As early as March of this season it was clear that the transfer market would be unlike anything women’s cycling had ever seen. For a few seasons, there had been talk of growing salaries, especially with the implementation of the UCI’s WorldTour minimum wage in 2020, but it wasn’t until Demi Vollering’s departure from SD Worx-Protime was confirmed that the number €1 million was thrown around. The report that UAE Team ADQ had approached the 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift winner with that number was ultimately debunked, but it set off a chain reaction that saw salaries rise even more ahead of the 2025 season.

Unfortunately, this increase in pay is only available to those at the top of the sport. While the top women are earning in the mid-six figures, women on Continental teams who line up against those same top riders are still barely surviving on €10,000 a year.