Evenepoel becomes the second highest paid cyclist after signing with RedBull

Evenepoel was already in the Top 3 of the highest-paid cyclists in the peloton, but his new contract, estimated at up to 8 million euros annually, places him just behind Tadej Pogačar in the salary ranking of the professional peloton.

Remco Evenepoel becomes the second highest-paid cyclist in the world with his millionaire signing by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe

Remco Evenepoel has just signed one of the most lucrative contracts in the history of professional cycling. His incorporation into Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe from 2026 will not only open a new sporting stage for him, but also catapult him directly to number 2 in the ranking of the highest-paid cyclists in the world.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the agreement signed by the Belgian Olympic champion would be valued at around 8 million euros annually, a figure that could increase even more thanks to performance bonuses and other incentives included in a multi-year contract that would exceed 20 million euros in total.

Although we already mentioned here that Pidcock's salary when signing with Q36.5 could be between 7.5 and 8 million, the only one currently surpassing Evenepoel in real terms is Tadej Pogačar, who maintains his status as the highest-paid in the peloton with an estimated figure between 8 and 12 million euros per year thanks to his contract with UAE Emirates-XRG that extends until 2029.

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Behind Evenepoel would be the aforementioned Pidcock and then Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), with a salary ranging between 4.5 and 5.5 million euros annually. The two-time Tour de France winner has a contract valid until 2028, although some media outlets take for granted that he is significantly underpaid considering his sporting achievements.

This list also highlights the growing salary inequality in professional cycling. While the top 10 cyclists accumulate record figures, the average salary of a WorldTour cyclist is around 250,000 to 400,000 euros annually, and there are still many domestiques who today earn below 150,000 euros.

The minimum salary for WorldTour riders is set at 42,000 euros annually, although in high-budget ProTeam teams like Israel Premier Tech or Lotto Dstny, there are cyclists who also reach seven-figure contracts.

Evenepoel's contract not only reshapes the transfer market, but also marks a new era in the economy of cycling and highlights the major financial problem that cycling will face in the coming years.