From 250kg of Salmon to a Piglet - The most remarkable prizes in professional cycling

In a sport steeped in tradition and ritual, professional cycling has never shied away from the eccentric. Beyond the glory, the jerseys and the champagne sprays, there’s another side to victory that makes you raise an eyebrow or smile in disbelief.

The Belgian classic Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne awards winners with a cuddly stuffed donkey toy, honouring a local nickname dating back generations. Merchants from Kuurne were called "donkeys" by neighbours in Kortrijk because they travelled to market with donkey-pulled carts, a heritage now celebrated through this unique prize.

The winner of Tirreno-Adriatico receives one of cycling's most recognisable prizes: a large gilded trident. Since its introduction in 2010, this "Sea Master Trophy" represents Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, acknowledging the race's coast-to-coast format. The ceremonial presentation begins days before the race when Italian Coast Guard divers symbolically raise the trident from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

In keeping with the marine theme, the general classification leader's jersey is blue. Juan Ayuso was the winner of the trident in 2025, and since its inclusion, Vincenzo Nibali, Nairo Quintana, Tadej Pogačar and Primož Roglič have won the trident twice. 

Perhaps the most unusual is the piglet presented at Tro-Bro Léon to the highest-placed Breton rider due to the race being held in Finistère, Brittany. Former professional Laurent Pichon has experienced this peculiar honour three times despite never winning the race outright.

Born in Finistère himself, Pichon says the prize holds a special place in his heart. “It represents our culture,” he explained to Cycling Weekly. “This is a very agricultural region, and giving a pig to the first Breton rider is a nice touch.” Each time he won, the piglet was cared for by a farmer friend in northern Finistère, until, as Pichon puts it with a laugh, “they were turned into sausages. They had a great life. That’s what makes good pigs.”

Italy's grand tour presents winners with the iconic Trofeo Senza Fine, aptly named "The Trophy With No End." This masterpiece requires a full month of meticulous craftsmanship.

"The unique design has each of the race's winners engraved into its metallic helter-skelter and is made using a custom-made mould at a small workshop in Veneto," according to Giro officials.

The trophy's distinctive spiral design has become so iconic that it appears in the Giro's logo, on-screen graphics, and even on the maglia rosa itself, with "the most recent iterations of the pink jersey featuring Trofeo Senza Fine-inspired zips."

The 2025 edition saw the introduction of a bizarre prize. Daily leaders of the general classification now receive boxes of underwear alongside their maglia rosa, courtesy of male underwear brand Iuman, the current lead sponsor of the maglia rosa.

The Arctic Race of Norway has made waves with its unique King of the Mountains prize. While previous winners received a staggering 500kg of premium salmon, the 2025 edition introduced a slightly different approach.

For example, Norwegian rider Morthen Wang Bakass experienced this firsthand after winning a KoM sprint to Husøy during stage 3, immediately receiving 100kg of salmon from sponsor B.R Karlsen, and in total, 250kg of salmon was awarded throughout the Norwegian stage race

Beyond seafood, the race offers other distinctive rewards. The best Norwegian rider of each stage receives a polar bear plush toy wearing a Norwegian jersey, while leaders of the general and youth classifications receive custom trophies crafted by students participating in the Equinor School Contest.

It’s only fitting that the winner of Paris-Roubaix gets to take home their very own cobblestone trophy, an iconic prize for an iconic race. Few trophies in cycling are as instantly recognisable or as heavy with symbolism, carved from the same brutal pavé that defines the race itself. 

For Dylan van Baarle and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, partners off the bike, that symbolism runs even deeper. After Ferrand-Prévot’s dominant victory in 2025, she smiled and said she was proud to follow Van Baarle’s example from the year before: “Pretty cool to have two cobblestones at home.” Two stones, side by side, a shared monument to the Queen of the Classics.

The X2O Badkamers Trofee Cyclocross series embraces duck-themed celebrations, with plastic ducks becoming the signature prize, and gigantic inflatable ducks spread across the course. After switching to soft toy variants in recent seasons, the 2025/26 campaign will see the big-sized plastic ducks return for the race winners.

Duck enthusiasm extends throughout these events, with spectators at races like Koppenbergcross in 2024 receiving free duck hats, while beer tents operate under the banner of "Ducky Fest."

Cyclocross has had some other unique prizes over the years due to varying sponsors, with even showers being awarded to the winner of races.

The prestigious Donostia Klasikoa San Sebastián one-day race honours Basque tradition by presenting winners with a "txapela", a traditional Basque beret symbolising pride, resilience and regional identity. 

The gesture reflects the deep connection between the race and its homeland, where cycling and culture are inseparable. Donning the black beret on the podium has become a mark of respect for the Basque Country itself, as much as a celebration of victory.

The one-day Paris-Camembert race takes a distinctly French approach to rewarding its champion, offering the winner their bodyweight in Camembert cheese. It is a playful nod to Normandy’s famous dairy heritage, linking sport and gastronomy in the most literal way. 

While few riders are believed to collect the full prize, the tradition endures as one of cycling’s most charming and eccentric customs, reminding everyone that in France, even victory tastes like cheese.