Tadej Pogačar will earn €50 million in the next six years, making him by far the highest-paid rider in professional cycling, with a €200 million buyout clause making it impossible for rival teams to entice him away from UAE Team Emirates.
La Gazzetta dello Sport revealed details of Pogačar's new contract on Tuesday and Cyclingnews understands the eventual salary could be even higher, thanks to bonuses and other aspects of the deal.
Pogačar was already earning close to €6 million per year but agreed on a new contract after his dominant 2024 season that saw him win the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and the world title.
Pogačar will earn €8 million per year under the new deal, plus bonuses for major victories. Remco Evenepoel will reportedly earn close to €5 million a season under a new contract with Soudal-QuickStep, with Jonas Vingegaard earning a similar figure as leader at Visma-Lease a Bike.
"This team has been my home now for the last five years and I truly can't imagine myself anywhere else," Pogačar said when the new contract deal was announced.
"I'm really excited for the future. This team gives me the best chance at fighting for wins and that is exactly what I aim to do."
The new contract will run until 2030, when Pogačar will turn 32. It is likely to be the final contract of his career. The €200 million buyout, doubled from the previous buyout clause, makes it virtually impossible for rival teams to sign Pogačar, with only a dispute and legal battle perhaps leading Pogačar to leave.
"Tadej is not on the market," UAE Team Emirates team manager Mauro Gianetti told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"He doesn't want to leave, he's part of the country. What he's doing for Abu Dhabi is worth more than the races he wins. Pogačar is proud of that, he creates enthusiasm, a nation has discovered cycling and he has a great relationship with the royal family.
"Cycling is the national sport. They're building more bike paths, the new track will be ready at the end of 2025 and Abu Dhabi will host the Road World Championships in 2028 and the Track World Championships in 2029."
Pogačar has enjoyed a quiet holiday in Seychelles with his partner and fellow pro rider Urška Žigart after his dominant 2024 season.
He raced for a total of 58 days and won 25 times. He was the first rider since Marco Pantani to complete the Giro-Tour double and joined Eddy Merckx and Stephen Roche by winning the world title in Zurich, completing cycling's triple crown.
"It was a perfect season. I never imagined being at this level," Pogačar said in Abu Dhabi at the recent eSports World Championships. "As long as I have fun, I'll never change. That's how I like cycling, I want to enjoy it. When it's not enjoyable it doesn't make sense to do it.
"I like to test myself and improve, to push my limits as I leave my mark on the sport. I like to enjoy every minute and every race."
Pogačar has often won races with long-distance attacks and solo breakaways, sparking suggestions that his dominance is making the sport boring to watch. He admitted that he has not watched the races he has won for that same reason.
"I've seen some highlights but not full races because I don't know how much fun it is to watch a rider ride 50km alone…" he joked to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates have yet to confirm their goals for 2025 but the season seems to be built around a fourth Tour de France victory.
"The Tour will be central to my season in 2025 and I know I'll clash with Jonas Vingegaard, he's a huge rival and I'm sure he'll be stronger than ever," Pogačar said, revealing some of his other likely goals for 2025. "There'll be Milan-San Remo, something on the cobbles and the Worlds in Africa."
Gianetti made it clear that Pogačar will have a carefully balanced 2025 season, with another Grand Tour double a likely objective.
"He won't start his season early, he also needs time to rest up and recover," the Swiss team manager said.
"He could do another Grand Tour double with the Giro or the Vuelta along with the Tour. He won't do Paris-Roubaix because we can't expect him to always be a phenomenon."
