“I'm not in favor of a communist system” – But what is the answer to the financial dominance of UAE, Visma and INEOS
Cycling
Cycling in 2025 no longer resembles the sport it was when
some fans started watching. From self-funded riders hauling their own
mechanical supplies to teams now flanked by vast support crews and
multimillion-euro infrastructure, the professional scene has undergone a
fundamental transformation. Quite frankly, it is now an entirely different
sport.
Broker Dries Smets, speaking to Het Nieuwsblad,
highlighted the scale of the shift. “I don't think they are necessarily losing
the battle,” Smets said, referring to smaller teams. “But the budgets to
compete at the top have increased significantly.”
Where once €20–25 million was enough to build a Grand Tour
contender, that figure has now doubled. “I'm not saying that's not possible as
a Belgian team, but you do need to find such a sponsor. If a Belgian company is
prepared to invest five million euros in the team, that is no longer enough to
compete at the top.”
Smets likened cycling’s financial landscape to football’s
elite tier. “Isn't that also the case in football? Barca, PSG and Manchester
City stand out because they have a lot more money than Anderlecht or Club
Brugge. What is true is that the gap between the top teams and the other teams
has become much bigger in cycling.”
“A decade ago, a top team had twice the budget of a small
team, now we're talking about three or four times that,” he added.
While top teams like UAE Team Emirates – XRG and INEOS
Grenadiers now operate with resources once unthinkable, Smets also pointed out
that success isn’t entirely dictated by budget. “Intermarché–Wanty doesn't have
the biggest budget, but last year they won three stages in the Tour and the
green jersey. Money doesn't determine everything.”
Ideas like a salary cap have been floated as a way to level
the playing field, but Smets is sceptical. “I'm not in favor of a communist
system where we try to equalize everything. Although it shouldn't be the
intention that the big teams squeeze the small ones to death, which is what
you're actually starting to see. So we do have to think about solutions.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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