Valverde tops UCI world rankings
Caisse d'Epargne, Spain also continue on top
Alejandro Valverde has moved atop the World Classification of the International Cycling Union (UCI). The controversial Caisse d'Epargne rider used his overall victory in the Tour de Romandie to claim the lead in the world rankings.
Valverde has 392 points, which moved him up from second place. Former leader Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) dropped to second place. There were no other changes in the top ten.
Valverde called the ranking “an honour and a dream for any rider.” He said that he had been winning points since the Tour Down Under in Australia, “and to become the new number one before the major tours begin shows how regular I have been all through the first four months of the season.
“Moreover my team is leading the teams classification and that is also very important. I am surrounded with very good riders and I can rely on the team at any moment in any race.”
Valverde has been banned from riding in Italy for two years, and faces a possible worldwide ban by the UCI. That decision is pending a further ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which is expected momentarily.
The biggest leaps up the rankings were Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) from 46th to 17th, and Lampre's Simon Spilak entering the rankings at 23rd.
Thanks to the success of Valverde and Luis Leon Sanchez, Caisse d'Epargne still leads the UCI World Ranking for teams. The Spanish squad has a total of 620 points, 120 more than second placed Katusha, who has 500 points. The Astana team is third with 434 points thank to the success of team leaders Alberto Contador and Alexandre Vinokourov. HTC - Columbia moved up from eighth to fifth place.
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Valverde's ranking also helped Spain stay as the number one nation. Belgium, Australia, Italy and the United States rounded out the top five with no changes this week.
The world rankings are usually published Monday afternoons, but the next one will not appear until May 31, after the Giro d'Italia.
1 | Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne | 392 | pts |
2 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 294 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Team Katusha | 268 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team | 246 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne | 222 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step | 216 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank | 200 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana | 161 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack | 144 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam | 120 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | André Greipel (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia | 119 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana | 117 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank | 112 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo | 110 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone | 109 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions | 103 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia | 103 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana | 100 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 100 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | 100 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Xavier Tondo Volpini (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam | 92 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam | 90 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 88 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | 86 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Greg Henderson (NZl) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 85 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 85 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC - Columbia | 83 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha | 82 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team | 80 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 78 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 78 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank | 72 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 72 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 71 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha | 68 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team HTC - Columbia | 66 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank | 63 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | 62 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 60 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 60 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 58 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
42 | Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions | 57 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
43 | Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale | 57 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
44 | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana | 56 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
45 | Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Milram | 54 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
46 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 52 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
47 | Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha | 52 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
48 | Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank | 52 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
49 | Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack | 50 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
50 | Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank | 46 | Row 49 - Cell 3 |
51 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 44 | Row 50 - Cell 3 |
52 | Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | 40 | Row 51 - Cell 3 |
53 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo | 36 | Row 52 - Cell 3 |
54 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Transitions | 34 | Row 53 - Cell 3 |
55 | Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 32 | Row 54 - Cell 3 |
56 | Tiago Machado (Por) Team Radioshack | 31 | Row 55 - Cell 3 |
57 | Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 30 | Row 56 - Cell 3 |
58 | Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha | 30 | Row 57 - Cell 3 |
59 | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Katusha | 30 | Row 58 - Cell 3 |
60 | Francesco Ginanni (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | 30 | Row 59 - Cell 3 |
61 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | 30 | Row 60 - Cell 3 |
62 | Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank | 24 | Row 61 - Cell 3 |
63 | Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 21 | Row 62 - Cell 3 |
64 | Leif Hoste (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 20 | Row 63 - Cell 3 |
65 | Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 16 | Row 64 - Cell 3 |
66 | Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 14 | Row 65 - Cell 3 |
67 | Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Transitions | 13 | Row 66 - Cell 3 |
68 | Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 12 | Row 67 - Cell 3 |
69 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia | 12 | Row 68 - Cell 3 |
70 | Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank | 11 | Row 69 - Cell 3 |
71 | Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | 10 | Row 70 - Cell 3 |
72 | Marcel Wyss (Swi) Cervélo TestTeam | 10 | Row 71 - Cell 3 |
73 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 10 | Row 72 - Cell 3 |
74 | Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 10 | Row 73 - Cell 3 |
75 | William Bonnet (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | 10 | Row 74 - Cell 3 |
76 | Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram | 8 | Row 75 - Cell 3 |
77 | Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone | 7 | Row 76 - Cell 3 |
78 | Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Footon-Servetto | 7 | Row 77 - Cell 3 |
79 | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 7 | Row 78 - Cell 3 |
80 | Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team | 6 | Row 79 - Cell 3 |
81 | Richie Porte (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | 6 | Row 80 - Cell 3 |
82 | Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram | 6 | Row 81 - Cell 3 |
83 | Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 6 | Row 82 - Cell 3 |
84 | Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack | 6 | Row 83 - Cell 3 |
85 | Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 6 | Row 84 - Cell 3 |
86 | Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank | 6 | Row 85 - Cell 3 |
87 | Davide Malacarne (Ita) Quick Step | 6 | Row 86 - Cell 3 |
88 | Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha | 6 | Row 87 - Cell 3 |
89 | Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack | 6 | Row 88 - Cell 3 |
90 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 6 | Row 89 - Cell 3 |
91 | Thomas Voeckler (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | 5 | Row 90 - Cell 3 |
92 | Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 5 | Row 91 - Cell 3 |
93 | Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 5 | Row 92 - Cell 3 |
94 | Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank | 5 | Row 93 - Cell 3 |
95 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Team Radioshack | 5 | Row 94 - Cell 3 |
96 | Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 4 | Row 95 - Cell 3 |
97 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step | 4 | Row 96 - Cell 3 |
98 | Hayden Roulston (NZl) Team HTC - Columbia | 4 | Row 97 - Cell 3 |
99 | Markus Fothen (Ger) Team Milram | 4 | Row 98 - Cell 3 |
100 | Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 4 | Row 99 - Cell 3 |
101 | Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank | 4 | Row 100 - Cell 3 |
102 | Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne | 4 | Row 101 - Cell 3 |
103 | Robert Förster (Ger) Team Milram | 4 | Row 102 - Cell 3 |
104 | Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 4 | Row 103 - Cell 3 |
105 | Aitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 3 | Row 104 - Cell 3 |
106 | Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 2 | Row 105 - Cell 3 |
107 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 2 | Row 106 - Cell 3 |
108 | Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | 2 | Row 107 - Cell 3 |
109 | Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia | 2 | Row 108 - Cell 3 |
110 | David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 2 | Row 109 - Cell 3 |
111 | Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC - Columbia | 2 | Row 110 - Cell 3 |
112 | Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank | 2 | Row 111 - Cell 3 |
113 | Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 2 | Row 112 - Cell 3 |
114 | Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 1 | Row 113 - Cell 3 |
115 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Footon-Servetto | 1 | Row 114 - Cell 3 |
116 | Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha | 1 | Row 115 - Cell 3 |
117 | Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia | 1 | Row 116 - Cell 3 |
118 | Michael Albasini (Swi) Team HTC - Columbia | 1 | Row 117 - Cell 3 |
119 | Dominik Nerz (Ger) Team Milram | 1 | Row 118 - Cell 3 |
120 | Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 1 | Row 119 - Cell 3 |
121 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 1 | Row 120 - Cell 3 |
122 | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française Des Jeux | 1 | Row 121 - Cell 3 |
123 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 1 | Row 122 - Cell 3 |
124 | Rick Flens (Ned) Rabobank | 1 | Row 123 - Cell 3 |
125 | Davide Vigano (Ita) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 1 | Row 124 - Cell 3 |
126 | Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne | 1 | Row 125 - Cell 3 |
127 | Jan Bakelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 1 | Row 126 - Cell 3 |
128 | Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne | 1 | Row 127 - Cell 3 |
1 | Caisse d'Epargne | 620 | pts |
2 | Team Katusha | 500 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Astana | 434 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Omega Pharma-Lotto | 419 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Team HTC - Columbia | 383 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Team Saxo Bank | 334 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | BMC Racing Team | 333 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Cervélo TestTeam | 312 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Rabobank | 258 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Liquigas-Doimo | 255 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Lampre-Farnese Vini | 248 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Euskaltel - Euskadi | 238 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Team Radioshack | 237 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Quick Step | 226 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Garmin - Transitions | 207 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Sky Professional Cycling Team | 169 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Androni Giocattoli | 118 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Acqua & Sapone | 116 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 113 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | 110 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Colnago - CSF Inox | 93 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Team Milram | 76 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | AG2R La Mondiale | 68 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 60 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Française Des Jeux | 45 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Landbouwkrediet | 40 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | BBox Bouygues Telecom | 15 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Footon-Servetto | 8 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Saur - Sojasun | 6 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
1 | Spain | 1155 | pts |
2 | Belgium | 714 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Australia | 477 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Italy | 401 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | United States | 287 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Russia | 242 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Kazakhstan | 217 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Switzerland | 214 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Germany | 199 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Slovenia | 142 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Norway | 126 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | France | 119 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Czech Republic | 110 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Netherlands | 110 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Canada | 103 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Great Britain | 102 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Estonia | 100 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | New Zealand | 89 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Austria | 83 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Luxembourg | 70 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Ireland | 57 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Slovakia | 38 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Portugal | 38 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | South Africa | 13 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Argentina | 13 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Denmark | 12 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Belarus | 1 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Colombia | 1 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |