Reports have emerged suggesting that Sir Bradley Wiggins withheld a bonus payment to Team Sky teammate Chris Froome following his win in the 2012 Tour de France.
In line with tradition, the Tour winner shares the official prize money awarded to him equally among his teammates, as well as a portion of any sponsorship bonuses the rider receives as a result of finishing first.
It is a mark of recognition, as victory would be impossible without the work of the domestiques.
Wiggins is said to have netted £1m from his sponsors, and paid everyone but Froome £25,000 for their part in helping him become the first British man to win cycling's greatest prize.
Michelle Cound, the Kenyan-born rider's fiancee and manager, said that Wiggins eventually agreed to pay, but only after a new book by journalist David Walsh threatened to expose his neglect.
The news has birthed fresh reports regarding the duo's reportedly frosty relationship - something team manager David Brailsford has said does not concern him.
"I don't believe Brad ever intended to pay Chris the bonus," Cound told The Times. "I think the reason he did is because he knew it was coming out in the book
"Brad paying Chris really doesn't mean that much. It's about a lot more than the sum of money."
Froome, who finished second to Wiggins, went on to win the Tour this year.
