Skyrocketing budgets: The financial divide in pro cycling

January 5, 2026

Money talks–especially in sports. As budgets and star salaries in the pro peloton continue to rise, critics say that makes competition less equal and the sport harder to access for smaller teams. Recently, there have been some interesting reports on the financial state of affairs in cycling, which point to the growing disparity between squads.

According to UCI figures cited by CyclingUpToDate, the traditional 18-team WorldTour saw total budgets climb. They went from €473 million (around CAD 700 million) in 2023 to €570 million (CAD 844 million) in 2025.

With the inclusion of two ProTeams guaranteed entry to all major races, the projected combined budget for 20 teams in 2026 is a big ole €663 million (CAD 980 million). That raises the average budget per team from €31.6 million (CAD 47 million) to €33.1 million (CAD 49 million).

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that UAE Team Emirates – XRG and Visma – Lease a Bike operate near €50 million (CAD 74 million). Meanwhile, Lidl-Trek, Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe, and INEOS Grenadiers are around €45 million (CAD 67 million). Cycling Magazine