In the ever-competitive world of professional cycling, money often determines just how far a team can go — and few teams illustrate this financial divide better than UAE Team Emirates and Alpecin-Deceuninck. While UAE Team Emirates continues to dominate headlines with a staggering estimated budget of around €60 million, Alpecin-Deceuninck, led by superstar Mathieu van der Poel, operates on less than half that amount.
According to figures shared by analyst Luc Grefte of Lanterne Rouge, Alpecin-Deceuninck’s 2024 budget is approximately €26.8 million. This marks a steady rise from €19 million in 2022 and €23.8 million in 2023, reflecting the team’s growing prominence and commercial strength. Despite this financial growth, the Belgian outfit still operates at a considerable disadvantage compared to the sport’s wealthiest giants.
UAE Team Emirates, along with INEOS Grenadiers, has consistently maintained budgets north of €50 million for several years, with most recent estimates placing UAE’s financial muscle around the €60 million mark. That figure seems realistic considering the astronomical €8 million annual salary of two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar. Add to that the cost of retaining elite riders like João Almeida, Juan Ayuso, and Isaac del Toro — not to mention rising stars such as Pablo Torres, Jan Christen, and António Morgado — and the financial picture becomes even clearer.
What makes Alpecin-Deceuninck’s achievement so remarkable is how efficiently it converts its comparatively modest budget into major victories. The team has claimed multiple Monument wins and Grand Tour stage triumphs in 2024, cementing its reputation as one of the sport’s most tactically astute and performance-driven squads.
While Alpecin-Deceuninck may lack the lavish resources of UAE Team Emirates, it has managed to compete — and often outperform — cycling’s financial powerhouses through a mix of precision planning, smart talent development, and the brilliance of Van der Poel. In a sport where money talks, Alpecin-Deceuninck’s success serves as a powerful reminder that heart, strategy, and hunger can still rival even the deepest of pockets.