Decoding the economics of professional cycling
Turning data and complex business models into clear, visual stories.

Inside the UCI’s “Future of Cycling” report — and why its proposals on media rights, team finances, fan engagement and competitive balance connect almost every major economic debate in professional cycling. Professional cycling has rarely lacked audiences, stories or commercial visibility. According to the UCI’s 2026 Future of Cycling report, professional road cycling represents around €850 million in annual team budgets, employs 1,864 people within professional teams, genera

How Unibet Rose Rockets turned a YouTube audience into a professional cycling team — and is now testing whether content, community and a permanent brand can become genuine competitive assets 1. What if you built the fans before you built the team? Professional cycling teams are usually built in a predictable order. Find a sponsor, secure a budget, hire riders and staff, enter races, generate exposure and hope that sporting success gradually creates an audience around the team

From One Cycling to Collective Cycling Group — the battle to fix cycling’s broken business model Professional cycling has rarely looked stronger. Team budgets are reaching unprecedented levels, the biggest riders have become global sports personalities, women’s cycling is expanding rapidly, and the Tour de France remains one of the world’s most powerful annual sporting events. Yet behind that apparent strength sits an economic model that has changed remarkably little. Teams s

Professional cycling has become remarkably good at creating value around its fans. Could pro cycling fan revenue now become a meaningful second income stream for teams? Professional cycling has never lacked fans. What it has lacked is an efficient way of turning those fans into customers. Millions watch the Tour de France, huge crowds line the roads of the Classics, and cycling supporters spend considerable amounts on bikes, apparel, subscriptions, travel and events. More rec

Around 300 cities and regions compete for roughly 30 Tour de France start and finish slots each year. Why do they pay for the privilege? We analyse the costs, economic impact, logistics and business case behind hosting the Tour.