Greg Van Avermaet crowned UCI WorldTour champion as 2017 season concludes
The Belgian was already assured of victory even before the finale WorldTour event, the Tour of Guangxi
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) is officially the winner of the UCI WorldTour for 2017, with the event series concluding on Tuesday with the final stage of the Tour of Guangxi in China.
The Belgian was assured of victory in the individual rankings over Chris Froome (Team Sky) in second, with the Brit ending his WorldTour season after the Vuelta a España.
32-year-old Van Avermaet took his maiden WorldTour crown with 3582 points over Froome's 3452 in second and Giro d'Italia winner Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) with 2545 in third place.
Van Avermaet recorded his best ever season this year, dominating much of the Classics period through March and April, winning the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, E3 Harelbeke, Ghent-Wevelgem, and Paris-Roubaix.
Even when not winning he proved remarkably consistent, taking second in races like Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders, despite crashing towards the end of the latter.
While the WorldTour wins dried up as the year went on to take three top-10 finishes in Tour de France stages and fourth overall in the BinckBank Tour. Van Avermaet grabbed more points in the later one-day race of the year, taking top-10s in the Clásica San Sebastian, Bretagne Classic - Ouest France, GP Montréal and second in the GP Québec.
Meanwhile, Team Sky were crowned winners in the team ranking, in no small part thanks to victory in two Grand Tours with Chris Froome as well as Michal Kwiatkowski's big one-day victories in Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo and the Clásica San Sebastian as well as second at Amstel Gold Race.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Watch: Tour de France route 2018
Quick-Step Floors, who took a huge number of wins throughout the season, settle for second while Van Avermaet's BMC Racing take third place.
The UCI Women's WorldTour was decided in September after the final race the Madrid Challenge, with Anna van der Breggen victorious at the top of the standings.
Results
UCI WorldTour 2017 individual ranking
1. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team, 3582
2. Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky, 3452
3. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Sunweb, 2545
4. Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe, 2544
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain Merida, 2196
6. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky, 2171
7. Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar, 2105
8. Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors, 2050
9. Michael Matthews (Aus) Sunweb, 2049
10. Alberto Contador (Esp) Trek-Swegafredo, 1987
Team ranking
1. Team Sky (GBr), 12689
2. Quick-Step Floors (Bel), 12233
3. BMC Racing Team (USA), 10539
4. Team Sunweb (Ger), 7991
5. Trek-Segafredo (USA), 7635
6. Movistar Team (Esp), 7349
7. Orica-Scott (Aus), 7110
8. Bora-Hansgrohe (Ger), 6480
9. Ag2r La Mondiale (Fra), 6316
10. Cannondale-Drapac (USA) 5715
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Follow on Twitter: @richwindy
Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
-
Overachiever: Cameron Wurf competed in the Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne and an Ironman, all in just eight days
Cameron Wurf is both a member of Team Ineos Grenadiers and an accomplished professional long course triathlete who has racked up numerous World Tour and Ironman race finishes across his career.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
The tech nerd's guide to the perfect coffee
Joe on Joe. What does it take to make a fine mug of Joe? We sent Joe Baker to find out.
By Joe Baker Published
-
'It was time to change': No regrets for Rod Ellingworth after leaving Ineos Grenadiers
New Tour of Britain race director says he is still on good terms with Dave Brailsford after resigning from team last year
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I’m just here to enjoy it': Tom Pidcock on his surprise Paris-Roubaix appearance
British rider was a late addition to the Ineos Grenadiers team for the race across the pavé
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
The art of peaking with Geraint Thomas: 'It’s easy to take for granted that 9 times out of 10 I hit my goals'
The Welshman also calls for better governance in the sport to help it grow further
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers’ 500th victory was claimed by a woman; why do they still not have a team?
The British squad is one of the richest in cycling - but Ineos still won’t stump up for a women’s team
By Adam Becket Published
-
'This is so much more than a number': Six of the best Ineos Grenadiers wins as team claims 500th race victory
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot took the 500th team win at the weekend
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock 'wouldn’t be surprised' to see attacks before the Poggio at Milan-San Remo
British rider will lead the line for Ineos Grenadiers alongside Filippo Ganna
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers delighted with Egan Bernal’s late cameo on stage one of Paris-Nice
Colombian snapped up key bonus seconds in the general classification battle on run in to Les Mureaux
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘It doesn’t change anything’ - Tom Pidcock’s coach on Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche
Kurt Bogaerts says the pressure is off for Pidcock as he looks to defend the title he emphatically won last year
By Tom Thewlis Published