Tadej Pogacar is the highest-paid cyclist in the world but there are a number of riders racing in the Tour de France who also earn a hefty sum, including a Team GB icon
It will come as no surprise to cycling fans that three-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar is the highest earner in the sport in 2025.
Yet, he’s not alone in making an eye-watering sum as the peloton powers towards Paris. While cycling may not have the same financial appeal as other mainstream sports, it’s evident that those at the very top can still earn a substantial amount.
For example Pogacar, the current yellow jersey holder, signed a new contract with UAE Team Emirates XRG in 2024 reportedly worth £7million per year.
That figure shows just how far the Slovenian cyclist, who suffered an early crash in this year’s Tour, is ahead of his rivals, even off the track. Remco Evenepoel, the second-highest earner at the Tour de France, receives an annual salary of just £4.3m – nearly half of Pogacar’s earnings.
The Dutchman could have topped the earnings list himself, having reportedly turned down an £8.7m per year offer from Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Instead, he chose to remain with Soudal-Quick Step and received a more modest pay rise.
Meanwhile, Red Bull team member Primoz Roglic can bank his bronze medal alongside a reported £3.9m salary. Despite being a latecomer to professional cycling, starting at the age of 23, it’s clear 12 years later that he’s made up for lost time.
Sharing the fourth spot are Jonas Vingegaard and Mathieu van der Poel, each reportedly earning £3.5m per annum under their current contracts. Vingegaard, 28, was said to be making a mere £400,000 per year when he secured his first of two Tour de France victories in 2022, but his value has skyrocketed since.
On the other hand, Van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck had to withdraw from this year’s Tour after being diagnosed with pneumonia. The Dutch cyclist was third in the green jersey standings at the time of his exit, which came following the second rest day.
Just outside the top five earners are Wout van Aert and British rider Adam Yates, raking in £3m and £2.35m respectively. Van Aert, known for his intense rivalry with fellow countryman Van der Poel, is celebrated as one of cycling’s most versatile riders due to his success across multiple disciplines.
The same can be said for Britain’s Tom Pidcock, one of the few on this list not currently participating in the Tour de France. Despite having previously represented Ineos Grenadiers in the race, the Yorkshireman and two-time Olympic gold medallist in cross-country doesn’t look likely to return anytime soon.
Pidcock, from Leeds, earns £2.3m per year, comparable to Ineos’ Egan Bernal, another notable absentee from the 2025 Tour. The 2019 Tour champion hasn’t yet made a comeback to the sport’s elite level following severe injuries he sustained during a training accident in Colombia three years ago.
Bernal rakes in a reported £2.2m per year, identical to Grenadiers team-mate Carlos Rodriguez, who finished seventh on last year’s Tour but is hoping to better that in 2025. The 24-year-old signed a new contract until 2027 a couple of years ago, evidence Grenadiers knew exactly the kind of talent they had on their hands early on.
Cycling’s top 10 highest-earning riders in 2025:
10. Carlos Rodriguez (£2.2m)
9. Egan Bernal (£2.2m)
8. Tom Pidcock (£2.3m)
7. Adam Yates (£2.35m)
6. Wout van Aert (£3m)
5. Mathieu van der Poel (£3.5m)
4. Jonas Vingegaard (£3.5m)
3. Primoz Roglic (£3.9m)
2. Remco Evenepoel (£4.3m)
1. Tadej Pogacar (£7m)