Poland win helps Movistar close in on Team Sky in WorldTour standings

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Movistar have closed in on Team Sky at the top of the WorldTour standings after Jon Izagirre took overall victory at the Tour de Pologne on Saturday. Only four points separate the two teams now, while Team Sky lead the way with 1246 points.

Between them, Team Sky and Movistar have won the last three team competitions with the Spanish team taking consecutive titles in 2013 and 2014. Ultimately, there has been little change in terms of positions and Katusha remain within touching distance in third place at 116 points behind Sky. The only change inside the top 10 is at the bottom where Giant-Alpecin and AG2R-La Mondiale have swapped 9th and 10th places.

In the individual standings, Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde remains in the lead with a 110-point advantage over Tour de France victor Chris Froome (Team Sky), with Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) in third. Froome had closed the gap at the Tour but Valverde’s podium position at the Clásica San Sebastián keeps him clear at the top. As with the team standings, there has been little movement at the top but there has been plenty outside the top 10. Fabio Aru has jumped from 15th to 12th after his top 5 finish in Poland.

Tour de Pologne winner Izagirre has made a huge leap from 47th to 23, while Ilnur Zakarin has moved from 30th to 19th. Izagirre’s performance also helped extend Spain’s stranglehold at the top of the nation standings. The country, who has only failed to win the final standings just once in 2011, has a 609 advantage over Great Britain and look certain to win once again.

Eight rounds remain and the WorldTour continues with the Eneco Tour on Monday.

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