Tadej Pogacar's agent targets landmark million euro salary for Paula Blasi

Carera, one of the most influential agents in cycling, represents several of the sport’s biggest names, including Pogacar and Blasi. Speaking to The Athletic, he outlined the ambition he has for the Spanish rider after her breakthrough season.

“My goal is for Paula Blasi to become the first female cyclist with a salary of one million euros,” Carera said. “That is my objective, because she is the future star of cycling.”

Blasi has quickly become one of the standout names in the women’s peloton. The Spaniard won Amstel Gold Race earlier this season and then underlined her status by taking overall victory at La Vuelta Femenina. 

Those results have not only accelerated her sporting rise, but also strengthened the belief around her commercial potential.

A million euro salary would be a landmark in women’s cycling, but Carera is not new to pushing numbers upwards. Around riders such as Pogacar, he has become one of the clearest examples of how the agent’s role in cycling has changed: closer to the rider, more involved in the career, and far more visible than it used to be.

For Carera, that visibility comes with a simple rule. The work does not stop once the contract is signed.

“If you want to be a good agent, you have to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said. “There is no Christmas and there are no weekends. We have big responsibilities. But when you work with passion, every day feels like a holiday.”

That approach has helped Carera build long term relationships with some of the best riders in the sport. He pointed to his bond with Pogačar as an example of what an agent has to provide when a rider becomes a global star.

“Pogačar and I do not always agree,” Carera said. “He gives his opinion and I give mine, but he is happy that his agent does not only support him when he wins. It is important to be with the rider as much as possible.”

When Carera joined the Domestique Hotseat earlier this year, he went deeper on what the role of an agent looks like behind the scenes. For him, the job is not defined by being there when riders win, but by showing up when they need help.

“The connection is important when the rider crashes, when the rider has a problem with the media, with the sports director or with the team,” Carera said. “We are the guys who solve problems for the athletes.”

That philosophy is especially relevant with a rider such as Blasi, whose rise will bring more pressure, more attention and bigger expectations. Carera said young riders cannot be judged only by results.

“It is not only about results,” he said. “When you speak with young athletes, you need to feel and understand the mental game.”

For Blasi, the next step is to show that her breakthrough year is only the start. For Carera, the mission is to make sure her value grows with it.