Pro Cyclist salaries

[scooter01]

http://sportsmaza.com/cycling/pro-cyclists-salary/

I was searching for Tejay news and found this.
These guys sure suffer an awful lot for very little money compared to other sports.

[AngryScientist]

generally, the amount of suffering involved rarely correlates to the paycheck directly.

[Shortsocks]

This article seems wrong. It has Peter Sagans salary at:

SAGAN Peter Tinkoff – Saxo Slovakia 198,240 USD

I thought he was at 4 million Euro?

[Shortsocks]

generally, the amount of suffering involved rarely correlates to the paycheck directly.

What is insane is I know for a fact AngryScientist makes 5 bucks foe every post he writes up here on PL. :eek:

[Lanternrouge]

I'm not a gambler, but I would still wager against the accuracy of the information. Still, they do make way less than people in other pro sports who suffer less. If I had a choice, I'd choose to be talented at another sport (I'm not at any) or something else (maybe predicting which way stocks will move) other than cycling.

[chiasticon]

This article seems wrong. It has Peter Sagans salary at:

SAGAN Peter Tinkoff – Saxo Slovakia 198,240 USD

I thought he was at 4 million Euro?yeah this is a garbage article. English is terrible and many of these figures are against commonly known values.

this is more legit: http://www.skysports.com/cycling/news/21683/9914043/just-how-much-do-chris-froome-and-the-rest-of-the-peloton-earn

does a lot better breakdown of what each rider earns, depending on their role, seniority, palmares, etc.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Salary is salary. Most top tier professional athletes make much more money from endorsements, right?

But, it's true that if you wouldn't wouldn't recognize their name, they're not rolling in the dough. But base salary for MLB is still a cool half million so it certainly depends on the popularity of the sport.

[tiretrax]

This article seems wrong. It has Peter Sagans salary at:

SAGAN Peter Tinkoff – Saxo Slovakia 198,240 USD

I thought he was at 4 million Euro?

Sagan's salary is subsidized by Specialized - he may be getting 198k on the books for UCI purposes. It's not like there's a salary cap in cycling.

[FlashUNC]

Inrng had a series of stories several years ago (I think 2011) around rider contracts and how they're structured and how teams payout. Long story short, they're largely treated like freelance contractors, with teams incorporating in friendly tax havens to avoid income taxes that they may face if they organize in other parts of the continent.

Also, in Peter's case, let's remember his primary employer ultimately is Specialized. Much like LeBron James' primary employer is Nike, not the Cleveland Cavaliers. So Peter may have a comparatively small contract, but a far larger sponsorship agreement that is his primary source of income.

Pro cycling desperately needs more organized labor.

[Joxster]

My first pro contract was £5,500 basic back in 1987

[jlwdm]

Reports are that Sagan's new three year deal with Bora is worth about 4m euros per year.

Jeff

[denapista]

I just think of these guys like those who work at bike shops. They love cycling and make enough money to support their cycling lifestyles... My buddies who work at bike shops do it not for the money, but to support their lifestyles that revolve around cycling (Cycling trips, Free gear or heavily discounted, etc).

If you're a pro and making (According to that misguiding list) $160k a year... I mean, that's pretty damn good money to travel the world, Race the best races and get free bike stuff all year round.. I don't make $160k and have to come into an office daily and get out of the country maybe once every few years. Suffering has nothing to do with it. If they really wanted to make stupid money and not suffer, they should have taken up Golf, Baseball or Tennis.

I'm guessing every one of those guys who race professionally, do it because they love cycling. The fact most of them make upwards to 6 figures for doing it, only adds to the joy or racing a bike.

[beeatnik]

It's better to love futbol

[EDS]

http://sportsmaza.com/cycling/pro-cyclists-salary/

I was searching for Tejay news and found this.
These guys sure suffer an awful lot for very little money compared to other sports.

I like how some of the riders are from "Franch."

[notsew]

Philosophically, I'd say all the other sports are the ones with their salaries out of line. Its hard for me to take a lot of pity on anyone getting paid to play a game.

All that being what it is, the athletes should get their fair share, but, I don't totally understand the financial dynamics of pro cycling. Is anyone making big money on cycling? The race promoters, maybe? Seems like a sport predicated on being a hobby for the rich (and not in the incredibly profitable way US pro sports are).

[Mark McM]

Reports are that Sagan's new three year deal with Bora is worth about 4m euros per year.

But isn't Specialized coming with him when he transfers? As indicated earlier, maybe a portion of his pay is coming directly from Specialized.

[martl]

I like how some of the riders are from "Franch."

yeah this is a garbage article. English is terrible and many of these figures are against commonly known values.

this is more legit: http://www.skysports.com/cycling/news/21683/9914043/just-how-much-do-chris-froome-and-the-rest-of-the-peloton-earn

does a lot better breakdown of what each rider earns, depending on their role, seniority, palmares, etc.


There are people whose first language ain't english and yet they still sometimes have something legit to say, though in this specific case, i doubt it somehow :)

Actually i don't really think the skysports article is much better. A "basic domestique" earns 140.000-400.000 british pounds?! i'm by no means an insider, but i read my "rough ride" and "domestique", a few other books on that subject, and also have talked to few ex-riders.
Sums like this may be made by a very few in the very top teams like Sky, or in the past Discovery Channel or Telekom. And only if you call someone who makes the TdF squad of a GC favourites team a "basic domestique".
BTW the USPS salary table was leaked a few years ago and even big names were far from those sums.

German rider Dirk Baldinger (active in the late 1990ies) said in an interview he got the equvalent of 40000DM (20000€) in his second year as a pro at Polti, also it was payed in Lira and only worth 2/3 of that after the season. Also payment was erratic. Pricemoney and appearance fees at small races were essential to pay the monthly bills.

I doubt that situation changed significantly since then, espaecially at the "tier 2" teams.


https://fotos.rennrad-news.de/f3/4/426/426296-r7udwhmh8zq4-bb4qudoicaayycg-medium.png (http://fotos.rennrad-news.de/p/426296)

[jlwdm]

But isn't Specialized coming with him when he transfers? As indicated earlier, maybe a portion of his pay is coming directly from Specialized.

That was quoted as his salary with Specialized paying part of it.

Jeff

[Joxster]

All prize money is paid at the end of the year, when the UCI pays it out and after any fines are deducted, then it is divided up between the swannies, spanners and other staff. The riders "donate" 50% winnings to the pot and the sponsors make up the win bonus. We don't ride bikes to make money, we win races to shag podium girls and because we want the adulation of being the best. Getting paid to do it is a dream come true, hence why the money was always rubbish till LA became the marketers wet dream. Before the UK was any good at cycling the GB federation paid the salary of the likes of Boardman, Hayles, Cummings etc etc to get them on a pro team and if they performed then the team took them on. I also know of a riders girlfriends dad that paid for a rider to get on to the Motorola team for two years.

[shovelhd]

Domestic pros I know make between $5k-$20k if they're good, and between $30k-$50k if they're great.

[Scuzzer]

My first pro contract was £5,500 basic back in 1987

So awesome to be paid to ride a bike. Poor career choice, but so awesome.

[peanutgallery]

Interesting

CVV and George were vastly overpaid for their results. Floyd was a deal and I'm not sure why Michal Barry even bothered

Thanks for sharing

There are people whose first language ain't english and yet they still sometimes have something legit to say, though in this specific case, i doubt it somehow :)

Actually i don't really think the skysports article is much better. A "basic domestique" earns 140.000-400.000 british pounds?! i'm by no means an insider, but i read my "rough ride" and "domestique", a few other books on that subject, and also have talked to few ex-riders.
Sums like this may be made by a very few in the very top teams like Sky, or in the past Discovery Channel or Telekom. And only if you call someone who makes the TdF squad of a GC favourites team a "basic domestique".
BTW the USPS salary table was leaked a few years ago and even big names were far from those sums.

German rider Dirk Baldinger (active in the late 1990ies) said in an interview he got the equvalent of 40000DM (20000€) in his second year as a pro at Polti, also it was payed in Lira and only worth 2/3 of that after the season. Also payment was erratic. Pricemoney and appearance fees at small races were essential to pay the monthly bills.

I doubt that situation changed significantly since then, espaecially at the "tier 2" teams.


https://fotos.rennrad-news.de/f3/4/426/426296-r7udwhmh8zq4-bb4qudoicaayycg-medium.png (http://fotos.rennrad-news.de/p/426296)

[don compton]

This article seems wrong. It has Peter Sagans salary at:

SAGAN Peter Tinkoff – Saxo Slovakia 198,240 USD

I thought he was at 4 million Euro?
In cycling terms, Sagan makes a lot of money ( $6,000,000 plus)
Last year Jordan Spieth made over $ 55,000,000 and turned away many deals.
As long as cycling is run by the two European newspapers, it will be a poor man's sport for all but a few cyclists.

[martl]

Interesting

CVV and George were vastly overpaid for their results. Floyd was a deal and I'm not sure why Michal Barry even bothered


Maybe so, i didn't follow that team closely enough to form an opinion - but "results" is the wrong yardstick for certain roles. Wegelius says something like "when i have ridden so hard for my captain that i'm completely worn out with 20km to go and finish dead last, then i know i've done my job well".

[LouDeeter]

As many have pointed out, endorsements and other payments far exceed salary. There is a big difference between salary and "earnings". Even among the super compensated, like CEOs, their bonus is likely a multiple of their salary. Same with top cyclists.

[nooneline]

Meanwhile, a rider I know who signed for a pro crit team in the USA got a wage of $3000/year.

[oldpotatoe]

So awesome to be paid to ride a bike. Poor career choice, but so awesome.

I've talked to a few pros...lots around the republic, some present, some past and they all said, sure, great to ride/race/getfreekit/travel and get paid for it BUT they all also said..

raining-gotta still ride..
cold/maybe snow-gotta still ride,
windy/cold/wet-gotta still ride,
not feeling well?-gotta still ride..
tired-gotta still ride, then travel, eat strange food, sleep in crappy hotels...so,

Yup, but not always ponies and kittens..

[bigbill]

In the early 90's I was living in Charleston, SC. We had an early season crit that paid big money. I'd host riders at my house and got to know a few including Greg Oravetz, Dave Mann, Declan Lonergan, Paul McCormick, and Gary Mulder. They have very low expectations, they were mostly happy not to be in a hotel. My washing machine was running around the clock and as long as I had milk in the fridge and boxes of cereal, they were happy. They had great stories to tell, but pretty much nothing to their name other than equipment and reputation. It's cool to do something you love and get paid for it, but a pro cyclist is a short career and not much that you can carry over into another career.

[BobbyJones]

Everyone else has said it- those numbers are wayyyyyy off.

The Tailwind scan is dated, but keep in mind that on a team here in the US the roster will have riders who aren't full-time racers. At least the UCI has a minimum salary.

Bottom line, Bike Racing is like being a musician. You don't do it for the money, but if it happens it's a heck of a nice perk.

[peanutgallery]

George and CVV were kinda there, hard to believe that Michael Barry was doped to the gills for like 50k a year. He should have worked on his forehand or golf swing

Not a real living

Maybe so, i didn't follow that team closely enough to form an opinion - but "results" is the wrong yardstick for certain roles. Wegelius says something like "when i have ridden so hard for my captain that i'm completely worn out with 20km to go and finish dead last, then i know i've done my job well".

[weisan]

We don't ride bikes to make money, we win races to shag podium girls and because we want the adulation of being the best.

You can't put a price tag on that. ;)

[Ronsonic]

generally, the amount of suffering involved rarely correlates to the paycheck directly.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w258/Ronsonic/Worms.gif

[jlwdm]

Looks like some riders are getting some much bigger contracts now as a few teams are fighting for points to make the World Tour cut. Dimension Data is probably going to lose out.

Rumor that Ben Swift is going to get a contract for 500,000 euros because of his second place Milan San Remo points.

Jeff