A flight forward? The budgets of N1 Cycling teams have generally increased in recent years. The minimum budget imposed by the French Cycling Federation (FFC) increased from 250,000 euros to 350,000 euros in three years. It will even be 650,000 euros, in 2025, for the new Conti Federals.
“The minimum budget is 350,000 euros but there are only two teams that are at the limit, contextualizes Nicolas André, director of events and sports regulations at the FFC. All leaders agree that it takes at least 500,000 euros to evolve comfortably. Moreover, the average budget was 578,000. ”In 2024, the N1 team the best endowed even displayed a budget of 953,000 euros. How are these budgets formed? The telegram takes out the calculator.
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Expenses
Increasingly expensive trips
N1 teams run throughout France. Their budgets were therefore heavily grewed by inflation, including the increase in fuel prices. “It is often their main expense. For some teams, travel can even represent 80 % of expenses, ”poses Nicolas André.
Christian Milesi, Sports Director of Bourg Ain Cyclisme, agreed to open his accounts: “Between fuel, the trips of runners, accommodation and catering, you have to count, roughly 80 and 90,000 euros for a season. His team, which will become a Federal Conti in 2025, had a budget of 540,000 euros in 2024.
Permanent wages: around 30,000 euros per post
The payroll is also an important position. It occupies a part comparable to travel in the budget of Bourg Ain: “We have three full -time employees, two sports directors and one mechanic, and an alternating, explains Christian Milesi. There are around 30,000 euros per job with charges, except alternation that does not cost much. »»
The FFC specifications requires a minimum of 1.5 full -time equivalent. “But in reality, many teams are four or five permanents,” recalls Nicolas André, who also estimates the annual cost at 30,000 euros per position. “These are not minister's salaries,” said Alain Heulot, who presided over Sojasun-Esboy, a Breton team who did not leave in N1 in 2024.
And the “defractions” of the runners?
Officially, the runners are not remunerated, only defrayed in the form of mileage allowances. But these defractions can exceed the kilometers actually traveled. “There is sometimes a package system, with a runner who receives a sum, between 400 and 600 euros, for example, every month,” they say in the middle. For the best, these allowances can rise to 1,000 euros per month. But the clubs that operate thus are exposed to URSAFF adjustments. Finally, some runners benefit from a job set up with a partner.
The equipment: sometimes a white operation
Bikes are expensive. But the equipment is sometimes supplied by a sponsor or sold at a reduced price. And, above all, most is sold at the end of the season. Many clubs manage to do a white operation, or almost. “There is no big difference because it resells very well,” says Nicolas André.
Transfer costs: 970 euros per transferred runner
When an N1 recruits a runner, she must pay transfer costs: “This year, it was € 970 per runner from another region, and € 710 if it is internal to the committee. It gives us about € 6,500 in transfer costs this year, ”specifies Christian Milesi.
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Income
Public subsidies: 10 % of resources … to dependence
“The situation is very heterogeneous,” describes Nicolas André. Some teams are close to total dependence on public authorities, with 90 % of their public subsidies. For others, this represents only 10 to 12 % of resources. In the case of Breton teams, it was quite balanced in 2024. ”
For example, the three Costarmorican clubs received 60,000 euros from the department. The Morbihan Departmental Council paid 110,000 euros to Morbihan Adris Goa. Other local authorities, including cities and agglomerations, also finance the teams. But in a period when public finances are very constrained, this financial windfall tends to restrict itself.
Patronage and sponsorship: some big partners or lots of little ones?
In exchange for visibility, sponsors can provide equipment (cars, bikes, equipment, etc.), advantages (housing for runners) or subsidies directly. All this is valued in a budget, as well as the heritage that the team has (its premises, vehicles, etc.).
Private partners brought about 40 % of the resources of Bourg Ain Cycling in 2024 (against around 30 % for public partners). From 300 euros, for example, for an ad, up to 40,000 euros for a premium sponsor. Bourg Ain Cycling has in all, a hundred partners. Other training courses only have a dozen, but which put larger sums on the table. In the case of Sojasun-Espoir, private partners represented approximately two thirds of the budget. “When there is above all a big partner, as was the case for Sojasun, we alert, because there is an addiction,” insists Nicolas André. It was indeed the withdrawal of this title partner who prevented the team from leaving in N1 in 2024.
Clubs can also be helped by patrons who benefit from tax advantages. But these patronage should not be the subject of counterparts.
Organizing races or training can report
Bourg Ain Cycling organized 24 races in 2024, including cyclosportive. These income represents about 30 % of his money back last season. The OC Locminé, a support club of Morbihan Adris Goa, organized 23 races in 2024. But all the teams do not have this tradition.
Some clubs also organize training in schools, as part of the “Knowingly ride” national program. These training courses can bring in several tens of thousands of euros per year to a club which organizes a lot.
Training allowances: more than complementary income
This is a novelty of the 2024 season: the establishment of training allowances for teams whose runners have passed Pros. “We broke 150,000 euros for the benefit of amateur clubs. The most trainer club has received 20,000 euros, ”says Nicolas André.
“We should receive 4,000 euros in 2024, for two runners who have become pros,” explains Charles Milesi. For the moment, we had nothing, maybe because it is in an English team: the path is longer! »»
France
Cycling
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