Budget cap a 'meaningless proposal' according to Tadej Pogacar's agent - "Has Leo Messi ever slept in a 2-star hotel with a shared bathroom before a Champions League"

Alex Carera is the agent of Tadej Pogacar and Jasper Philipsen among other big figures in the peloton and so he has an important view on the topic of salary caps. However, he admits that he does not believe it is a good idea and explains his point of view.

"Many people have asked my opinion about the budget cap/salary cap - I think it is a meaningless proposal," Carera said in an Instagram post. "In every sport, the best people have to win, so if the best managers are able to find more economic resources it is correct that their teams are more successful than others. It is like asking Tadej, Jonas, Mathieu or Remco to start the race with weights on their backs to make the races more balanced. but it is more fair to invest on training, nutrition and materials to approach these athletes rather than asking them to put a ‘weight’ on their backs."

In recent years more money has been flowing in into cycling, first with Team Sky, now also UAE Team Emirates and Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Big sponsors such as Lidl and Red Bull have over the past few months also associated themselves with two more teams whilst salaries are increasing both in the men's and women's side. Demi Vollering was reportedly offered the first millionaire contract in women's cycling by UAE Team ADQ - which is by no means officialized yet - whilst Carera's own Pogacar is said to be the best payed male rider with a yearly €6 million a year.

With the increasing popularity of cycling, entrance of Netflix and teams themselves making documentaries on the sport and other factors, it is not expected that there will be a slowdown in the sport's growth, which opens up more financial opportunities. However this can also see a growing disparity between the top teams and those who do not have similar budget. Such worries do get to some fans, whilst riders also feel the difference between team quality.

"In the NBA, all the teams have the same tax regime so you cannot compare WT cycling with Basketball League. In the last 12 months, big brands such as Lidl, Red bull, Decathlon, Tudor have chosen cycling bringing a benefit to the whole movement; the hope is that other brands can follow this process to make the sport more interesting and with more global value;" Carera adds.

He believes that implementing a budget cap would be a limitation to the sport and would hamper the top teams from performing at their desired level: "Institutions must improve safety for athletes and improve their image at every stage. Has Leo Messi ever slept in a 2-star hotel with a shared bathroom before a Champions League."