After winning the Amstel Gold Race, the only counting race this week, Philippe Gilbert (OmegaPharma-Lotto) has jumped from sixth to third in the UCI’s “World Rankings”. Ranking leader Luis Leon Sanchez and World Number 1 Alejandro Valverde (both Caisse d’Epargne) were both unable to travel north for the race, and so neither was able to increase his points total. Cobbled classic riders Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) both sat out the Dutch race through choice so there was no further movement inside the top five.
"Number one is a real goal,” said Gilbert, before the publication of the latest rankings. “There's no longer a jersey so the people don't see it but it's still important. It's something very important for a rider. I'll be second or third now but I want to be number one,"
"First I want to be number one for a week,” he continued, “or only a day, then the next goal will be becoming number one at the end of the season. It's not easy for a one-day specialist, though, as there are many points at stake in the stage races."
Second place in the Amstel Gold sees Garmin-Transitions’ Ryder Hesjedal rise from 39th to 16th, and sixth place sees Liqugas’ Roman Kreuziger jump from 24th to 13th; the only other significant movers inside the top twenty.
Once again, the sport’s big names have spent the week racing in events that do not count towards the UCI’s World Ranking competition, which is based on results in ProTour and “Historic” races. Giovanni Visconti’s (ISD-Neri) overall victory, and André Greipel’s (HTC-Columbia) five stage wins, in the 2.HC-ranked Tour of Turkey are overlooked by the rankings; as is Alberto Contador’s (Astana) victory in the 2.1-ranked Vuelta a Castilla y León.
Jérémy Roy’s (Française des Jeux) win in the Breton 1.1-ranked Tro Bro Léon also fails to register.
Teams and nations just as static
The minimal movement at the top of the riders’ ranking is matched by the team competition. Sanchez’ and Valverde’s Caisse d’Epargne holds on to its top spot, with Team Katusha still in second. The one change in the team rankings is Gilbert’s OmegaPharma-Lotto team rising from sixth to third, even though the Amstel Gold Race was its first win of the season. Spain, unsurprisingly, holds onto its top spot in the national rankings, with Belgium reinforcing its second place.
UCI World Ranking @ 19 April 2010
1. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 222pts
2. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 216
3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) OmegaPharma-Lotto 210
4. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 208
5. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 201
6. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 200
7. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam 120
8. Andre Greipel (Ger) HTC-Columbia 119
9. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing 116
10. Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Team Astana 116
Team Ranking @ 19 April 2010
1. Caisse d’Epargne (Spa) 429pts
2. Team Katusha (Rus) 342
3. OmegaPharma-Lotto 335
Nation Ranking @ 19 April 2010
1. Spain 850pts
2. Belgium 630
3. Italy 393