UAE-Team Emirates hoping to strike gold again with Pogacar: talks of a 200 million (!) escape clause in progress

At the age of 25, Tadej Pogacar is of course already financially comfortable due to his cycling achievements, but if it's up to the big bosses at UAE-Team Emirates, there could be even more on the way. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, negotiations will soon be held (again) concerning a renewed contract for the Slovenian superstar.

With his victory in the Giro d'Italia, Pogacar racked up more than 400,000 euros in prize money, although the majority of this will be distributed among his fellow cyclists and staff members of UAE-Team Emirates. The major windfall for the Slovenian himself could come with a renewed contract, prompting immediate action in the United Arab Emirates.

Pogacar is currently contracted until 2027, but the sheikhs in the Middle East are eager to extend the contract of their golden boy. This is linked to the Cycling World Championships in Abu Dhabi in 2028, although those do not seem to have a course particularly suited to the Slovenian's strengths: at the explicit request of the UCI, this will likely be a World Championship for sprinters.

UAE-Team Emirates wants to firmly lock down Pogacar

One of the team's chairmen traveled to Italy at the end of the Giro to discuss preliminary matters. At the moment, Pogacar is said to be earning six million euros per season, while an escape clause, like those known in football, has also been set. This is currently set at 150 million euros, the kind of amounts that are not often thrown around in cycling.

With the new agreement, which according to La Gazzetta dello Sport is imminent, there would be an increase: Pogacar's salary would increase to eight million euros, but his escape clause would also be raised to about 180 or even 200 million euros. This would be for a contract extending until 2029 or even 2030 for the 25-year-old rider.