Sir Mark Cavendish, the Manx Missile, is one of this country’s greatest cycling exports.
The now retired 39-year-old holds the record for the most Tour de France stage wins – 35 over 15 seasons – and in 2021 was dubbed “the greatest sprinter in the history of the Tour and of cycling” by the Tour’s director, Christian Prudhomme.
Throw into the mix points classification wins at the Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a Espana, and the Tour de France, as well as more than 50 Grand Tour stage wins and an Olympic silver medal, and you’re talking about one of Britain’s finest ever sportsmen.
What’s all that success worth? According to CelebrityNetWorth, ‘Cav’ has a net worth of £7.9m.
The next richest British cyclist is Kenyan-born 39-year-old Chris Froome.
He’s one of British cycling’s most decorated riders, with a staggering four Tour de France titles – won in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017.
In addition, a Giro d’Italia won in 2018, two Vuelta a Espana’s won in 2011 and 2017, and two Olympic bronze medals.
Put together, ‘Froomey’ is a legend of the road and has amassed a net worth of £9.5m.
However, taken together, neither Sir Mark nor Mr Froome comes close to being the world’s richest cyclist.
Lance Armstrong is synonymous with unparalleled cycling success.
Armstrong won seven consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005 after battling back from testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain.
He was named World Athlete of the Year in 2003 and won many other titles. He also pioneered the LiveStrong brand, which was a staple of the fitness industry during the mid-2000s.
However, after years of rumours, in 2013, Armstrong admitted to systematic doping and was stripped of his titles.
However, the cyclist can still smile when he looks at his bank balance. According to reports, he’s worth a cool £39m.