€2,500 to €20,000 | Appearance money each top rider gets in cyclocross

While some of the world’s best male cyclocross riders are top road pros on generous salaries, others are cyclocross specialists who ride for small teams and are depending on appearance money to bolster their earnings.

As anyone who was at the UCI Cyclocross Wold Cup in Dublin both two weeks ago and last year can attest, crowds can vary significantly from race to race, depending on whether the top riders are competing.

All of the cyclocross race organisers want the stars – big and small – at their races because that results in more tickets sold. So it’s no surprise they pay appearance money, with those fees varying from rider to rider. Who gets what is usually a tightly guarded secret, though now a list of riders and the appearance money each one is paid has emerged publicly.

Belgian newspaper The newspapaer has spoken to sources with knowledge of what the riders are paid. Unsurprisingly, Wout van Aert (Jumbo Visma) and double world champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) are out on their own, with each commanding a fee of €15,000 to €20,000 per race, and which does not vary outside that range.

Erwin Vervecken, a three-time cyclocross world champion in his day, is now responsible for securing the big stars for the X2O Bathrooms Trophy series. While the local organising group pays the start fees for each race, Vervecken organises the deals.

“Wout and Mathieu have fixed asking prices that everyone pays. That is a price that has been fixed for some time,” he said. “These negotiations are done through us, but the other organizers within the X2O Trophy will take over that prize.

“These top riders do not choose their program based on financial aspects, but purely on the basis of what the ideal program is in the run-up to the spring, in consultation with their trainer.”

While Vervecken would not comment to The newspapaer on the precise fees paid to the riders, the newspaper used other sources to compile its list, matching fees to riders.

While Van Aert and Van der Poel are paid between €15,000 and €20,000, Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) was said to be receiving €10,000 per race last year.

Other fees include: Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) €5,000; Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) and Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendonare) €4,500-€4,000; Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions) €2,500.