did talk a little about his hopes for his future contract, wherever that may be. Rather than financial considerations occupying the forefront of his mind, he's instead prioritising other things.
"They could offer me the moon. It's a very difficult question for me," he said.
"I'm looking for a feeling, a connection. I want to really feel in sync with this team, with people I like. I think that's the most important thing, ultimately."
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Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor before being hired full-time. Her favourite races include the Paris-Roubaix, Tour de France Femmes, Tro-Bro Léon, and cycling's fourth Grand Tour, the Volta a Portugal.
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