How Do Pro Cycling Teams Actually Make Money?

I watch the Tour de France every July and I have always been stunned by the scale of what's happening on the road, dozens of teams, hundreds of riders, and a travelling circus that crosses continents for months on end. But unlike almost every other major sport, the teams competing at the highest level receive nothing from the billions the race generates. So how do they actually keep the lights on? Where does the money come from, and can running a pro cycling team ever be a profitable business, or are sponsors just burning cash for the logo placement? And if I wanted to build a team from scratch, what would it actually take? Business Enquiries: [email protected] Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:43 The Cardboard Sign 01:45 Who Owns What 03:32 Teams Get Nothing 04:55 Living Billboards 06:21 Running the Machine 08:00 One Sponsor Away 09:39 Starting From Scratch 10:58 Time to Reform 12:19 The Verdict Instagram |   / cyclingcapital   #cycling #cyclingexplained