John Degenkolb on his way to winning two years ago. How much to do you think a Paris-Roubaix win is worth? What about 20th place?
Okay, we know they don't want to win Paris-Roubaix because of the prize money. But it helps.
It especially assists in repaying team mates for their work on the day.
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This year the Paris-Roubaix prize money is €91,000 in total; from 1st to 20th.
Victory is worth €30,000, with the runner-up receiving €22,000 and the 3rd placed man trousering €15,000.
The Paris-Roubaix prize money scales down to €500 for each placing from 16th through 20th.
If we consider that the 257km race will take six hours, that's €83.33 per hour for the men in the €500 prizes.
But when the riders come onto the Roubaix velodrome on Sunday evening to fight for victory, very few of them - if any - will be thinking of the money on offer.
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In cycling the riders make their money via their salaries from their teams.
Prize money, even for a very successful outfit, will be under 10 per cent of total annual revenue. But a successful team that has a good year can still win decent sums during a season.
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When it's all gathered in and shared out among team mates, it can be a very nice bonus. The extra money is especially important for the young guns or domestiques who don't get paid a huge amount.
And let's not forget also that many people make lots of money from pro bike racing. And in that context, the prizes in the sport are, quite simply, awful.
Top of the pile in profiting from pro cycling is Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO). The French company owns a whole host of races including Paris-Roubaix and the Tour de France.
The company's profits are not readily available right up to the current period. But in 2013, for example, ASO reported revenue of €180 million, of which €36 million was profit.
It makes its money by selling TV rights globally. And Paris-Roubaix is definitely one race watched all over the world.
No Paris-Roubaix TV money for riders
In sports such as soccer, the TV rights money is shared with clubs - leading to huge salaries. But this is not the case in cycling.
In the absence of a share of that TV money, only a tiny number of riders at the top receive multi million Euro salaries.
It means the prizes really are the only share of the financial success of major races Paris-Roubaix that the riders receive.
With that in mind, and even though the riders are really chasing a place in history, the Paris-Roubaix prize money is poor.
Paris-Roubaix prize money
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