Richard Mille announced on June 24 that Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) has formally joined its "family of partners," placing the Slovenian alongside Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and Mark Cavendish in the Swiss watchmaker's cycling ambassador roster.
The move formalises an established relationship. Richard Mille and Pogačar have been linked since 2021, when the brand signed on as UAE Team Emirates' official watch partner in a four-year agreement. That deal placed Richard Mille branding on riders' bikes and kits and also gave team members access to the RM 67-02, a 32-gram sports watch made with TPT composite materials and grade 5 titanium. Pogačar has worn the model in major races ever since.
The June 24 Instagram post from Richard Mille made the distinction between the earlier team-level relationship and the new individual one explicit – likely suggesting a new direct sponsorship arrangement with the Slovenian. "Richard Mille welcomes Tadej Pogačar to its family of partners, reinforcing a long-standing commitment to the world of elite cycling," the brand said. "He embodies a new generation of cycling and joins Mathieu van der Poel and Mark Cavendish among the brand’s cycling champions."
The cycling roster
The three-rider lineup gives Richard Mille coverage across the sport's major disciplines. Pogačar is the dominant grand tour rider of his generation. Van der Poel holds the cyclocross world title and is among the leading one-day classics riders; the reigning road race world champion is Tadej Pogačar. Cavendish holds the record for Tour de France stage victories with 35.
Pogačar's watch of choice, the RM 67-02 Photo: Richard Mille
The RM 67-02, the watch most closely associated with the brand's cycling presence, has been a constant on the wrists of its ambassador riders during competition. Pogačar and Van der Poel have both raced with the model in events including Paris-Roubaix, where Pogačar fell on a pavé section with 35 km remaining in 2025 and the watch cut into his skin. Van der Poel won that same edition while wearing the RM 67-02. Pricing for the watch varies by specific model, but estimates consistently place it in the range of €300,000 to $500,000.
Richard Mille's cycling strategy relies on placing its watches on a small number of high-profile riders rather than building or running a team directly. The brand's visibility in the peloton is concentrated on Pogačar and Van der Poel, both of whom race with the watches in conditions that most luxury timepiece manufacturers would consider unsuitable for their products.
An expanded sponsorship empire
The personal partnerships add to an increasingly wide portfolio of direct sponsors. Pogačar announced a global partnership with cryptocurrency KuCoin in January, which added to cycling-specific sponsors such as DMT, MET helmets and Enervit nutrition.
Pogačar's personal sponsorships that sit beyond his pure team salary are estimated to be in millions of euros - evidence that the Slovenian is capitalising well on the peak years of his generational cycling career.
Cover image credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com
