The 2024 Tour de France has already delivered a spectacular Week 1, with thrilling sprints, breakaways, and mountain challenges. As teams battle not just for the coveted yellow jersey but also for substantial prize money, we take a closer look at how each team has fared financially in the first week of this prestigious race.
Prize Money Breakdown
What Prize Money is Awarded For
In the Tour de France, prize money is awarded for various achievements throughout the race. Here is a breakdown of the different categories for which prize money is awarded:
- Stage Wins: Each stage winner receives a significant prize. For instance, winning a stage earns the rider โฌ11,000.
- General Classification (Yellow Jersey): The rider with the lowest overall time at the end of the Tour wins the general classification and receives โฌ500,000. Second place earns โฌ200,000, and third place gets โฌ100,000.
- Points Classification (Green Jersey): Awarded to the rider who accumulates the most points from stage finishes and intermediate sprints. The overall winner receives โฌ25,000.
- King of the Mountains (Polka Dot Jersey): The best climber in the Tour earns points on designated climbs, and the winner receives โฌ25,000.
- Best Young Rider (White Jersey): Awarded to the highest-ranked rider under the age of 26, with the winner earning โฌ20,000.
- Team Classification: The top five teams receive prizes based on the cumulative times of their best three riders each stage. The best team at the end of the Tour wins โฌ50,000.
- Combativity Award: Recognizes the most aggressive rider, typically given to those who frequently attempt breakaways. The winner receives โฌ20,000.
Photo Credit: ASO-Charly Lopez(Photo Credit: ASO – Charly Lopez)
Week 1 Tour de France Prize Money Total by Team
| Team | Prize Money Earned (โฌ) |
|---|---|
| Intermarchรฉ – Wanty | 43,880 |
| UAE Team Emirates | 38,460 |
| Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL | 25,010 |
| Uno-X Mobility | 24,860 |
| Soudal Quick-Step | 23,850 |
| Movistar Team | 23,480 |
| TotalEnergies | 20,350 |
| Alpecin-Deceuninck | 19,750 |
| Arkea-B&B Hotels | 15,540 |
| Astana Qazaqstan Team | 15,420 |
| Lidl-Trek | 14,330 |
| Team Jayco Alula | 13,500 |
| Lotto Dstny | 11,630 |
| Groupama-FDJ | 11,250 |
| INEOS Grenadiers | 9,630 |
| Israel – Premier Tech | 9,260 |
| Team Visma | Lease A Bike | 8,300 |
| Cofidis | 7,380 |
| EF Education – EasyPost | 6,600 |
| Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe | 6,240 |
| Bahrain Victorious | 5,440 |
| Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 2,390 |
| Total | 356,550 |
Photo Credit: ASO-Billy Ceusters(Photo Credit: ASO – Charly Lopez)
Quick Analysis of Week 1 Performance
Top Earners
Intermarchรฉ – Wanty leads the prize money standings with an impressive โฌ43,880. These significant earnings reflect consistent high placements in various stages and including winning intermediate sprints, holding the green jersey and winning 2 stages.
UAE Team Emirates follows with โฌ38,460, showcasing their strategy and strength in both individual stages and general classification positions. Their prize haul is buoyed by Tadej Pogacar’s performance, aiming for the yellow jersey.
Mid-Tier Performers
Teams such as Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL (โฌ25,010) and Uno-X Mobility (โฌ24,860) also had noteworthy weeks. Their earnings suggest solid team performances and potential podium finishes in various stages.
Underperformers
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team sits at the bottom with โฌ2,390. This low amount indicates a tough start to the Tour for the team, largely due to crashes, tactical missteps, and simply being outpaced by stronger teams.
Photo Credit: ASO-Billy Ceusters(Photo Credit: ASO – Charly Lopez)
Comparing Prize Money to Stage Winners
An interesting aspect to explore is how the prize money compares to actual stage winners. Often, winning a stage can significantly boost a team’s earnings due to the large prizes associated with stage victories.
- Stage 1 Winner: Romain Bardet (Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL) โ This victory has certainly contributed to DSM’s notable earnings of โฌ25,010.
- Stage 2 Winner: Kevin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels) โ Arkea’s total of โฌ15,540 reflects Vauquelin’s win and consistent team performance.
- Stage 3 Winner: Biniam Girmay (Intermarchรฉ – Wanty) โ This victory has significantly boosted Intermarchรฉ’s leading earnings of โฌ43,880.
- Stage 4 Winner: Tadej Pogaฤar (UAE Team Emirates) โ His stage win is a major contributor to UAE’s substantial โฌ38,460 earnings.
- Stage 5 Winner: Tadej Pogaฤar (UAE Team Emirates) โ Another win for Pogaฤar consolidates UAE’s strong financial position.
- Stage 6 Winner: Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan Team) โ Cavendish’s win has helped Astana to โฌ15,420.
- Stage 7 Winner: Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco Alula) โ This victory is reflected in Jayco Alula’s total of โฌ13,500.
- Stage 8 Winner: Biniam Girmay (Intermarchรฉ – Wanty) โ Another win for Girmay consolidates Intermarchรฉ’s top position.
- Stage 9 Winner: Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) โ Turgis’s win is mirrored in TotalEnergies’ earnings of โฌ20,350.
The first week of the 2024 Tour de France has set a competitive tone, reflected in the prize money distribution. While Intermarchรฉ – Wanty and UAE Team Emirates lead the financial standings, the correlation between prize money and stage wins underscores the importance of consistent team performance. As the Tour progresses, it will be intriguing to see if the current leaders can maintain their momentum and how the prize money standings will evolve.
