Top 10 highest paid professional cyclists in 2026
Explore the highest-paid male professional cyclists featuring the likes of Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic
What are the salaries of the world’s top male cyclists in 2026? From Tour de France winners to Monument specialists, we break down the highest-paid riders in the peloton. The figures shown below refer to annual base salary only - they do not include performance bonuses, prize money or income from personal sponsors.
What does Tadej Pogačar earn?
No surprise here: Tadej Pogačar remains the highest-paid cyclist in the world in 2026. After claiming both the Tour de France and World Championships in 2025, the Slovenian superstar has solidified his reputation - and his contract.
According to sources, Pogačar earns approximately €8.million per year from UAE Team Emirates-XRG. His contract carries performance bonuses of €1 million for the Tour de France, €500,000 for the Giro and Vuelta, and €250,000 for the Worlds. His wins in France and at the Worlds in 2025 earned him about €1.25 million in bonuses, while seven one-day victories, including three Monuments, and two stage race titles added prestige more than pay.
Pogačar works with nine partners: Colnago, DMT, MET, Continental, Enervit, Jana, Plume, the Slovenian Tourism Board and MyWhoosh. Together they bring in around €2 million per year, with new deals expected to double that figure.
Evenepoel and Vingegaard close behind
After his transfer to Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe in 2026, Belgian star Remco Evenepoel follows in second, earning €6.6 million per year.
Two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard earns €5 million at Team Visma | Lease a Bike, placing him third overall.
What about Van der Poel and Van Aert?
Just below him are three riders on €4 million: world champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Wout van Aert (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Primož Roglič (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe).
Roglič’s high-profile transfer from Jumbo-Visma to Red Bull in late 2023 was one of the biggest moves of the decade, cementing his place among the sport’s top earners.
Rounding out the top 10
The rest of the list features Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, €2.7 million), Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates-XRG, €2.7 million), Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers, €2.5 million) and Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS Grenadiers, €2.5 million).
Further down the list
Just below cycling’s top earners is a tier made up of key lieutenants in Grand Tours, accomplished one-day specialists and experienced stage racers. Riders in this bracket often combine leadership duties in smaller races with support roles in the biggest events. Contracts here can range from around €1 million to €2 million a year, with some trusted domestiques approaching the seven-figure mark. Established road captains and dependable all-rounders in this group typically earn between €450,000 and €700,000 per season, depending on their role and results.
Top 10 highest paid cyclists 2025
| Rider | Team | Salary € |
|---|---|---|
Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 8 million |
Remco Evenepoel | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | 6.6 million |
Jonas Vingegaard | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | 5 million |
Mathieu van der Poel | Alpecin-Premier Tech | 4 million |
Wout van Aert | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | 4 million |
Primož Roglič | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | 4 million |
Tom Pidcock | Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | 2.7 million |
Adam Yates | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 2.7 million |
Egan Bernal | INEOS Grenadiers | 2.5 million |
Carlos Rodríguez | INEOS Grenadiers | 2.5 million |
What is the average salary of pro cyclists in WorldTour?
The UCI shared average salary figures for WorldTour riders in 2026:
- Self-employed riders: average €654,000 (€636.000 in 2025)
- Employed riders: average €384,000 (€366.000 in 2025)
- Overall average: around €538,000 (€500.000 in 2025)
But note that this is an average which is being influenced by the top salaries. Most WorldTour professionals earn between €250,000-400,000 annually.
What is the average salary of a domestique in cycling?
Many domestiques are taking home less than €150,000, according to sources close to Velo.
What is the minimum wage of a professional cyclist?
WorldTour riders earned a minimum of €42,000 a year in 2025, enough for newcomers to cover basic expenses.
For 2026, UCI WorldTour men's cyclists will earn a minimum of around €44,150 (employed) or €72,404 (self-employed), while Women's WorldTour minimums rise to €38,000 (employed) or €62,320 (self-employed),
Sources: Gazzetta dello Sport, Velo, Grand Fondo Guide, Statista, Calcio e Finanza, Total Velo, Het Laatste Nieuws, cyclistshub
