Unless something's changed very recently, there is no profit-sharing at the TdF between the organizers and the teams. It's actually one of the aspects of professional cycling that many consider broken, the argument being that other pro sports have teams part of a league where they're united in maintaining the health of their sport, rather than being mercenaries who must secure their own financial futures year over year. There is little incentive for other teams to have one team and one rider get the majority of the press when it's a constant struggle for them to even stay solvent. Every stage without results (or more importantly, positive airtime repping sponsors) is another day that a team owner will stress out about how the bills will get paid. Especially since many sponsors have just about as shallow an understanding of pro cycling as the OP.
Then there's the vast majority of pro riders, on short-term contracts and equally concerned about showing themselves at the biggest race for job security/opportunity. Cavendish had been driven downwards by the "what have you done for me lately" way teams treat riders until nearly exiting the sport in tears with no prospects last year, until one manager known for not sentimentally overrating riders decided to offer him a minimum contract because he felt that there was an opportunity to let him ride into the sunset without much risk. Far from expecting him to sweep up wins at the TdF. Heck, Cav barely rode with DQT's main leadout man Morkov before the race. There's just no way anyone, even at DQT, expected him to be in this situation, let alone premeditated and executed a careful plan to manipulate something as big as the Tour with willing collaborators.
Last edited by surak; 07-09-21 at 03:10 PM.