Up to €20.000 a race - How much Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert receive for start fees in cyclocross
Cycling
Start fees in cycling are a bit of a tabu for riders, however from the inside there are people that know the values that circle around. In cyclocross perhaps this is more frequent, although the reports on how much it is wildly vary. An 'insider' talked about how much this amount is currently.
This has been reported by Het Laatste Nieuws who talked with an anonymous source that claims the duo can receive up to €20.000 for their presence in an event. Someone like Eli Iserbyt, at the top of the 'full-season pros' list can receive up to €6000. This contradicts the values presented by Gazzetta dello Sport recently which spoke of as much as €50.000. "That is pure nonsense".
"Both for Wout and Mathieu you currently pay 20,000 euros starting money per cyclocross. If they even want to come in function of their preparation for the new road season, because they have only touched on a handful of cyclo-crosses this side."
The two absolute stars race for results, but throughout the season (and mostly the Christmas period) organizers pay fees to convince some of the top riders to take part in the event, bringing in more spectators and TV ratings. It is a sensitive ecosystem that keeps the discipline on it's toes and working in a balanced way. "Anyone who gets Wout van Aert or Mathieu van der Poel or both at the start as an organizer can automatically count on a lot more people,"
He points out clear examples of non-cup cyclocross races during the very busy Christmas period who still had the biggest stars at the start. "Look at Gullegem. On paper one of the smaller cyclocrosses, but thanks to Wout van Aert they had one of the biggest turnouts this winter with 15,000 spectators."
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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