Simon Gerrans clings on to top spot in UCI World Ranking, Kennaugh out of top 10

Australian Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) has survived another week at the top of the UCI's World Ranking, although the top 10 has been heavily reshuffled after a busy weekend of racing.

Gerrans hit the top of the new-for-2016 World Ranking after claiming the overall victory in the Tour Down Under in January, the opening race of the UCI's first division WorldTour calendar.

As more and more results are added to the ranking from up-coming races such as Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, Gerrans's time at the top looks as though it may only last another week or two.

Other riders were not so lucky in retaining their places in the table, with British rider Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky) dropping from sixth to 12th place. Tour of Qatar winner Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) slips from 13th to 19th.

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Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) also drop out of the top 10 as Petr Vakoc (Etixx-QuickStep), Alexander Kristoff (Katusha), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani-CSF) move up into fourth, sixth, ninth and 10th respectively.

Van Avermaet was the winner of Saturday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, whilst Kristoff placed second behind Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) in Sunday's Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.

Vakoc gained his points by winning both the 1.1-ranked Royal Bernard Drôme Classic and La Classic Sud Ardeche in France, and Colbrelli from winning the 1.HC-ranked GP Lugano in Switzerland at the weekend.

The UCI introduced the World Ranking at the start of the 2016 season. Riders’ positions are based on results in all races in the UCI calendar, including those in the WorldTour and continental calendars.

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The ranking is published by the UCI every Monday to take into account the previous week’s races, and is published on a rolling basis so will not be fully reflective until the start of 2017. The UCI also publishes a separate WorldTour ranking, which is also currently topped by Gerrans.

UCI World Ranking (as at February 29 2016)

1. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 755 points

2. Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing 485 points

3. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida 455 points

4. Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx-QuickStep 410 points

5. Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky 405 points

6. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha 400 points

7. Jay McCarthy (Aus) Tinkoff 370 points

8. Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ 365 points

9. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing 355 points

10. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF 350 points

Other

12. Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky 316 points

19. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data 270 points