Mark Cavendish’s historic victory in the world road race championships yesterday earned Britain its first road race title since Tom Simpson won in 1965, and handed the Manx rider the right to wear the rainbow jersey for the next twelve months.
The performance also saw the 26 year old move up to fourth overall in the IG Markets Pro Cycling Index, a ranking system which was set up this year in a bid to more accurately reflect the performances of riders across the sport.
Cavendish’s success ahead of Matt Goss (Australia) and Andre Greipel (Germany) earned him 600 points and improved his ranking from ninth to fourth. He overtakes Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland), who took bronze in Wednesday’s Elite time trial and was fourth yesterday, just centimetres away from a bronze medal claimed by Greipel.
Previous rankings leader Philippe Gilbert finished well back yesterday, placing 17th after what was a very muted performance by him, but continues to hold what is a massive advantage. He’s clocked up 8039 points, almost double that of second-placed Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank SunGard), and Tour de France winner Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team). They are on 4292 and 4134 points respectively.
Sixth place behind Cancellara is the Italian rider Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD), while Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) is seventh.
Next in line is Tony Martin, who advanced two places thanks to his world time trial championship victory. He took bronze last year, and thus went two places better. Heading in the other direction was 2010 road race champion Thor Hushovd, who dropped 600 points after being delayed by a crash and dropped from 13th to 25th overall.
This week’s Circuit Franco-Belge will offer more points, thus ensuring that the battle for high paces in the Index continues.
The IG Markets Pro Cycling Index was set up this year and is intended to provide a ranking system more like the old UCI world rankings, which have now been replaced by the WorldTour standings.
These rate only the narrow band of WorldTour races, thus limiting the number of races which count and also providing a somewhat-distorted view in that only those with WorldTour teams are listed.
As an example, Thomas Voeckler’s strong Tour de France earned neither him nor his Europcar team any WorldTour points as the squad didn’t get a licence.
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IG Markets Pro Cycling Index, September 26th:
1, GILBERT Philippe (BEL) OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO, 8039
2, CONTADOR Alberto (ESP) SAXO BANK - SUNGARD, 4292
3, EVANS Cadel (AUS) BMC RACING TEAM, 4134
4, CAVENDISH Mark (GBR) HTC - HIGHROAD, 3020
5, CANCELLARA Fabian (SUI) LEOPARD - TREK, 2978
6, SCARPONI Michele (ITA) LAMPRE - ISD, 2922
7, RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin (ESP) KATUSHA Team, 2880
8, MARTIN Tony (GER) HTC - HIGHROAD, 2671
9, SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel (ESP) EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI, 2474
10, BOASSON HAGEN Edvald (NOR) SKY PROCYCLING, 2441
11, SCHLECK Fränk (LUX) LEOPARD - TREK, 2401
12, WIGGINS Bradley (GBR) SKY PROCYCLING, 2312
13, LEIPHEIMER Levi (USA) TEAM RADIOSHACK, 2219
14, GOSS Matthew (AUS) HTC - HIGHROAD, 2152
15, VOECKLER Thomas (FRA) TEAM EUROPCAR, 2035
16, SCHLECK Andy (LUX) LEOPARD - TREK, 2032
17, SAGAN Peter (SVK) LIQUIGAS - CANNONDALE, 2009
18, MARTIN Dan (IRL) TEAM GARMIN - CERVÉLO, 1926
19, GESINK Robert (NED) RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM, 1851
20, GREIPEL André (GER) OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO, 1781