What if attending the Tour de France was no longer free? The idea is making a comeback, carried by a figure in the peloton.
The question comes back insistently. Should cycling, and its three great Tours, one day become profitable for the public? The debate was relaunched by Jérôme Pineau, former runner and ex-manager, who proposed CMR to make paid access to certain legendary arrivals of the Tour de France, such as Alpe d’Huez, scheduled twice in 2026.
Asked about this by West FranceDavid Lappartient, president of the International Cycling Union, responded cautiously. “We need to establish a legal framework, charge for public space in France, it’s complicated. It’s not in the realm of the impossible, but it would be a real revolution compared to what we know today”he explained.
Recently, Wout van Aert, in turn, put the subject back on the table. The Visma-Lease a Bike rider did not hide his concerns about an economic model that he considers to be running out of steam. “This fragility would be much less if, in addition to sponsorship, there were also real revenues from the sport itself, such as TV rights or other forms of monetization”he told the Belgian media Time.
“Charge entry”
The Belgian notes a system incapable of protecting its most vulnerable actors. “In cycling we are perhaps a little too focused on charm and folklore. If you charge 5 euros for entry, that doesn’t mean it’s no longer popular. Cyclocross also pays off, and there is nothing more popular”he insists
Beyond ticketing alone, van Aert especially warns of a growing structural imbalance between the giants of the World Tour and the survival teams. “Some sponsors can put 100 million on the table. But we will continue then as today, without the teams in difficulty benefiting from it. The gap will only widen. The entire revenue model is at issue. »
Despite these warning signs, the organizers remain firmly opposed to any idea of ticketing. Amaury Sport Organization (ASO), organizer of the Tour de France, is sticking to its positions.
“In essence, cycling is a free sport and establishing a ticket office is absolutely not relevant”recently recalled Pierre-Yves Thouault, deputy director of the cycling department, in DH Sports+.
