What is a soigneur in cycling?
A soigneur is a team staff member who looks after riders' daily needs: massage, food, drinks and care before, during and after races. The word is French for "carer".
Soigneurs are among the first up and the last to bed in a race team. They prepare bottles and race food, hand out musettes (feed bags) in the feed zone, wait at the finish line with clothing and drinks, and give riders massage in the evening to help recovery.
They also manage practical logistics: luggage, hotel rooms, laundry and transport. During a Grand Tour, a team usually travels with several soigneurs who rotate through these tasks for three weeks.
The role is close and personal. Soigneurs often know before anyone else how a rider is feeling, and good ones are trusted by riders for years. Physiotherapists and doctors now do some of the medical work soigneurs once did, but the soigneur remains central to daily team life.
Staff salaries are rarely published, so howtoturnpro.com does not estimate them. Our team pages cover rider salaries only, because estimates without sources would not meet our standards.