Gilbert closes on Sanchez in UCI world rankings

Philippe Gilbert's victory at Amstel Gold Race has boosted the Belgian to third in the International Cycling Union's (UCI) latest world rankings, released on Monday. Reports have also emerged that the Omega Pharma-Lotto rider is on the verge of signing a new two-year deal with his current team.

Gilbert, 27, indicated immediately after his victory on Sunday that top spot in the UCI rankings is an objective for him this season. He moves up from sixth place on the list and now sits just 12 points shy of Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne), who retained his number one status despite missing Amstel as a result of the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökul volcano.

Tom Boonen (Quick Step) retained his second-placed position in the rankings, but Gilbert's ascension pushed Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha), Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) and Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) down one spot each.

Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas-Doimo) and Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) were the most significant movers. The Czech leapt from 24th to 13th after a fifth placed finish at Amstel and Hesjedal, who finished second to Gilbert on Sunday, moved from 39th to 16th.

Omega Pharma-Lotto move to retain their talisman

Gilbert's upward movement in the individual rankings was mirrored by his team, with Omega Pharma-Lotto now third behind Caisse d'Epargne and Katusha in the UCI's list of team rankings.

The Belgian squad was the final member of the ProTour to secure its maiden 2010 victory, but according to a report in the La Dernière Heure newspaper on Monday they are expected to confirm a contract extension with the man that broke their eight month win-less streak.

"Philippe is ready to sign a two-year extension with the team that will last until December 31, 2012," Gilbert's agent, Eddy Billen, told the French language paper.

When Gilbert joined the team in 2008, he signed a two-year contract with an option for a further year. La Dernière Heure said that negotiations on a further two-season deal began during Paris-Nice in March. In order to help him target the big one-day Classics, the team is also said to be prepared to reinforce the Omega Pharma-Lotto for 2011 and beyond.

Business booming for Belgium

The UCI's nation rankings remained largely unchanged, although Belgium's second-place position was consolidated by Gilbert's Amstel triumph. Spain remains the most prolific nation, while Italy and Australia still sit in third and fourth, respectively.

The Czech Republic (now 11th) and Canada (now 13th) shifted five spots each, on the back of Kreuziger and Hesjedal's performances in the Netherlands.

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UCI Individual Rankings
1Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne222pts
2Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step216Row 1 - Cell 3
3Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto210Row 2 - Cell 3
4Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Team Katusha208Row 3 - Cell 3
5Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne201Row 4 - Cell 3
6Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank200Row 5 - Cell 3
7Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo TestTeam120Row 6 - Cell 3
8André Greipel (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia119Row 7 - Cell 3
9Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team116Row 8 - Cell 3
10Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana116Row 9 - Cell 3
11Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank112Row 10 - Cell 3
12Christopher Horner (USA) Team RadioShack110Row 11 - Cell 3
13Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo110Row 12 - Cell 3
14Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone109Row 13 - Cell 3
15Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana107Row 14 - Cell 3
16Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions101Row 15 - Cell 3
17Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne100Row 16 - Cell 3
18Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team100Row 17 - Cell 3
19Xavier Tondo Volpini (Spa) Cervelo TestTeam92Row 18 - Cell 3
20Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervelo TestTeam90Row 19 - Cell 3
21Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli86Row 20 - Cell 3
22Greg Henderson (NZl) Sky Professional Cycling Team85Row 21 - Cell 3
23Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi85Row 22 - Cell 3
24Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC-Columbia83Row 23 - Cell 3
25George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team80Row 24 - Cell 3
26Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini78Row 25 - Cell 3
27Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi72Row 26 - Cell 3
28Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Professional Cycling Team71Row 27 - Cell 3
29Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Team Katusha68Row 28 - Cell 3
30Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank63Row 29 - Cell 3
31Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox62Row 30 - Cell 3
32Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator60Row 31 - Cell 3
33Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Omega Pharma-Lotto60Row 32 - Cell 3
34Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo58Row 33 - Cell 3
35Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Transitions57Row 34 - Cell 3
36Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana56Row 35 - Cell 3
37Nicolas Roche (Irl) Ag2R La Mondiale55Row 36 - Cell 3
38Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Milram54Row 37 - Cell 3
39Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank52Row 38 - Cell 3
40Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto44Row 39 - Cell 3
41Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia41Row 40 - Cell 3
42Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet40Row 41 - Cell 3
43Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team HTC-Columbia40Row 42 - Cell 3
44Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Transitions34Row 43 - Cell 3
45Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux32Row 44 - Cell 3
46Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo30Row 45 - Cell 3
47Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha30Row 46 - Cell 3
48Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Katusha30Row 47 - Cell 3
49Francesco Ginanni (Ita) Androni Giocattoli30Row 48 - Cell 3
50Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox30Row 49 - Cell 3
51Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini22Row 50 - Cell 3
52Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo21Row 51 - Cell 3
53Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo21Row 52 - Cell 3
54Leif Hoste (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto20Row 53 - Cell 3
55Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank14Row 54 - Cell 3
56Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank12Row 55 - Cell 3
57Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini12Row 56 - Cell 3
58Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions11Row 57 - Cell 3
59Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank11Row 58 - Cell 3
60Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team10Row 59 - Cell 3
61Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini10Row 60 - Cell 3
62Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale10Row 61 - Cell 3
63Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre-Farnese Vini10Row 62 - Cell 3
64Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team RadioShack10Row 63 - Cell 3
65William Bonnet (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom10Row 64 - Cell 3
66Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram8Row 65 - Cell 3
67Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone7Row 66 - Cell 3
68Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Footon-Servetto7Row 67 - Cell 3
69Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne7Row 68 - Cell 3
70Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team6Row 69 - Cell 3
71Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Professional Cycling Team6Row 70 - Cell 3
72Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank6Row 71 - Cell 3
73Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team RadioShack6Row 72 - Cell 3
74Davide Malacarne (Ita) Quick Step6Row 73 - Cell 3
75Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha6Row 74 - Cell 3
76Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack6Row 75 - Cell 3
77Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne6Row 76 - Cell 3
78Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram6Row 77 - Cell 3
79Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC-Columbia6Row 78 - Cell 3
80Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team6Row 79 - Cell 3
81Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française Des Jeux5Row 80 - Cell 3
82Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini5Row 81 - Cell 3
83Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom5Row 82 - Cell 3
84Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank5Row 83 - Cell 3
85Gert Steegmans (Bel) Team RadioShack5Row 84 - Cell 3
86Hayden Roulston (NZl) Team HTC-Columbia4Row 85 - Cell 3
87Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step4Row 86 - Cell 3
88Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française Des Jeux4Row 87 - Cell 3
89Markus Fothen (Ger) Team Milram4Row 88 - Cell 3
90Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur-Sojasun4Row 89 - Cell 3
91Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank4Row 90 - Cell 3
92Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne4Row 91 - Cell 3
93Robert Förster (Ger) Team Milram4Row 92 - Cell 3
94Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini4Row 93 - Cell 3
95Aitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi3Row 94 - Cell 3
96Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha2Row 95 - Cell 3
97David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Farnese Vini2Row 96 - Cell 3
98Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC-Columbia2Row 97 - Cell 3
99Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC-Columbia2Row 98 - Cell 3
100Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française Des Jeux2Row 99 - Cell 3
101Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli2Row 100 - Cell 3
102Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur-Sojasun2Row 101 - Cell 3
103Michael Albasini (Swi) Team HTC-Columbia1Row 102 - Cell 3
104Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia1Row 103 - Cell 3
105Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo1Row 104 - Cell 3
106Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des Jeux1Row 105 - Cell 3
107Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française Des Jeux1Row 106 - Cell 3
108Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team1Row 107 - Cell 3
109Dominik Nerz (Ger) Team Milram1Row 108 - Cell 3
110Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha1Row 109 - Cell 3
111Davide Vigano (Ita) Sky Professional Cycling Team1Row 110 - Cell 3
112Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne1Row 111 - Cell 3
113Jan Bakelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto1Row 112 - Cell 3
114Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank1Row 113 - Cell 3
115Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne1Row 114 - Cell 3
116Mattia Gavazzi (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox1Row 115 - Cell 3
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UCI Team Rankings
1Caisse d'Epargne429pts
2Team Katusha342Row 1 - Cell 3
3Omega Pharma-Lotto335Row 2 - Cell 3
4Cervelo TestTeam302Row 3 - Cell 3
5Team Saxo Bank289Row 4 - Cell 3
6Team HTC-Columbia289Row 5 - Cell 3
7Astana279Row 6 - Cell 3
8Liquigas-Doimo240Row 7 - Cell 3
9Quick Step226Row 8 - Cell 3
10BMC Racing Team203Row 9 - Cell 3
11Garmin-Transitions203Row 10 - Cell 3
12Rabobank190Row 11 - Cell 3
13Sky Professional Cycling Team169Row 12 - Cell 3
14Euskaltel-Euskadi160Row 13 - Cell 3
15Team RadioShack137Row 14 - Cell 3
16Lampre-Farnese Vini132Row 15 - Cell 3
17Androni Giocattoli118Row 16 - Cell 3
18Acqua & Sapone116Row 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
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UCI Nation Rankings
1Spain850pts
2Belgium630Row 1 - Cell 3
3Italy393Row 2 - Cell 3
4Australia285Row 3 - Cell 3
5United States253Row 4 - Cell 3
6Switzerland204Row 5 - Cell 3
7Germany195Row 6 - Cell 3
8Norway126Row 7 - Cell 3
9France119Row 8 - Cell 3
10Kazakhstan116Row 9 - Cell 3
11Czech Republic110Row 10 - Cell 3
12Netherlands109Row 11 - Cell 3
13Canada101Row 12 - Cell 3
14Estonia100Row 13 - Cell 3
15Great Britain96Row 14 - Cell 3
16New Zealand89Row 15 - Cell 3
17Austria83Row 16 - Cell 3
18Ireland55Row 17 - Cell 3
19Russia39Row 18 - Cell 3
20Slovakia23Row 19 - Cell 3
21Luxembourg14Row 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

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