Patrick Lefevere has hit out at UAE Team Emirates-XRG management amid reports that the Emirati super team are looking at signing Paul Seixas, saying that it would be "ostentatious behaviour" to bring him in when they already have Tadej Pogačar.
Speculation started to swirl in Belgian media after Seixas' impressive performance at Strade Bianche last weekend, where he finished second only to Pogačar and looked every bit the potential star of the future he was expected to be.
The rumours were furthered by his brother, Nino Seixas, riding a week-long internship in the colours of UAE, but the latest information from Daniel Benson's Substack – who spoke to the Frenchman's agent at Paris-Nice – said that the 19-year-old hasn't yet decided his future. Current team Decathlon CMA CGM are, of course, hoping to extend, while the big budgets of UAE and Ineos Grenadiers are reportedly vying for his signature.
While no longer the team manager of Soudal-QuickStep, Lefevere has obviously been keeping his ear close to the ground when it comes to the biggest transfer rumours, and made his opinion on where Seixas should land clear in his latest Nieuwsblad column – anywhere but UAE Team Emirates.
"I read that INEOS, with its new sponsor, immediately jumped into the race for the signature of Paul Seixas, the new wonder boy of racing. I hope with all my heart that they can sign him," said Lefevere.
"Or that he extends with Decathlon CMA CGM, something they apparently still believe in in France. It doesn't matter to me, as long as he doesn't end up at UAE Team Emirates. If they bring in Seixas, I find that unequivocally wrong."
Lefevere didn't hold back when it came to his words on Matxin, who is well-renowned for his talent recognition, but enjoys the benefit of UAE's large budget when it comes to bringing in the talents they want, such as rising Mexican star Isaac del Toro.
"Excuse the word – or not – but Joxean Fernandez Matxin is getting a bit too horny as Sports Manager. Signing Seixas when you already have Pogačar is ostentatious behaviour," said the former long-term team boss.
"You can have the most money in the entire World Tour, but that comes with a certain responsibility and code of ethics. If they push for Seixas – apparently his little brother was already allowed to join the training camp – then UAE is completely ignoring that."
Lefevere said that the Spanish Sports Manager had "forgotten where he comes from," detailing how their previous connections led to no goodwill when it came to the Belgian trying to sign Juan Ayuso away from UAE once that partnership had soured. He's long held grudges against other management in the WorldTour, recently saying how he "hates Ralph Denk" in an earlier column, and there's no love lost for Matxin here either.
But it wasn't only the team he went after, but rider agents as a whole for the effects they have on the transfer market by "playing the game". Once again, the gloves were off for Lefevere.
"The battle for Seixas is a sign of the times in cycling. It’s not just UAE, it’s the rider agents too. They play the game so much more aggressively than before," he said.
"These are offices now, with five or six representatives who all want to score and are constantly marketing their riders. There is so much gossip… but it is all leaked to drive up the price as well.
"Which agent is still engaged in career planning for his rider? Seixas is apparently represented by former rider Joona Laukka. I am not saying that he is guilty of all the above more than anyone else, but I know that he broke his word to me once as well.
"It is terrible when a nineteen-year-old rider believes that he can become Pogačar's successor at UAE. Pogačar himself is barely 27. An agent who tries to sell that story to his rider deserves a professional ban."
