Fabiana Luperini. One of the best-paid super-domestiques of the sport - and a former world champion - is Michal Kwiatkowski (a reported 2.5 million), while Primoz Roglic, Thibaut Pinot, Vincenzo Nibali and Romain. Teamwork: ***. Our group of mystery voters included agents, team directors, Olympic champions, and even a grand tour winner or two. While the sport might look different in terms of spectators on the course and masks on riders as they stand atop the podiums, within the peloton, not much has changed. Tom Dumoulin - 1.8 million euros 15. She has worked in both print and digital publishing, and started with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. Though her palmares is short on big wins, Sierras story is what garners attention. In 2019, Spratt was bronze medalist at World Championships as well as at the Giro Rosawith van Vleuten as a teammate, she likely will spend most races working with her to secure the teams win, but when van Vleuten isnt on the start line (or in 2021 when she switches teams, if rumors are to be believed), Spratt becomes the top Mitchelton-Scott contender. The biggest names in cycling, Peter Sagan and Chris Froome, currently make over $6 million a year. In 2021, the British rider Christopher Froome was the highest-paid cyclist in the competition . 19. The survey also revealed that financial investment in the wider sport has not kept up at the same pace with the development of the Women's WorldTour. Marketability: ***** While Tom Dumoulin is in the fifth position with 3.5 million USD. Full Spectrum Services LLP 2022 | All Rights Reserved. Salsa Journeyman Claris 650bA fat-tire, drop-bar bike for off-the-grid adventures. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This content is imported from Third party. She won the. Armstrong has a net worth of $50 million. Marketability: *** 10. At age 13, she began winning road races and has ridden just about every discipline in cycling, from BMX to track racing. The men's winner that yearLaurent Fignonwon $100,000 and a mountain of prizes. This Italian pro cyclist has two silver medals (1998, 2001) and three consecutive gold medals during 1995-97. In any case, she has enjoyed plenty of international recognition as one of the top riders of the past few seasons, winning the inaugural Womens WorldTour and multiple U.S. national titles. Van Vleuten is the teams sole superstar yes, the arrival of Jolien dHoore helps and her mere presence gives Mitchelton- Scott a chance to win almost any race. Vos still commands the sports attention. Here's our list of the highest-paid cyclists in 2020 with some big surprises in the top 5. Teamwork: ****. Kirsten Frattini is an honours graduate of Kinesiology and Health Science from York University in Toronto, Canada. The salaries of the highest paid cyclists in the world 2021. Thats the same as Tom Boonen and more than Greg Van Avermaet. Belgian rider Wout van Aert of Jumbo Visma is one of the prodigy cyclists able to combine several modalities in the same season, and with his performances in the CX World Championship and being one of the best classics riders in the peloton, he would also be in the 2.2M euro club. Shes been doing that for the last seven years with no plans to stop anytime soon. With four in the top-10, and six in the top-20, Ineos Grenadiers dominate the highest-paid list. Teamwork: **. At 22, Uttrup-Ludwig is a rising star of Danish cycling. Marketability: *** Teamwork: ***. With a win at the GP de Plumelec-Morbihan Dames and third place finishes at Trofeo Alfredo Binda, Tour of Flanders, and La Course in the 2019 season, Uttrup Ludwig became a rider to watch. In 2019, womens major cycling races are often cast as the plus one to the mens main events. Our mystery voters had mixed reviews of Deignan. At 19 years old, Clouse has racked up more national titles than most cyclists could hope to achieve in a lifetime (31 at last count), and for 2021, shes signed with Rally Cycling, where shell be racing with her former cyclocross opponent Emma White. join Outside+. Egan Bernal - 2.8 million euros 6. Amazingly, Niewiadoma and Annemiek van Vleuten finished in a dead heat and shared third place in the results. Men historically traveled, on average, 10 more miles per day than women. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Results: ***** A graduate of Kenny has clinched six Olympic medals in her career. Her Strava time up the hulking Col dIzoard was so fast that only two men French riders Romain Bardet and Warren Barguil would ride faster during the Tours stage 19. Dideriksens surprise sprint victory at the 2016 world championships thrust her into the limelight as one of the brightest rising stars in the sport. That earned him a current salary of 2.3 million euros. One of the first cyclist to earn recognition was Charles Minthorn Murphy. Meanwhile, the riders themselves are getting organized, and in 2018, we saw the formation of The Cyclists Alliance, which aims to galvanize opportunities and support for women in cycling, and to provide a better workplace environment for riders. Technically, Stephenss best results this season come from her GC win in the Zwift-run Tour de France virtual racing this summer, but up against fierce competitors like Olympic contender Chloe Dygert, that deserves a shoutout. The UCI introduced a minimum salary as part of the Women's WorldTour reforms this January. In the last two years, she has won four Womens WorldTour races. Mountain bike, advice on training and maintenance of your bike, mechanics, interviews Estos son los 20 ciclistas mejor pagados del mundo, Tadej Pogacar desbanca Sagan como o ciclista mais bem pago do mundo, He leads the ranking of cyclists with more followers on social networks. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. Greg Van Avermaet - 1.6 million euros 17. Mitchelton-Scott should up the win count considerably in 2018 with DHoore on board. Alejandro Valverde's salary is 2.2 million euros. Money, Participants. .css-18bc37s{display:block;font-family:Velo,Velo-fallback,Georgia,Serif;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-18bc37s:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 61.25rem){.css-18bc37s{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 61.25rem){.css-18bc37s{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-18bc37s{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;}}The Cycling Drama You Didn't Know You Needed, This Cyclist Wants to Inspire Black Girls to Ride, Self-Driving Cars Wont Save Us Anytime Soon, Black Cyclists Who Paved the Way for the Sport, Survey of Drivers Finds Cyclists Are 'Real' Danger, New Docuseries About Jumbo-Visma Pro-Cycling Team, This Cyclist Wants More Women of Color in Crits, Machines For Freedom Was a Game-changer for Women, This Cyclist Travels With Her Bike for Epic Rides, Bike Share Station in Vancouver is Being Trolled, How to Make Adult Friends at Your Next Group Ride, How to Train with Your Partnerand Not Break Up. And sports such as World Cup alpine skiing and World Cup climbing have long-since taken a stand in gender equality, their respective governing federation having paid equivalent purses for top mens and womens finishers for at least the last decade. Don't miss a moment from Paris-Roubaix and Unbound Gravel, to the Giro dItalia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espaa, and everything in between when you Were taking a stand by forgoing the mens race and investing solely in the womens side of the sport. Why is Switzerland so good at mountain bike? Thus, the edge goes to Van Vleuten in this ranking of the Most Valuable Rider. Van Vleutens terrifying crash in the 2016 Olympic road race begot one of the most powerful stories of resilience in pro cycling. gives you the workouts and mental strategies to conquer your nearest peak.]. The Shark showed in a Giro d'Italia 2016 to remember that the cyclist who swept the French roads in 2014 is still very much alive. She also took the win at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race while in Australia. There have been three races so far this season with a solid international womens field, and van Vleuten has rocked them all: She won Strade Bianchi, Clasica Femenina Navarra, and Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria in recent weeks. Do you need a power meter to become a better cyclist? Bath Dygert credits her success to her ability to dig deep and push her body to the limits and beyond. History has shown Stephens to be a bit of a time-trial specialist, with a second place at Pan-Ams in 2018, so its not surprising that she was able to deliver on Zwift Island. L'Equipe suggest the British team's budget for 2020 is a massive 45m (40.2m), up almost 20m since the 2015 season and almost tripling the team's budget during their first season, 2010 . At 35 years old, Van Vleuten doesnt fit the typical mold of a newly minted superstar, but the Dutchwoman has proven her talent time and again over the last year and a half. The Shark showed in a Giro d'Italia 2016 to remember that the cyclist who swept the French roads in 2014 is still very much alive. Results: **** Fernando Gaviria - 2.7 million euros 7. Teamwork: ****. Lepisto rode to the biggest win of her career at Gent-Wevelgem in 2017 and followed it up with another WorldTour victory at the Crescent Vargada one-day race. Teamwork: ****. Trek CX Cup Becomes First World Cup with Equal Pay, Results and Highlights from Strade Bianche, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Tadej Pogaar (UAE Team Emirates) 5m. Still, she can win the quality of her victories just isnt the same. Finchamp has been racing since she was 9 years old, but she didnt get her start in mountain biking, exactly. Her 2017 season wasnt a resounding success unless you place a high value on teamwork and sacrifice. All rights reserved. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Megan Jastrab started racing BMX at 8 years old. As the Women's Editor at Cyclingnews, Kirsten also coordinates and oversees the global coverage of races, news, features and podcasts about women's professional cycling. Results: **** Its time for cyclings Billie Jean King moment. Interestingly, some of the prestigious cycling tournaments top the highest-paying event lists. Marketability: ***** Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Marketability: *** The winner of the 2016 Tour de France (Chris Froome) made 500,000 euros, or around 417,000. Though relatively new to cycling, Rockwell is a former ultrarunner. Change is happening. 2 Clara Hughes (Cyclist) 20 5 Marketability: ** At just 21, she still has the lions share of her career ahead of her. Her two Dutch national titles on the road, overall wins at the Energiewacht Tour and the Ladies Tour of Norway, and impressive 2017 victories at both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and a stage at the Giro Rosa speak to her diversity of skills. Majerus doesnt win many big races, save for the Luxembourg national road, time trial, and cyclocross championships, which she has won a combined 28 times. Tadej Pogaar has reputedly the highest paid contract in pro cycling, although his net worth is unknown, according to Pro Cycling UK. (In fact, one of our guest pundits did just that.) Heres how it works. 20. Just a month after breaking her jaw, she won the Lotto Belgium Tour overall. Simon Yates - 1.5 million euros 19. Did La Course Stiff Female Riders of Prize Money? Results: **** Marketability: ***(out of a possible five) In August, the Colorado Classic presented by VF Corporation hopes to provide one such moment with a game-changing race. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "We believe that further investigation is needed to understand why this continues to increase," stated The Cyclists' Alliance. Like the USWNTs equal pay plight at the World Cup, like Billie Jean Kings start of the Womens Tennis Association, this could be the moment for cycling that wakes up the sport for change. Legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong is the highest ever paid cyclist in the world. The German is a five-time stage winner at her home countrys Thuringen Rundfahrt and a victor of the Boels Rental Ladies Tour and Aviva Womens Tour. For decades, fans and media alike have argued over questions of this nature. Results: *** Results: **** Unlike mainstream American sports, pro cycling does not award a Most Valuable Player prize to its greatest champions. The 32-year-old Australian has been racing since 2004 and has been racking up medals since she first hit the road. For 21 days in July, the .css-qlm9kn{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#067EA7;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;background-image:linear-gradient( to bottom, #7fdbfa, #7fdbfa);-webkit-background-position:0 100%;background-position:0 100%;background-repeat:repeat-x;-webkit-background-size:0 0;background-size:0 0;padding-bottom:0.05rem;padding-top:0.05rem;}.css-qlm9kn:hover{color:#045976;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-size:.625rem 3.125rem;background-size:.625rem 3.125rem;}Tour de France reminds us whats broken in professional cycling: that the sports female pros receive unequal pay, little TV and media coverage, and significantly less opportunity to race. The clear top dog in a country crazy for cycling, Longo-Borghini is a valuable asset for Wiggle-High5. She was in the lead until nan Vleuten caught her with only seven kilometers to go, and she managed to take second. The salary of Peter Sagan is 5,5 million euros in the German team Bora-Hansgrohe, a good part of which is paid by Specialized. At 23 years old, Honsinger has already proven herself to be one of the strongest cyclocross racers in the U.S., first taking an under-23 national title before winning the elite race last December. The one . Miguel Angel Lopez - 1.5 million euros 18. With a big engine and a fast finish, dHoore is the best womens rider in the cycling heartland that is Belgium. His salary in 2021 is 2.3 million euros, but after winning the World Championships in 2020 and 2021, we wouldn't be surprised if it increases in the coming months. Fight for Womens WorldTour spots already tight as top teams kickstart 2023 season, Doug Ryder and his daring WorldTour comeback plan with Q36.5, Matteo Jorgenson: WorldTour points fight was a positive push for Movistar, Mark Cavendish not in the mood for difficult questions ahead of UAE Tour, Former Zwift academy winner Tanja Erath calls time on road career with mental struggles, Garmin Gravel Worlds introduces pro categories and a donation-based prize pool, UCI gravel worlds, a threat or an opportunity? Results: **** Yes, definitely. So far in the season restart, shes been racing healthy and appears to making her way toward the front of the peloton. At 39, the Murcia-based Movistar Team rider continues to show that he is far from his farewell to professional cycling. It's no secret that road cycling, at its highest level, moves exorbitant amounts of money. Watch out. Her work has been published in magazines like Bicycling, Outside and Nylon. In August 2016 Viviani won gold in the omnium at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Shes been with the squad since 2014. Rivera rose to prominence as one of the fastest finishers on the U.S. domestic circuit and emerged as one of the top riders on the WorldTour in 2017. Sagan has been competing for the UCI World Team BoraHansgrohe. And no wonder: Shes the current world record holder in the three-kilometer pursuit and has won six World titles in track racing. Greg Van Avermaet - 2.5 million euros 9. Romain Bardet - 1.7 million euros 16. The first woman to unseat 15-time Cyclocross National Champion Katie Compton, Clara Honsinger dominated the U.S. cyclocross scene in the 2019-2020 season. Teamwork: **. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). She raced cyclocross as well as mountain biking, and joined the Luna Pro Team as her career in triathlon took off in 2012. Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe is one of the best cyclists in France and has been part of the structure of the current Deceuninck-QuickStep since 2013. What other rider can snap his or her fingers and create a new team? Racing was an obvious next step to her, and in 2016, she turned heads by winning the sprint for second in the criterium stage at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Top five seems to be her curse though: Last year, she was fifth at the World Championships and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, though she did secure the overall win at the WWT Emakumeen Bira stage race. When it came to salaries, top-end salaries in the Women's WorldTour continued to rise above the fixed minimum gross annual salary of 15,000 (employed) and 24,600 (self-employed) with 25.5 per. Ferrand-Prevot has all the talent in the world. Marketability: ** Success on the UCIs South American circuit in 2016 attracted attention from several big teams. If she doesnt ride for Boels-Dolmans, does she win nearly as much? Sturm continues to hold down a day job as a graphic designer, despite her racing palmares (including two Singlespeed Cyclocross World Championship titles that, while goofy, are still not easy to come by). Kendall Ryan and her sister Alexis have been powerhouses in American road racing for nearly a decade, and after almost as long riding with Team TibcoSilicon Valley Bank, the 28-year-old recently announced that shes switching teams to L39ION of Los Angeles, a team developed by pro racer Justin Williams with an aim to bring more diversity to the sport While still winning races. The 2019 World Time Trial champion, Chlo Dygert is a force. In 2019, she not only scored four sprint-finish stage wins at the Giro Rosa, the most prestigious womens stage race in the world, she also turned around and won the 2019 edition of La Course. Although it might not be in the top-5, cycling has always been in the top-10 positions. If her recent performances in cyclocross are any indication (she recently won the French national title), her old form is on the return. Subscribe to our newsletter and receive all our news. Then there are her cyclocross chops: In both 2016 and 2017, she won the silver medal at the European Championships. The Colorado Classic has the support of Colorado Governor Jared Polis and the State of Colorado in proclaiming July 17 as Equity in Cycling Day. Add your voice to the chorus and sign the pledge for gender equality in pro cycling. The Dutch glut seemed to stymie our mystery voters, who struggled to come to a consensus on which rider brings the most value. Geraint Thomas - 3 million euros 5. UCI World Team Movistar Team member Alejandro Valverde is the fourth highest-paid player. The pro continental riders usually make around $26,200 to $171,200 per annum. The concrete figures for cyclists' salaries in 2021-2022 are difficult to know and some data is completely unknown. Yet, in terms of pure value, van der Breggen is diminished by the depth of her Boels-Dolmans team. Geraint Thomas, Egan Bernal, Micha Kwiatkowski, and Richard Carapaz all sit in the top nine . England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Marketability: ***** 2. Although Sagan has not been able to regain the title of World Champion, he is still winning stages and, above all, offering a great spectacle. Her 2017 season was impeccable. Since 2017 he has had a contract with Team INEOS, he signed it for 5 years and his current salary is estimated at 2.7 million euros. 1 - Tadej Pogacar. In 2019 he suffered a serious accident from which it is not yet known how he will recover but he is expected to go for his fourth Tour. The Cuban thrived in her first WorldTour season in 2017, taking a stage win and second overall at Setmana Valenciana, second at Trofeo Alfredo Binda, and third at the Tour of California. The race offers prize money comparable to a Tour de France stage, but at just one day, it doesnt afford exposure equivalent to the 21-day mens race. Chris Froome (Israel Start-Up Nation) 5.5m. She took the Womens WorldTour youth classification overall. The most prestigious cycling event, the Tour de France, started in 1903. Kate Courtneys Badass Balance and Core Exercises, How MTB World Champ Kate Courtney Fuels Her Rides, Coryn Rivera Could Be America's Best Bike Racer, Coryn Riveras Secret to a Perfectly-Seared Steak, Amity Rockwell Shares Her Vegetarian Training Diet, I Love Being a Black Cyclist, But It's Exhausting, Sarah Sturms Secret to Speed: Chilling Out, How the Current Cyclocross National Champ Fuels, The Cycling Drama You Didn't Know You Needed, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. The best riders, but maybe not in the order that would be d. Now, 2020 appears to be her breakout year. The same season, she was second in the Leadville 100 mountain bike race. Also known as the "Big Loop", the Tour de France is one of the biggest events in the world of cycling. Teamwork: ***. In addition, 33 per cent of riders work a second job while racing professionally. On the cobbles in Belgium, she finished second at the junior race at Gent-Wevelgem. We need you to tune in, show up at the race, and join the movement for equality. After a 2017 season without a major win, Hosking rides into 2018 looking to grab sprint victories. At 12, Jastrab completed a 65-mile bike tour around Apple Valley, California, where she grew up. A professional Teamwork: *****. A series of injuries changed her mind. Four days later, she rode to a fourth place finish in the elite road race. Look for her to do just that in 2021. Marketability: ** My goals are to encourage desire and participation of women in the sport of cycling, equality of women in cycling, share my knowledge with the up and coming, and win every race we show up to, Ryan said in L39IONs team announcement in November. Create your own narrative, she recently wrote on an Instagram post (@ayesuppose). BA1 1UA. Van der Breggens recent results hold more clout we named her our 2017 VeloNews female cyclist of the year. Its really not a whos who in cycling list if you dont include multi-time World Champion and Olympic gold medalist Marianne Vos on the list. Alejandro Valverde's salary is 2.2 million euros. Still, a top finish is bound to happen soon. The concrete figures of bicycle salaries in 2019 are difficult to know and some data are completely unknown. The women's event, banned in 1964, was resurrected in 2012 to broaden keirin's appeal, while a small number of foreign cyclists are invited to compete in Japan every year, including Chris Hoy . Now, a new generation of American women has ascended to the top ranks of cycling. She started the 2020 season with third-place finishes in both the Tour Down Under and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. Take, for example the Colorado-based SBT GRVL, a new gravel race in Steamboat Springs that is working toward a 50-50 male/female registration ratio. On average, however, she was solidly in the top 10. Schmidtmann believes her generation of riders will surprise the cycling world with strength and determination that equals their male peers. This content is imported from poll. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, van Moorsel became the most successful female cyclist in a single Olympiad, taking gold medals in the road race, time trial, and individual pursuit and a silver. The first African-American woman to join the pro cycling ranks, McGowan is both a badass on the bike and in the world of activism. When it came to salaries, top-end salaries in the Womens WorldTour continued to rise above the fixed minimum gross annual salary of 15,000 (employed) and 24,600 (self-employed) with 25.5 per cent earning more than 30,000. We then reached out to a group of experts to help us vote. (LeMond's own top five is Coppi, Hinault, Merckx, and Kelly, with contemporary superstar Peter Sagan edging . The two-time national time trial champion finished first overall in the youth classification at the Giro Rosa and Setmana Valenciana. Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) 1.6m. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. However, Cyclingnews noted in a recent Transfer Mechanics: The inner workings of the women's market, feature that only a few top athletes earn a maximum of 150,000 annually. The 2020 season proved more challenging and ended with a DNF at World Championships, but with her consistent successes over the past seasons, Courtney is still among the favorites to win gold at the now-2021 Olympic Games. Even with racing back on the calendar, it has to be noted that the men are getting many more opportunities than the women to race, which isnt surprisingbut is certainly disappointing. Teamwork: ***. With an early lead in the battle for the World Cup overall prize, Courtneys form dipped through the middle of the season, but her mental toughness and determination kept her in the running. Longo-Borghini is still only 26, but she has been a fixture in the Womens WorldTour for years. Her most notable performances are wins in the Tour of Flanders and three GC wins at the Healthy Aging Tour. Marketability: *** Her 70 professional career wins on the road are just the start. By 2020, the UCI will introduce a minimum wage for top-tier womens teams, similar to mens. Marketability: *** Editors note: This list was originally published on November 5, 2019. Van Dijk excels in tough one-day races, classics, and stage races, and is one of the worlds best time trialists. With just over three years of riding in her legs, Amity Rockwell won the 2019 DK200 (now known as Unbound Gravel). Por:MARCA. His salary has gone up quite a lot from the 41,000 he was earning in 2019. The top-tier Women's WorldTeams, of which there are only 8 teams, are obliged to pay riders a salary along with social and health benefits. Over 100 riders responded to the survey. Until last year Vincenzo Nibali appeared as the third best paid cyclist in the international bunch with almost 4 million euros but in his change to Trek Segafredo and the "modest" results of recent years could have reduced his salary to 2.1 million. The Dutchman, Tom, competes for the UCI World team JumboVisma. Tom Dumoulin (Team Jumbo-Visma) 1.8m. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com. She has been a member of three world champion team time trial squads. Froome has clinched seven grand tours in his career, including four editions of Tour de France. American racers headed to Italy chime in. Marketability: *** Back in 2017, Bicycling staffers predicted that Rivera would be one of the best bike racers in America. Who we know will put in a good showing for the rest of 2020, and who should be on your radar. Instead, that title has been determined by debates on the group ride, or at the pub. Did we get it right? Heres what you need to know about these rockstars. After podium finishes at XCO MTB Nationals, she now races for Orange Seal Off-Road Racing, and while her 2020 mountain bike World Championship bid ended with a quarantine and a COVID-19 diagnosis, shes going to be a force to be reckoned with in 2021. For all women, for all athletes, for young girls riding a bike, shooting a basketball, kicking a soccer ball, now is the time for change. The Cyclists' Alliance has released the results from its annual survey (opens in new tab) and the findings have revealed that the wage disparity is growing between the highest and lowest paid riders, and that the number of female professional riders receiving zero salary has increased from 17 per cent in 2019 to 25 per cent in 2020. Heat acclimatization is still a factor in midsummer races, attacks are still being thrown in final kilometers at races, and teams are doing their best to work together after spending months apart. How do they manufacture a Berria bike? The prediction is proving to be accurate, as Rivera hit the long-list for the Olympic team for the 2021 Games. However, it is a bit of a catch-22. After that, she jumped into the pro womens criterium at the Sea Otter Classic and took the win also on her gravel bike. She took the final stage at the Amgen Tour of California in 2017 ahead of Coryn Rivera. Teamwork: ***. Wage disparity is growing between the highest and lowest paid riders, according to The Cyclists' Alliance annual survey. But today, the gap between male and female cyclists is narrowing. Her career palmares are beyond compare: three world road titles (and six silver medals), three Giro titles and 19 stage wins, four La Fleche titles, among other wins on the road, not to mention seven (!) If theres any indication that she is worthy of investment, look no further than her helmet. And her transfer to the larger Canyon-SRAM squad for 2018 confirmed her value. Cycling as a sport has been around for decades and is on the list of the highest-paid sports. Blaak spent years as a reliable top-10 contender in the spring classics and started her Boels-Dolmans career as a strong second option behind some of the teams bigger names. She thrives on the mix of real life and her cycling career, and the only question is what her first race of 2021 will be, since there are a lot of options open to her. 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