The dispute of the UAE Tour, O Gran Camiño and the first classics such as Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne or Faun-Ardèche leaves important changes this week in the UCI team ranking, where Jumbo-Visma makes an important leap after its first great successes of the season.
The UAE Emirates entrenches itself in the leadership of the team ranking with 2,975.58 points, of which 275.43 points are due to the great performance of Adam Yates in the UAE Tour, with 215 points from his third place overall. He also adds this week to fifth place from Tim Wellens in the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, which netted him 85 points.
In this way, the UAE Emirates maintains a cushion of 354 points with the Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, which this week appears with 2,621 points after adding 190 with Rui Costa, of which 150 are from his second place in the Faun Drome Classic. It is also worth noting the 100 points achieved by Taco Van der Hoorn with his fourth place in the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. The podium is completed by an Ineos Grenadiers that is already 65 points behind the Intermarché with 2,555.3 points, thanks to the 282.86 achieved by Lucas Plapp on the UAE Tour, with 250 of them as second overall.
Ineos-Grenadiers is only 14 points closer to Soudal Quick-Step, fourth with 2541.84 points of which Remco Evenepoel has added 382.71 on the UAE Tour, with 300 of them as the winner of the general classification; and Julian Alaphilippe another 200 as winner of the Faun-Ardèche Classic. Bahrain-Victorious appears further away, which this week rises to fifth place with 1,848.98 after the 189.14 points scored by Pello Bilbao on the UAE Tour, of which 175 correspond to his fourth place overall.
The big rise of the week is led by Jumbo-Visma, which this week climbs 18 positions to sit sixth with 1,756 points thanks to the 300 points achieved by Dylan Van Baarle as winner of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad; the 215 achieved by Christophe Laporte with his third place in this same race; the 200 achieved by Tiesj Benoot as champion of the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne; and the 173 points achieved by Jonas Vingegaard with his three victories and the general in O Gran Camiño.
The rise in the classification of the Jumbo-Visma has caused the Movistar falls this week to seventh place in the standings with 1,644 points after a week in which the Spanish team has added points with the 80 achieved by Rubén Guerreiro and his third place in O Gran Camiño, the 70 achieved by Einer Rubio with his stage victory and his Top-15 on the UAE Tour; the 25 achieved by Fernando Gaviria with his second place in the fifth stage of the UAE Tour and the 30 points achieved by Iván García Cortina for his eleventh place in the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.
UCI team ranking as of February 28, 2023
1. UAE Emirates (UAE) 2,975.58
2. Intermarché-Circus-Wanty (BEL) 2,621
3. Ineos Grenadiers (GBR) 2,555.3
4. Soudal Quick-Step (BEL) 2541.84
5. Bahrain-Victorious (BHR) 1,848.98
6. Jumbo-Visma (NED) 1,756
7. Movistar (ESP) 1,644
8. EF Education – Easypost (USA) 1,627.28
9. Lotto Dstny (BEL) 1,619
10. Bora-Hansgrohe (ALE) 1,445.44
Pogacar rules, Evenepoel beats Van Aert and Bilbao resists
The celebration of last week’s races also leaves us with several changes in the individual ranking, where Tadej Pogacar continues to lead with 5,138 points and in which Remco Evenepoel surpasses Wout Van Aert in the standings. After his victory in the UAE Tour Evenepoel is already second with 4,440.21 points, while Van Aert falls to third with 4,225.
A further distance appears Jonas Vingegaard who is still fourth but who has closed the gap after his full of victories in O Gran Camiño to be placed with 3,124 points, ahead of Arnaud de Lie, fifth, with 2,780 points; and a Pello Bilbao that resists in the sixth position with 2,314.14 points.
The main rises of the day are carried out by Christophe Laporte, who rises seven places to seventh place with 2,203 points, and the Norwegian Alexander Kristoff, who is tenth with 2,148 points and takes the Russian Aleksandr Vlasov out of the Top-10.
UCI individual world ranking as of February 28, 2023
1. Tadej Pogacar (SVN/UAE Emirates) 5,138
2. Remco Evenepoel (BEL/Soudal Quick-Step) 4,440.21
3. Wout Van Aert (BEL/Jumbo-Visma) 4,225
4. Jonas Vingegaard (DIN/Jumbo-Visma) 3,124
5. Arnaud de Lie (BEL/Lotto Dstny) 2,780
6. Pello Bilbao (ESP/Bahrain-Victorious) 2,314.44
7. Christophe Laporte (FRA/Jumbo-Visma) 2,203
8. Stefan Kung (SUI/Groupama-FDJ) 2,192
9. Michael Matthews (AUS/Jayco-AlUla) 2,157.67
10. Alexander Kristoff (NOR/One-X) 2,148