{"id":1216,"date":"2025-07-07T08:56:27","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T00:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aiwiselnk.com\/?p=1216"},"modified":"2025-07-07T09:35:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T01:35:55","slug":"startup-commentarybicycles-are-expensive-but-cycling-is-a-poor-sport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aiwiselnk.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/07\/startup-commentarybicycles-are-expensive-but-cycling-is-a-poor-sport\/","title":{"rendered":"Startup Commentary”Bicycles Are Expensive, but Cycling Is a “Poor” Sport”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Positive Comments: Dual Breakthroughs in the Mature Operation of the Tour de France and the Cultural Value of Cycling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As one of the most influential cycling events globally, the Tour de France’s mature commercial operation model and cultural dissemination value provide important support for the development of cycling. Judging from the information disclosed in the news, the successful operation of the Tour de France demonstrates its positive significance at least on three levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, the Tour de France has built an efficient commercial ecosystem for the event. Through decades of in – depth cultivation, the organizer, A.S.O., has turned the Tour de France into a benchmark case of “event IP + diversified revenues”. Its revenue sources cover multiple dimensions such as broadcasting, sponsorship, city cooperation, and authorized merchandise: In 2024, the broadcasting revenue of the Tour de France exceeded 100 million euros, and the cumulative number of viewers reached 3.52 billion; 61 partner brands covered ten major categories, forming a dense sponsorship network; the “start\/end fees” paid by host cities (e.g., Florence paid 3 million euros) and the participation fees of teams (250,000 euros per team) further enriched the revenue pool. This “no – ticket but high – revenue” model breaks through the limitation of traditional sports events relying on box office, providing a replicable template for the commercialization of long – distance outdoor events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, the Tour de France promotes the globalization and popularization of cycling. The high attention of the event (3.52 billion viewers) not only attracts local enthusiasts in Europe but also radiates globally through digital platforms, stimulating the public’s interest in cycling. For example, the “high – difficulty race courses” of the Tour de France (such as the classic Milan – San Remo race with a single – day distance of 289 kilometers and an average daily cycling distance of 160 kilometers in the Tour de France) itself is a brand label of “extreme sports”, attracting a large number of cycling enthusiasts who pursue challenges; the personal IP effect of star cyclists (such as Tadej Poga\u010dar) further amplifies the influence of the sport through commercial endorsements (such as Continental tires and MET helmets), promoting the development of related industries such as cycling equipment consumption and cycling tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the Tour de France provides a value anchor of the “top – level stage” for professional cycling. Although there are structural dilemmas in the income of teams and cyclists, the status of the Tour de France as the “highest hall of cycling” still provides upward motivation for the entire industry. For example, although the minimum annual salary of WorldTour cyclists (44,150 euros in 2025) is lower than that of football and basketball players, it forms an obvious “step – by – step incentive” compared with secondary teams (with a monthly salary of 2,000 – 4,000 euros); the annual salary of millions of euros of star cyclists like Tadej Poga\u010dar has become the goal for ordinary cyclists to strive for. This chain of “top – level event – star effect – industry incentive” maintains the talent reserve and competitive vitality of professional cycling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Negative Comments: The Paradox of “Top – Level Events and Bottom – Level Livelihoods” under Structural Imbalance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although top – level events like the Tour de France have achieved success in commercial operation, there is a serious structural imbalance in the economic ecosystem behind them, leading to the paradox of “the event making huge profits while teams and cyclists struggle to survive”. This problem is mainly reflected in three aspects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, the interest distribution between the event organizer and the participants is seriously uneven. As the organizer of the Tour de France, A.S.O. obtains hundreds of millions of euros in revenue through channels such as broadcasting, sponsorship, and city cooperation. However, the broadcasting share that teams receive has been less than 4% for a long time, and the prize pool (the total prize money for the 2024 Tour de France was only 2.3 million euros) is a mere drop in the bucket. Take Team Ineos as an example. In the 2023 Tour de France, it invested 785,000 euros (including logistics, equipment, accommodation, etc.) but only won 133,000 euros in prizes. The gap between income and expenditure needs to be filled by sponsorship. The situation of mid – and lower – level teams is even more difficult: if the main sponsor withdraws investment (such as Ark\u00e9a – B&B Hotels losing its two major naming sponsors) or the team faces the risk of relegation, its survival will be directly threatened. This model of “the event organizer monopolizing the revenue while the participants relying on external support” makes the team ecosystem extremely vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, the income of cyclists is seriously disproportionate to their professional efforts. Although the high income of top – level cyclists (such as Tadej Poga\u010dar with an annual salary of 8.2 million euros) catches the eye, they account for a very small proportion. In 2025, only more than 60 cyclists had an annual salary of over one million euros. The average annual salary of WorldTour cyclists is only 250,000 euros, the monthly salary of cyclists in secondary teams is generally between 2,000 and 4,000 euros, and 27% of female cyclists are even unpaid. What’s more cruel is that cyclists’ prizes need to be shared with the team (such as mechanics and logistics staff). The actual prize money that ordinary cyclists get may be only a few thousand or even a few hundred euros, which forms a sharp contrast with their physical consumption of “cycling 160 kilometers per day and climbing 2,400 meters”. As the news said, “The bike under his feet may be worth the same as his several – month salary.” This situation of “high investment, low return” seriously undermines the professional sense of belonging of ordinary cyclists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third, the single – minded commercial development exacerbates the ecological vulnerability. Team revenues are highly dependent on sponsorship (which accounts for most of the budget), and the sponsorship form is mainly “mobile billboards”. Mid – and lower – level teams need to break away from the pack to get camera exposure to meet the logo display requirements of sponsors. This model simplifies the commercial value of teams to “exposure time” and lacks the exploration of long – term values such as technology, brand, and fan economy. For example, teams rarely develop membership systems, fan peripherals, or digital interactive products like football and basketball clubs; except for top – level stars, ordinary cyclists have almost no commercial endorsements. The single income structure makes teams have extremely low anti – risk ability. Once the sponsorship market fluctuates (such as an economic downturn or a strategic adjustment by sponsors), the entire ecological chain will face the risk of collapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suggestions for Entrepreneurs: Explore the “Breakthrough Path” for Cycling from Ecological Pain Points<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In response to the structural dilemmas in the economic ecosystem of cycling, entrepreneurs can look for opportunities in the following directions to promote the industry’s development towards a healthier direction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Optimize the interest distribution mechanism and build an event ecosystem where participants share the benefits<\/strong>
    Entrepreneurs can try to cooperate with event organizers (such as A.S.O.) or local event operators to promote the establishment of more reasonable income distribution rules. For example, regarding broadcasting shares, a dynamic model of “basic share + performance bonus” can be proposed (e.g., the better the team’s performance, the higher the share ratio); regarding the prize pool, sponsors can be united to set up a “team development fund”, and part of the event revenue can be earmarked for the operation support of mid – and lower – level teams. In addition, a three – way sharing model of “city – event – team” can be explored. For example, part of the fees paid by host cities can be used to subsidize local teams, forming a positive cycle of “city promotion – event popularity – team survival”.<\/p>
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  2. Tap the IP value of cyclists and expand diversified revenue sources<\/strong>
    To address the problem of cyclists’ single income, entrepreneurs can develop peripheral products or services around the “personal brand of cyclists”. For example, develop digital content such as “training courses” and “cycling diaries” for ordinary cyclists (to be disseminated through short – video and live – streaming platforms) to attract fans to subscribe with a fee; jointly launch “cyclist – co – branded equipment” (such as limited – edition cycling jerseys and water bottles) with sports brands and share the profits with cyclists; design IPs for female cyclists in vertical scenarios such as “light – weight cycling” and “parent – child cycling” to fill the market gap (currently, the commercial value of female cyclists is seriously underestimated). Through these methods, cyclists can expand from “event prizes + salary” to a diversified income structure of “content monetization + product sharing + commercial endorsements”.<\/p>
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  3. Empower team operations with technology to reduce costs and enhance commercial value<\/strong>
    The high operating costs of teams (such as equipment transportation and logistics support) are a major pain point. Entrepreneurs can provide solutions through technological innovation. For example, develop an “intelligent team management system” that integrates functions such as equipment maintenance, itinerary planning, and medical support to reduce labor costs; use Internet of Things technology (such as sensors) to monitor cyclists’ status, optimize training plans, and reduce injury – related expenditures caused by over – fatigue; provide teams with a “sponsorship effect visualization tool” to prove the sponsorship value to sponsors through AI analysis of camera exposure time, social media interaction data, etc., and enhance the teams’ bargaining power.<\/p>
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  4. Deeply cultivate vertical scenarios and activate the commercial potential of “non – top – level events”<\/strong>
    In addition to top – level events like the Tour de France, there are also opportunities in secondary events (such as regional cycling races and mass cycling activities). Entrepreneurs can focus on the “mass cycling” scenario and develop a “cycling social platform” (which integrates functions such as route recommendation, event registration, and equipment rental); or build offline spaces around “cycling culture” (such as cycling – themed cafes and equipment experience stores) to attract enthusiasts to gather and achieve profitability through membership fees, event planning, and equipment sales. The development of these “long – tail markets” can not only supplement the ecosystem of top – level events but also provide more opportunities for ordinary cyclists to showcase themselves (such as serving as coaches or experience officers for mass events).<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The “cruelty” and “poverty” in cycling essentially reflect the immaturity of its commercial ecosystem. However, from another perspective, these pain points are precisely opportunities for entrepreneurs. By optimizing interest distribution, tapping IP value, empowering operations with technology, and deeply cultivating vertical scenarios, entrepreneurs can not only improve the survival status of teams and cyclists but also promote the entire industry’s development towards a more sustainable direction. After all, the real charm of cycling ultimately depends on the “constantly rotating wheels” of every cyclist, and their living quality determines how far this sport can go.<\/p>\n\n\n