Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) has safely retained his position at the top of the 2018 UCI WorldTour ranking after the conclusion of the Ardennes Classics.
The 28-year-old Slovak asserted his claim to the WorldTour lead in early April after taking the victory in Paris-Roubaix. His fourth place in the Amstel Gold Race on April 15 extended his margin.
Sagan's tally of 1901 points sees him well clear of second-placed Alejandro Valverde (Movistar). The veteran Spaniard put in his usual strong performance in the Ardennes – although missed out on a victory – placing second in Flèche Wallonne (April 18), fifth in the Amstel Gold Race and 13th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège (April 22).
Sagan did not race in either Flèche Wallonne or Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
>>> Five talking points from the 2018 Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Meanwhile, Flèche Wallonne winner Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) is in fourth place in the WorldTour ranking, just behind team-mate and Tour of Flanders winner Niki Terpstra in third.
Amstel Gold Race winner Michael Valgren (Astana) sits in fifth, adding to his points from victory in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in February.
The highest-placed British rider in Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) in 15th.
Belgian squad Quick-Step Floors dominate the WorldTour team ranking well ahead of Australian rivals Mitchelton-Scott in second. Sagan's Bora-Hansgrohe team are third.
There's a change of pace in the WorldTour calendar now that the Cobbled Classics, Ardennes Classics and early-season stage races have finished. Many riders will now turn their attention to the first Grand Tour of the season: the three-week-long Giro d'Italia, commencing on May 5.
Leading into the Giro are the Swiss stage race Tour de Romandie (April 24-29) and single-day race Eschborn-Frankfurt (May 1).
Van der Breggen leads women's WorldTour
Anna van der Breggen (Boels Dolmans) dominated the women's Ardennes Classics, winning both Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes and La Flèche Wallonne Féminine to add to her existing 2018 wins in the Tour of Flanders and Strade Bianche.
>>> Anna van der Breggen continues Ardennes dominance with Liège-Bastogne-Liège victory
The Dutchwoman has amassed 1208 WorldTour points in comparison to current runner-up Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott), who has 820 points. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervelo-Bigla) is in third.
Van der Breggen's Boels Dolmans team enjoys a similarly commanding position at the top of the women's team ranking.
>>> UCI WorldTour: Latest news, reports and race calendar
UCI WorldTour men’s ranking (as of April 22)
Individual riders
1. Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe, 1901 pts
2. Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar, 1682 pts
3. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors, 1297 pts
4. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors, 1198 pts
5. Michael Valgren (Den) Astana, 1195 pts
6. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, 1010 pts
7. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing, 994 pts
8. Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton-Scott, 942 pts
9. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo, 935 pts
10. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors, 931 pts
Teams
1. Quick-Step Floors, 6971 pts
2. Mitchelton-Scott, 4117 pts
3. Bora-Hansgrohe, 3997 pts
4. Movistar, 3919 pts
5. Bahrain-Merida, 3330 pts
UCI WorldTour women’s ranking (as of April 22)
Individual riders
1. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Boels Dolmans, 1208 pts
2. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, 820 pts
3. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Cervelo-Bigla, 665 pts
4. Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott, 610 pts
5. Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans, 538 pts
6. Amy Pieters (Ned) Boels Dolmans, 455 pts
7. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM, 445 pts
8. Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Team Sunweb, 408 pts
9. Jolien D’hoore (Bel) Mitchelton-Scott, 405 pts
10. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale Cipollini, 370 pts
Teams
1. Boels-Dolmans, 2772 pts
2. Mitchelton-Scott, 1986 pts
3. Canyon-SRAM, 1350 pts
4. Ale Cipollini, 900 pts
5. Team Sunweb, 867 pts
