A 36% year-over-year increase features a $400,000 overall Series fund,
with a further $400,000 spread across its seven standalone events
Life Time the nation’s premier healthy lifestyle brand and athletic events owner and producer, has announced an $800,000 prize purse across the 2027 Life Time Grand Prix, marking the largest financial commitment in the Series’ history.
Representing a 36% increase over 2026, the record fund highlights Life Time’s dedication to professional off-road cycling and the athletes shaping its trajectory. In keeping with the Grand Prix’s founding principles, all prize money will continue to be split equally between the men’s and women’s fields.
Paying Deeper Through the Season
The overall purse rises from $350,000 in 2026 to $400,000 in 2027. While the Series continues to pay 10 deep at the end of the season, the 2027 breakdown distributes the record prize money more evenly across those positions—substantially boosting earnings for riders further down the top 10 and incentivizing season-long competition. The overall podium prizes will be allocated as follows:
1st – $40,000
2nd – $30,000
3rd – $24,000
4th – $21,000
5th – $19,000
6th – $17,000
7th – $15,000
8th – $13,000
9th – $11,000
10th – $10,000
Beyond the podium, athletes who complete the Series and finish 11th through 25th will also receive a $2,500 finisher bonus outside the primary prize purse. Introduced in 2026, this structure rewards the riders who race all season, not only the ones who finish on the podium.
Every Race Carries its Own Weight
An additional $400,000 will be distributed among the top 10 finishers at each of the seven individual races on the 2027 calendar. Previously, payouts extended only to the top five riders, and expanding that structure is designed to support a wider pool of elite talent.
The purse for the season finale at Life Time Big Sugar Gravel jumps considerably from $30,000 to $80,000, putting it on par with UNBOUND Gravel and Leadville Trail 100 MTB, which both rise from $60,000, making them three of the most lucrative off-road races in North America.
Life Time Sea Otter Classic, Chequamegon MTB Festival and Little Sugar MTB all see their individual prize purses grow by a third to $40,000, while the returning Rad Dirt Fest receives that same level of backing, up dramatically from $2,500 in 2026.
Michelle Duffy, Co-Director of the Life Time Grand Prix, said:
If we want professional off-road cycling to grow, we have to get serious about how athletes make a living. We all know the traditional sponsorship model leaves a lot of talented riders without the financial support they need. We’ve always believed the Life Time Grand Prix can be part of changing that. As the Series becomes more successful, the athletes should share in that success. By putting more money into every race and spreading those dollars deeper into the field, we’re creating more opportunities for more riders, not just the handful at the very top. That’s how we start building a stronger, more sustainable future for the sport.
Prize Breakdown
Overall Series (top 10): 1st $40,000 · 2nd $30,000 · 3rd $24,000 · 4th $21,000 · 5th $19,000 · 6th $17,000 · 7th $15,000 · 8th $13,000 · 9th $11,000 · 10th $10,000
UNBOUND Gravel, Leadville Trail 100 MTB and Life Time Big Sugar Classic (top 10): 1st $10,000 · 2nd $7,000 · 3rd $6,000 · 4th $5,000 · 5th $4,000 · 6th $3,000 · 7th $2,000 · 8th $1,500 · 9th $1,000 · 10th $500
Sea Otter Classic, Chequamegon MTB Festival, The Rad Dirt Fest and Little Sugar MTB (top 10): 1st $5,000 · 2nd $3,500 · 3rd $3,000 · 4th $2,500 · 5th $2,000 · 6th $1,500 · 7th $1,000 · 8th $750 · 9th $500 · 10th $250
Photos courtesy Life Time
