'Will I stay? Won't I stay? Right now, there's no certainty' - Paul Seixas again delays any decision to stay at Decathlon CMA CGM

Paul Seixas has travelled to Singapore for the Tour de France criterium but he can't escape questions about his future, his every answer only fuelling speculation about whether he will stay at Decathlon CMA CGM or move to a rival team.

The 20-year-old French rider is considered the heir to Tadej Pogacar's throne, with reports that he may have agreed to some kind of pre-contract to join UAE Team Emirates-XRG when his current deal with Decathlon ends in 2027.

The French team have moved their management company to Switzerland to save on taxes and contributions and so offer Seixas a huge new contract. However, Seixas has so far refused to decide on his future or at least reveal anything publicly.

He put off a decision to focus on the end of season races. After he won Il Lombardia, he preferred to switch off and enjoy his holidays rather than make one of the biggest decisions of his career. 

"I'm on vacation right now. If I start discussing contracts here, I think I'll go crazy," Siexas told L'Equipe in an interview in Singapore after the pre-race team presentation and an autograph session.

"I've taken this time to rest, and I figure that if I don't think about it for now, things might be clearer when I do think about it again. We'll see what I think about it in the future. But for now, I'm giving myself time."

Seixas shrugged off a suggestion that the contract talk and related speculation may weigh on his young shoulders.

"No, 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. 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 only learn about online."

Seixas' next contract could see him earn close to the eight million Euro salary that Pogacar is reportedly paid by UAE. However Seixas reiterated he is looking for more than just a huge salary.  

"I don't know... They could offer me the moon," he said when L'Equipe asked what a future team needs to offer him beyond the millions. 

"It's a very difficult question for me. 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."

Seixas flew into Singapore on Friday and will be the headline rider alongside Isaac del Toro during Sunday's criterium. He will then travel on to Saitama in Japan for a second lucrative criterium. Domestique saw that Seixas's agent Joona Laukka is also in Singapore.

He will race for 60km in each criterium but considers the trip to Asia as a final part of his off-season and holidays.

"It’s a culture I don't know and that’s why it interested me. And it’s fun," he said.

"It’s a vacation, no doubt about it, I’m really enjoying it. 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 (November 15th), which gives me time to rest a bit and readjust. And then it’s back to it."

"I feel in very good condition, I'm quite happy about that, both physically and mentally. It gives me confidence for the future. And that's precisely why I'm not dwelling on my last season, because I'm confident about what lies ahead."