Cycling as a sport has been around for decades and is on the list of the highest-paid sports. Although it might not be in the top-5, cycling has always been in the top-10 positions. Interestingly, some of the prestigious cycling tournaments top the highest-paying event lists.

One of the first cyclist to earn recognition was Charles Minthorn Murphy. In 1899, the American became the first cyclist to cover a mile under a minute, and was given the nickname “Mile-a-Minute Murphy.”

Tour de France is the highest paying cycling event

The most prestigious cycling event, the Tour de France, started in 1903. While cyclists don’t earn a lot in their early years, once they elevate to pro-level, their payday gets better. The pro continental riders usually make around $26,200 to $171,200 per annum.

Once cyclists reach the UCI World Tour, their minimum salary increases to $2.35M. Legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong is the highest ever paid cyclist in the world. Armstrong has a net worth of $50 million. Interestingly, at the peak of his career, Lance had a net worth of $125 million. While multiple controversies have dotted Lance’s contentious career, there is little doubt that he still remains one of the most common names in Pro Cycling.

Also read: Everything You Need to Know About UCI Cycling Championships 2021: Rules, Prize Money, Participants

Peter Sagan, Chris Froome, the highest-paid cyclists in 2021

Slovakian professional cyclist Peter Sagan topped the list of high-paid cyclists in 2021. 31-year-old Peter earns a whopping USD 7 million annually. Sagan has been competing for the UCI World Team Bora–Hansgrohe. However, he will switch to UCI Pro Team Total Energies in 2022.

The British road cyclist, Chris Froome, follows Peter in the second position with an annual income of over USD 6 million. Chris competes for the UCI World Team Israel Start-Up Nation. Froome has clinched seven grand tours in his career, including four editions of Tour de France.

Italian cyclist Vincenzo Nibali is the third highest-paid cyclist in the world. Also known as the “Shark of the Strait”, Nibali earns over USD 4.6 million per annum. Vincenzo competes for UCI World Team Trek–Segafredo.

UCI World Team Movistar Team member Alejandro Valverde is the fourth highest-paid player. The Spanish road cyclist takes home around $4.1 million per year. While Tom Dumoulin is in the fifth position with 3.5 million USD. The Dutchman, Tom, competes for the UCI World team Jumbo–Visma.

Laura Kenny is one of the most successful women cyclists. Kenny has clinched six Olympic medals in her career. Apart from the match-winning prize money, cyclists also earn from their endorsements and sponsorships.

Also read: Is Cycling An Expensive Sport?