Sagan remains in pole position prior to Paris-Roubaix
He had to be satisfied with second place overall in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco but Richie Porte’s runner-up slot there has elevated him up three places to third in the UCI WorldTour standings, positioning him as the best of the big stage race riders at this point in time.
As anticipated, the biggest mover was Pais Vasco winner Nairo Quintana, whose strong time trial yesterday and resulting GC triumph moved him from twentieth to fourth overall.
“I felt really good during the time trial and during every day of the race. You needed to be mentally and physically strong in the rain and cold, and everything went right for me. The climb in the time trial suited me and helped me win overall,” said Quintana.
“I’m young and so it’s important to keep learning. This season I was looking for an early victory at Paris-Nice. I got a stage victory at the Volta a Catalunya, one here and now the overall too. I want to dedicate this victory to the team; they helped me a lot during all the race. This is a victory for the Movistar team.”
The top two positions remain unchanged, with Peter Sagan and Ronde van Vlaanderen winner Fabian Cancellara remaining first and second. Sagan has amassed 312 points but won’t ride Paris-Roubaix today. Cancellara is on 251, 61 less than his Slovakian rival, and would take over at the top with a top three finish.
If that classification is indeed a target, he will need to maximise his opportunity today; Sagan will ride the Amstel Gold Race and possibly also Flèche Wallonne, and could boost his own points tally there.
Porte, Quintana and Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) are also expected to ride the Ardennes Classics and could make gains. They are 112, 130 and 168 off Sagan’s lead at present.
Looking at the other two classifications, the nations’ ranking has changed slightly. Spain remains best with 447 points, while Slovakia overtakes Italy to move into second place. France and Great Britain remain fourth and fifth.
As for the teams, Sky stays on top while Katusha moves up a slot and past RadioShack Leopard into second. Cannondale remains fourth, with Movistar’s strong Pais Vasco performance moving it from ninth to fifth.
UCI WorldTour rankings after Vuelta al Pais Vasco (6 April 2013):
1 (1) SAGAN Peter, CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING (CAN) 312
2 (2) CANCELLARA Fabian, RADIOSHACK LEOPARD (RLT) 251
3 (6) PORTE Richie, SKY PROCYCLING (SKY) 200
4 (20) QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander, MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV) 182
5 (3) RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin, KATUSHA (KAT) 144
6 (4) CHAVANEL Sylvain, OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (OPQ) 142
7 (15) CONTADOR VELASCO Alberto, TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF (TST) 124
8 (5) THOMAS Geraint, SKY PROCYCLING (SKY) 117
9 (7) SLAGTER Tom Jelte, BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM (BLA) 111
10 (8) MARTIN Daniel, GARMIN SHARP (GRS) 107
11 (9) NIBALI Vincenzo, ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST) 106
12 (33) SPILAK Simon, KATUSHA (KAT) 102
13 (10) TALANSKY Andrew, GARMIN SHARP (GRS) 92
14 (12) MORENO BAZAN Javier, MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV) 86
15 (11) FROOME Christopher, SKY PROCYCLING (SKY) 86
16 (-) HENAO MONTOYA Sergio Luis, SKY PROCYCLING (SKY) 82
17 (13) VAN AVERMAET Greg, BMC RACING TEAM (BMC) 80
18 (14) KRISTOFF Alexander, KATUSHA (KAT) 80
19 (16) LADAGNOUS Matthieu, FDJ (FDJ) 72
20 (18) PERAUD Jean-Christophe, AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM) 71
21 (17) SCARPONI Michele, LAMPRE-MERIDA (LAM) 71
22 (19) ROELANDTS Jurgen, LOTTO BELISOL (LTB) 70
23 (21) VAN GARDEREN Tejay, BMC RACING TEAM (BMC) 62
24 (22) BOZIC Borut, ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST) 61
25 (24) IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI Jon, EUSKALTEL EUSKADI (EUS) 61
26 (23) KWIATKOWSKI Michal, OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (OPQ) 61
27 (25) PAOLINI Luca, KATUSHA (KAT) 60
28 (26) HERMANS Ben, RADIOSHACK LEOPARD (RLT) 52
29 (27) WIGGINS Bradley, SKY PROCYCLING (SKY) 51
30 (28) OSS Daniel, BMC RACING TEAM (BMC) 50
31 (29) HORNER Christopher, RADIOSHACK LEOPARD (RLT) 42
32 (-) WEENING Pieter, ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE) 41
33 (30) GESINK Robert, BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM (BLA) 41
34 (31) KELDERMAN Wilco, BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM (BLA) 41
35 (32) STANNARD Ian, SKY PROCYCLING (SKY) 40
36 (34) NIEMIEC Przemyslaw, LAMPRE-MERIDA (LAM) 40
37 (-) BETANCUR GOMEZ Carlos Alberto, AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM) 35
38 (35) LANGEVELD Sebastian, ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE) 34
39 (37) ULISSI Diego, LAMPRE-MERIDA (LAM) 33
40 (36) IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI Gorka, EUSKALTEL EUSKADI (EUS) 32
41 (38) FLECHA GIANNONI Juan Antonio, VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM (VCD) 30
42 (39) PHINNEY Taylor, BMC RACING TEAM (BMC) 30
43 (40) AMADOR BAKKAZAKOVA Andrey, MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV) 24
44 (-) INTXAUSTI ELORRIAGA Benat, MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV) 22
45 (41) WESTRA Lieuwe, VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM (VCD) 22
46 (42) PINOT Thibaut, FDJ (FDJ) 21
47 (43) PIETROPOLLI Daniele, LAMPRE-MERIDA (LAM) 20
48 (44) GREIPEL André, LOTTO BELISOL (LTB) 20
49 (45) EISEL Bernhard, SKY PROCYCLING (SKY) 18
50 (50) GERRANS Simon, ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE) 18
51 (46) MEERSMAN Gianni, OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (OPQ) 16
52 (47) CAVENDISH Mark, OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (OPQ) 15
53 (48) BOONEN Tom, OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (OPQ) 14
54 (74) POELS Wouter, VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM (VCD) 14
55 (67) MARTIN Tony, OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (OPQ) 12
56 (49) GOSS Matthew Harley, ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE) 12
57 (51) VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen, LOTTO BELISOL (LTB) 11
58 (52) MACHADO Tiago, RADIOSHACK LEOPARD (RLT) 11
59 (53) VANDENBERGH Stijn, OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (OPQ) 10
60 (55) KLÖDEN Andreas, RADIOSHACK LEOPARD (RLT) 10
61 (54) DEGENKOLB John, TEAM ARGOS – SHIMANO (ARG) 10
62 (59) VELITS Peter, OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (OPQ) 10
63 (56) DUMOULIN Samuel, AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM) 10
64 (57) BOASSON HAGEN Edvald, SKY PROCYCLING (SKY) 8
65 (65) RATTO Daniele, CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING (CAN) 7
66 (58) POPOVYCH Yaroslav, RADIOSHACK LEOPARD (RLT) 6
67 (61) GILBERT Philippe, BMC RACING TEAM (BMC) 6
68 (63) DE GENDT Thomas, VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM (VCD) 6
69 (-) IMPEY Daryl, ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE) 6
70 (68) ALBASINI Michael, ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE) 6
71 (60) VIVIANI Elia, CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING (CAN) 6
72 (62) RENSHAW Mark, BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM (BLA) 6
73 (64) PARISIEN Francois, TEAM ARGOS – SHIMANO (ARG) 6
74 (66) VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro, MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV) 6
75 (69) KITTEL Marcel, TEAM ARGOS – SHIMANO (ARG) 6
76 (70) BOUHANNI Nacer, FDJ (FDJ) 6
77 (101) SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel, EUSKALTEL EUSKADI (EUS) 5
78 (-) GAVAZZI Francesco, ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST) 5
79 (71) LOPEZ GARCIA David, SKY PROCYCLING (SKY) 5
80 (72) FERRARI Roberto, LAMPRE-MERIDA (LAM) 5
81 (-) GADRET John, AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM) 4
82 (73) DANIELSON Thomas, GARMIN SHARP (GRS) 4
83 (75) VEIKKANEN Jussi, FDJ (FDJ) 4
84 (-) VICIOSO ARCOS Angel, KATUSHA (KAT) 4
85 (82) MALORI Adriano, LAMPRE-MERIDA (LAM) 4
86 (76) DEMARE Arnaud, FDJ (FDJ) 4
87 (77) IGLINSKY Maxim, ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST) 4
88 (78) PETACCHI Alessandro, LAMPRE-MERIDA (LAM) 4
89 (79) BELLETTI Manuel, AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM) 4
90 (80) AGNOLI Valerio, ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST) 4
91 (81) MENCHOV Denis, KATUSHA (KAT) 4
92 (83) MOLLEMA Bauke, BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM (BLA) 4
93 (84) WYSS Danilo, BMC RACING TEAM (BMC) 3
94 (-) CARUSO Giampaolo, KATUSHA (KAT) 2
95 (85) ROJAS GIL Jose Joaquin, MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV) 2
96 (86) CANTWELL Jonathan, TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF (TST) 2
97 (87) HOWARD Leigh, ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE) 2
98 (88) KISERLOVSKI Robert, RADIOSHACK LEOPARD (RLT) 2
99 (89) LANCASTER Brett, ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE) 2
100 (-) FUGLSANG Jakob, ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST) 1
101 (99) GASPAROTTO Enrico, ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST) 1
102 (100) CASTROVIEJO NICOLAS Jonathan, MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV) 1
103 (-) VANENDERT Dennis, LOTTO BELISOL (LTB) 1
104 (90) DEBUSSCHERE Jens, LOTTO BELISOL (LTB) 1
105 (91) FARRAR Tyler, GARMIN SHARP (GRS) 1
106 (94) PONZI Simone, ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST) 1
107 (93) WAGNER Robert, BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM (BLA) 1
108 (92) VISCONTI Giovanni, MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV) 1
109 (95) GALLOPIN Tony, RADIOSHACK LEOPARD (RLT) 1
110 (96) WELLENS Tim, LOTTO BELISOL (LTB) 1
111 (97) FENN Andrew, OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (OPQ) 1
112 (98) SOUPE Geoffrey, FDJ (FDJ) 1
113 (102) VON HOFF Steele, GARMIN SHARP (GRS) 1
114 (103) MARKUS Barry, VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM (VCD) 1
Teams:
1 (1) SKY PROCYCLING (SKY) GBR, 536
2 (3) KATUSHA (KAT) RUS, 390
3 (2) RADIOSHACK LEOPARD (RLT) LUX, 366
4 (4) CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING (CAN) ITA, 325
5 (9) MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV) ESP, 320
6 (5) OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (OPQ) BEL, 248
7 (6) BMC RACING TEAM (BMC) USA, 228
8 (7) GARMIN SHARP (GRS) USA, 205
9 (8) BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM (BLA) NED, 203
10 (10) ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST) KAZ, 180
11 (11) LAMPRE-MERIDA (LAM) ITA, 169
12 (16) TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF (TST) DEN, 126
13 (15) AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM) FRA, 124
14 (17) ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE) AUS, 111
15 (12) FDJ (FDJ) FRA, 107
16 (13) LOTTO BELISOL (LTB) BEL, 103
17 (14) EUSKALTEL EUSKADI (EUS) ESP, 98
18 (18) VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM (VCD) NED, 73
19 (19) TEAM ARGOS – SHIMANO (ARG) NED, 22
Nations:
1 (1) SPAIN, 447
2 (3) SLOVAKIA, 322
3 (2) ITALY, 320
4 (4) FRANCE, 316
5 (5) GREAT BRITAIN, 309
6 (15) COLOMBIA, 299
7 (7) NETHERLANDS, 268
8 (6) SWITZERLAND, 260
9 (10) AUSTRALIA, 238
10 (8) BELGIUM, 232
11 (9) UNITED STATES, 230
12 (12) SLOVENIA, 163
13 (11) IRELAND, 107
14 (13) POLAND, 101
15 (14) NORWAY, 88
16 (16) GERMANY, 58
17 (17) COSTA RICA, 24
18 (18) AUSTRIA, 18
19 (19) PORTUGAL, 11
20 (20) UKRAINE, 6
21 (-) SOUTH AFRICA, 6
22 (21) CANADA, 6
23 (22) FINLAND, 4
24 (23) KAZAKHSTAN, 4
25 (24) RUSSIA, 4
26 (25) CROATIA, 2
27 (-) DENMARK, 1