If you have been watching the Tour de France you will have heard some of the commentators talk about prize money. Whether it’s a sprint point, a KOM (King Of the Mountians) point, or a stage finish there is always some coin that’s on the line. How much? A lot!
The big cash prizes are for the overall winners of each jersey at the end of the race, and they are as follows;
Overall leader – Prize money: €450,000 ($635,000 USD) for the winner of the final classification. The last time Lance won this he voluntarily split the dough among his teammates… and why not… they killed themselves for the guy.
King of the Mountains – Prize money: €25,000 for the winner of the “mountain classification”
Sprinters Jesery – Prize money: €25,000 for the winner of the classification on points.
Young Rider – Prize money: €20,000 for the best young rider.
Prize money: € 50,000 for the winning team (combined time of the teams top three riders).
But if you re not wearing one of those fancy jerseys don’t fret, you still have a chance to win some cold hard cash. If you finish the race you will always get at least a few bucks. Last place gets €400 ($564.00 USD) with no questions asked. But who really wants to be last? Top 10 finishers get the following (1 EUR = 1.41 USD)
- 1st – €450,000 (yellow jesery)
- 2nd – €200,000
- 3rd – €100,000
- 4th – €70,000
- 5th – €50,000
- 6-th – €23,000
- 7th – €11,500
- 8th – €7,600
- 9th – €4,500
- 10th – €3,800 and so on…..
If you really want the big bucks and you dont have the Yellow… well…
If you just happened to be on Mark Cavendish’s wheel 50 meters from the line and manage to squeeze by him you could find yourself with a nice €8,000 ($11,290 USD) (Prize money: €8,000 for each stage victory, €10,000 for the team time-trial stage)
But what happens if you can’t compete with Mark Cavendish on the line and you still need to pay for you’re new leg waxing? Well, you can always try and get into a breakaway and get those mid race sprint points. They are a few on almost every stage, and so far this year they have hardly been “sprint” points. Most of the time the break just rolls across them as if they weren’t ever there. Each of these lines can score you €800 ($1,128.00 USD) for first, €450 for second, and €300 for third. Not bad at all.
If you’re not a sprinter… how about trying the mountains. For all the Hors catégorie mountains (the bad ass ones) you get the same amount of money as the mid race sprint lines - €800 ($1,128.00 USD) for first, €450 for second, and €300 for third.
For First category mountains (the ones that can still tear the pack apart) it goes something like this – €650 ($917.00 USD) for first, €400 for second, and €250 for third.
For Second category mountains - €500 ($705.00 USD) for first, and €250 for second, and no third place prize.
For Third category mountains - €300 ($423.00 USD) for the first one over, nothing after that.
And for the Fourth category mounds you win a measly- €200 ($282.00 USD).
Ok, so you’re not a sprinter or a climber but you still need to bring home the bacon. How about just busting your ass for your team and hope they do well. At the end of each stage the fastest team (combined time of each teams top three riders) gets a nice €2800 ($3,952.00 USD).
So you suck at sprinting, no good at climbing, and your team sucks… what do you do. You run to your wallet and check your birth date on your drivers license! If you happen to be a young rider and cross the line in time to wear the White Jersey on your back you get a cold hard €500 ($750 USD).
The only other option to get the bills paid is to just go out each day and kill yourself. That is, become the most aggressive rider of that day. Attack Attack Attack… and you could find €2000 ($2,820 USD) waiting for you at the end of the day. If you do this enough you might just be named the more aggressive ride of the whole Tour and get a whopping €20000 ($28,2070 USD) at the end.
Anyway you put it there is a lot of cash to be had at the Tour. And to think that all this money doesent even come close to the endorcements dollars that Lance sees.
Not sure if this cash goes right into the riders pocket or if there is a contract agreement with the team stating that winnings will be paid to them… who knows. What I do know is that if your a good rider you can see some major $$$ in the race.
You can read more about the Tour Prizes, Rules, and regulations with the offical race guide here http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/docs/reglement_us.pdf
I think the prize purse is pathetic for how grueling and long the event is. If pro cyclists spent as much time practicing golf as cycling.. they’d be rich in the PGA. However, golf sucks.
1. Tigers Woods (estimated $111 Million)
2. Oscar De La Hoya ($55 Million)
3. Phil Mickelson ($51 Million)
* $47M of it came from endorsements. It obviously pays to be a golfer.
4. Shaq O’Neal ($35 Million)
5. Fernando Alonso ($35 Million)
* He’s a Spanish formula one driver.
What was Lance Armstrong’s earnings in 2005?
28 million – he’d be on par with Alex Rodriguez and Yao Ming.
THe rumor is that Fernando Alonso is starting his pn pro-tour cycling team next year with Contador to star on it. So Contador would be working for Alonso. What does that tell you about the pecking order.
I’d be choked if any of the top 5 in the GC didn’t split the purse with their teammates. Yes, there’s one individual winner but they wouldn’t be anywhere without their team.
Carson, the average pro-tour rider probably made less than you did in 2008 but at least they have their expenses paid. The average pro-triathlete probably made less than you did last month and will be relying on a friend’s or parent’s basement for somewhere to call home. Its not really a job if you can’t earn enough money to pay rent.
Hey Carson,
Didn’t get to say a proper goodbye as I was in Winnipeg when you left- Sorry to see you go!
send me an email
Heh Carson!
Hear you’re in town for a bit. I have a little ride and run planned on Saturday. Markus might join as well.
Sunday I am planning a swim at Ghost Damn and a short ride after.
Just wondering if you would be interested??? Or you can sit in our backyard with Mark and smoke cigars and drink some sort fruity beverage…
Later gater
Alicia