Gilbert assumes world number one ranking

Philippe Gilbert of Omega Pharma-Lotto has leapt to the top of the International Cycling Union's (UCI) world rankings after finishing fourth in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The week of the Ardennes Classics saw significant changes occur to the top ten.

Gilbert, one of the most consistent riders in this year's Spring Classics, had moved from sixth to third last week with his victory in the Amstel Gold Race. This week he took the top placing in the rankings with 292 points, 11 points ahead of Caisse d'Epargne's Alejandro Valverde, who moved up from fifth to second place.

After the Flèche Wallonne last Wednesday, Katusha had announced Joaquim Rodriguez as the leader virtuel in the rankings. The Spaniard finished second at Flèche, but finished only 44th at Liège, moving into third place in the official UCI list.

World Champion Cadel Evans of BMC Racing Team took a big leap up from ninth place to fourth place, while former leader Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) went the other direction, falling from first to fifth.

Tom Boonen (Quick Step) also fell four places, and Saxo Bank's Fabian Cancellara went from sixth to seventh. Neither rider has raced since Paris-Roubaix.

One of the biggest winners of the week was Alberto Contador of Astana. The defending Tour de France champion finished third in Flèche Wallonne and 10th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, moving himself up from 15th to eighth place.

Christopher Horner of RadioShack and Cervélo's Thor Hushovd round out the top ten.

The winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), secured his first UCI ranking points of the season and moved into 17th place.

There were no changes at the top of the team rankings. Caisse d'Epargne continues to lead Katusha, but Omega Pharma-Lotto and Astana swapped places, with the Belgian team now fourth behind the Kazakhstani team.

The next UCI ranking will be released after ProTour race Tour de Romandie, in which Gilbert and Valverde are both participating. Neither Evans nor Rodriguez will ride, as their teams were not invited, and Sanchez is not scheduled to race.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
UCI Individual World Rankings
1Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto292pts
2Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne281Row 1 - Cell 3
3Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Team Katusha268Row 2 - Cell 3
4Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team246Row 3 - Cell 3
5Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne222Row 4 - Cell 3
6Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step216Row 5 - Cell 3
7Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank200Row 6 - Cell 3
8Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana161Row 7 - Cell 3
9Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack144Row 8 - Cell 3
10Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam120Row 9 - Cell 3
11André Greipel (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia119Row 10 - Cell 3
12Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana116Row 11 - Cell 3
13Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank112Row 12 - Cell 3
14Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo110Row 13 - Cell 3
15Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - D'angelo & Antenucci109Row 14 - Cell 3
16Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions103Row 15 - Cell 3
17Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana100Row 16 - Cell 3
18Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne100Row 17 - Cell 3
19Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team100Row 18 - Cell 3
20Xavier Tondo Volpini (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam92Row 19 - Cell 3
21Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam90Row 20 - Cell 3
22Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli86Row 21 - Cell 3
23Greg Henderson (NZl) Sky Professional Cycling Team85Row 22 - Cell 3
24Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi85Row 23 - Cell 3
25Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC - Columbia83Row 24 - Cell 3
26Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha82Row 25 - Cell 3
27George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team80Row 26 - Cell 3
28Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini78Row 27 - Cell 3
29Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi72Row 28 - Cell 3
30Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Professional Cycling Team71Row 29 - Cell 3
31Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi70Row 30 - Cell 3
32Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Team Katusha68Row 31 - Cell 3
33Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank63Row 32 - Cell 3
34Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago - Csf Inox62Row 33 - Cell 3
35Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator60Row 34 - Cell 3
36Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Omega Pharma-Lotto60Row 35 - Cell 3
37Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo58Row 36 - Cell 3
38Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions57Row 37 - Cell 3
39Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana56Row 38 - Cell 3
40Nicolas Roche (Irl) Ag2R La Mondiale55Row 39 - Cell 3
41Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Milram54Row 40 - Cell 3
42Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini52Row 41 - Cell 3
43Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank52Row 42 - Cell 3
44Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank46Row 43 - Cell 3
45Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto44Row 44 - Cell 3
46Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia41Row 45 - Cell 3
47Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet40Row 46 - Cell 3
48Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team HTC - Columbia40Row 47 - Cell 3
49Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Transitions34Row 48 - Cell 3
50Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux32Row 49 - Cell 3
51Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo30Row 50 - Cell 3
52Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha30Row 51 - Cell 3
53Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Katusha30Row 52 - Cell 3
54Francesco Ginanni (Ita) Androni Giocattoli30Row 53 - Cell 3
55Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - Csf Inox30Row 54 - Cell 3
56Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank24Row 55 - Cell 3
57Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo21Row 56 - Cell 3
58Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo21Row 57 - Cell 3
59Leif Hoste (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto20Row 58 - Cell 3
60Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank12Row 59 - Cell 3
61Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini12Row 60 - Cell 3
62Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Transitions11Row 61 - Cell 3
63Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank11Row 62 - Cell 3
64Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team10Row 63 - Cell 3
65Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini10Row 64 - Cell 3
66Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale10Row 65 - Cell 3
67Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre-Farnese Vini10Row 66 - Cell 3
68Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack10Row 67 - Cell 3
69William Bonnet (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom10Row 68 - Cell 3
70Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram8Row 69 - Cell 3
71Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - D'angelo & Antenucci7Row 70 - Cell 3
72Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Footon-Servetto7Row 71 - Cell 3
73Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne7Row 72 - Cell 3
74Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team6Row 73 - Cell 3
75Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram6Row 74 - Cell 3
76Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne6Row 75 - Cell 3
77Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack6Row 76 - Cell 3
78Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Professional Cycling Team6Row 77 - Cell 3
79Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank6Row 78 - Cell 3
80Davide Malacarne (Ita) Quick Step6Row 79 - Cell 3
81Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha6Row 80 - Cell 3
82Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack6Row 81 - Cell 3
83Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia6Row 82 - Cell 3
84Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team6Row 83 - Cell 3
85Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom5Row 84 - Cell 3
86Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française Des Jeux5Row 85 - Cell 3
87Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini5Row 86 - Cell 3
88Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank5Row 87 - Cell 3
89Gert Steegmans (Bel) Team Radioshack5Row 88 - Cell 3
90Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step4Row 89 - Cell 3
91Hayden Roulston (NZl) Team HTC - Columbia4Row 90 - Cell 3
92Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française Des Jeux4Row 91 - Cell 3
93Markus Fothen (Ger) Team Milram4Row 92 - Cell 3
94Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun4Row 93 - Cell 3
95Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank4Row 94 - Cell 3
96Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne4Row 95 - Cell 3
97Robert Förster (Ger) Team Milram4Row 96 - Cell 3
98Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini4Row 97 - Cell 3
99Aitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi3Row 98 - Cell 3
100Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli2Row 99 - Cell 3
101Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française Des Jeux2Row 100 - Cell 3
102Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia2Row 101 - Cell 3
103David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Farnese Vini2Row 102 - Cell 3
104Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC - Columbia2Row 103 - Cell 3
105Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur - Sojasun2Row 104 - Cell 3
106Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia1Row 105 - Cell 3
107Michael Albasini (Swi) Team HTC - Columbia1Row 106 - Cell 3
108Dominik Nerz (Ger) Team Milram1Row 107 - Cell 3
109Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo1Row 108 - Cell 3
110Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des Jeux1Row 109 - Cell 3
111Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française Des Jeux1Row 110 - Cell 3
112Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team1Row 111 - Cell 3
113Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha1Row 112 - Cell 3
114Davide Vigano (Ita) Sky Professional Cycling Team1Row 113 - Cell 3
115Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne1Row 114 - Cell 3
116Jan Bakelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto1Row 115 - Cell 3
117Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank1Row 116 - Cell 3
118Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne1Row 117 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
UCI Teams Rankings
1Caisse d'Epargne509pts
2Team Katusha478Row 1 - Cell 3
3Astana433Row 2 - Cell 3
4Omega Pharma-Lotto417Row 3 - Cell 3
5Team Saxo Bank334Row 4 - Cell 3
6BMC Racing Team333Row 5 - Cell 3
7Cervelo Test Team302Row 6 - Cell 3
8Team HTC - Columbia289Row 7 - Cell 3
9Liquigas-Doimo240Row 8 - Cell 3
10Euskaltel - Euskadi230Row 9 - Cell 3
11Quick Step226Row 10 - Cell 3
12Garmin - Transitions205Row 11 - Cell 3
13Rabobank190Row 12 - Cell 3
14Team Radioshack171Row 13 - Cell 3
15Sky Professional Cycling Team169Row 14 - Cell 3
16Lampre-Farnese Vini162Row 15 - Cell 3
17Androni Giocattoli118Row 16 - Cell 3
18Acqua & Sapone - D'angelo & Antenucci116Row 17 - Cell 3
19Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne113Row 18 - Cell 3
20Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team110Row 19 - Cell 3
21Colnago - CSF Inox93Row 20 - Cell 3
22Team Milram76Row 21 - Cell 3
23Ag2R La Mondiale65Row 22 - Cell 3
24Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator60Row 23 - Cell 3
25Française Des Jeux44Row 24 - Cell 3
26Landbouwkrediet40Row 25 - Cell 3
27Bbox Bouygues Telecom15Row 26 - Cell 3
28Footon-Servetto7Row 27 - Cell 3
29Saur - Sojasun6Row 28 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
UCI Nations Rankings
1Spain1044pts
2Belgium712Row 1 - Cell 3
3Australia415Row 2 - Cell 3
4Italy393Row 3 - Cell 3
5United States287Row 4 - Cell 3
6Kazakhstan216Row 5 - Cell 3
7Switzerland204Row 6 - Cell 3
8Germany195Row 7 - Cell 3
9Norway126Row 8 - Cell 3
10Russia119Row 9 - Cell 3
11France119Row 10 - Cell 3
12Czech Republic110Row 11 - Cell 3
13Netherlands109Row 12 - Cell 3
14Canada103Row 13 - Cell 3
15Estonia100Row 14 - Cell 3
16Great Britain96Row 15 - Cell 3
17New Zealand89Row 16 - Cell 3
18Austria83Row 17 - Cell 3
19Luxembourg70Row 18 - Cell 3
20Ireland55Row 19 - Cell 3
21Slovakia23Row 20 - Cell 3
22Slovenia14Row 21 - Cell 3
23Denmark12Row 22 - Cell 3
24Argentina12Row 23 - Cell 3
25South Africa11Row 24 - Cell 3
26Portugal7Row 25 - Cell 3
27Belarus1Row 26 - Cell 3
28Colombia1Row 27 - Cell 3

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1