I don't know about 1950 but in 1959 Ercole Baldini transferred from Legnano to Ignis-Frejus on a "massively inflated" salary of £41,000 over three years! The evidence that even the best riders were not well paid is the number of post-tour criteriums they rode. In the two weeks following the end of the 1969 Tour Eddy Merckx rode thirteen criteriums! The Special One may have liked winning but he wouldn't have pulled that stunt if his salary even remotely compared to that of modern riders. Ray Green, Brighton, England
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