<\/p>\n
At a time when proposals to charge spectators on iconic climbs and in high-demand zones are becoming more visible \u2013 and more controversial \u2013 Van Aert\u2019s comments place one of the peloton\u2019s most influential riders firmly on the side of those who believe ticketing should at least be on the table.<\/p>\n
Van Aert: cycling is \u201ctoo fragile\u201d without revenue from within the sport<\/p>\n
Van Aert\u2019s reasoning goes beyond a simple culture-war argument over whether fans should pay. For him, the question is bound up with the structural weakness of a sport that still depends almost entirely on outside sponsors to survive.<\/p>\n
He warned that the current model leaves teams exposed the moment a backer steps away. \u201cI think that fragility would be much less of an issue if, alongside sponsorship income, there were also revenues coming from the sport itself,\u201d he explained. \u201cFrom TV rights, for example, or other organisations.\u201d<\/p>\n
That line neatly connects the ticketing debate to the broader discussion about how cycling funds itself. Entry fees on certain climbs or in specific fan zones are being explored by some as one part of a wider mix of new income streams: TV rights distributed differently, more structured hospitality, and paid spectator areas at the most in-demand points on the course.<\/p>\n
Van Aert also drew a clear contrast with the way American leagues handle their finances. \u201cWhen I see how the NBA controls its playing field, while still letting teams enjoy what comes in from TV money: cycling can learn a lot from that.\u201d<\/p>\n
In that sense, ticketing is not presented as a magic solution, but as one element in a broader move towards the kind of centralised, shareable revenues that other sports have already embraced.<\/p>\n
A rider\u2019s view from the heart of the sport<\/p>\n
Crucially, Van Aert framed his comments not just as a theoretical exercise, but as a reflection of how races actually function for teams on the ground. He underlined that the biggest events in the calendar depend entirely on riders and squads turning up \u2013 yet those same teams see little financial return for doing so.<\/p>\n
\u201cCorrect me if I\u2019m wrong, but a major race like the Ronde or the Tour stands or falls with us \u2014 the riders and teams who come to take part. But as a team we don\u2019t even receive compensation that covers the cost of that participation. That should really be a minimum. The pie could be divided more fairly.\u201d<\/p>\n
That perspective helps explain why riders are now engaging more openly with ideas that were once considered untouchable. For teams operating on tight budgets, any additional, stable revenue that ultimately flows back into the sport \u2013 whether from TV, hospitality, or carefully managed ticketing \u2013 is seen as a potential way to reduce that fragility Van Aert keeps coming back to.<\/p>\n
Slotting into an already-noisy ticketing debate<\/p>\n
Although Van Aert\u2019s interview stands on its own, it drops into a debate that has been steadily building around proposals to charge fans in specific, high-pressure locations.<\/p>\n
Former team boss Jerome Pineau pushed the subject into the spotlight with his high-profile call to \u201cprivatise\u201d a key mountain stage and introduce paid access and VIP structures on one of the sport\u2019s most famous climbs.<\/p>\n
Italian voices have also been prominent in the conversation: one of our earlier pieces highlighted Paolo Bettini<\/a>\u2019s view under the line \u201cIt\u2019s right that fans should pay\u201d<\/a>, while another centred on Filippo Pozzato<\/a>\u2019s argument that supporters must understand they are \u201cnot wasting money\u201d<\/a> when they pay for access and services around big races.<\/p>\n In a conversation where so much has been framed as all-or-nothing, Van Aert speaking out is a clear signal from one of the sport\u2019s biggest stars that cycling can explore new revenue without abandoning the very fans who built it. Whether those same fans will agree however, is another matter.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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