Team Astana best team in 2009 / Alberto Contador best rider

After the Giro di Lombardia, the 24th and last race of the UCI World Calendar, which took place in Italy on October 17th, Alberto Contador is the final overall winner of the 2009 UCI individual World Ranking and his success during the season helped Team Asana top the team ranking.  Spanish rival and 2008 number one Alejandro Valverde was second with 483 points. Spain completed their domination of the individual ranking, with Samuel Sanchez of the Euskaltel team third with 357 points.

Contador scored the most points (264) by winning the Tour de France victory (and three stages). He confirmed there that he is currently the best stage race rider in cycling. Earlier in the season Contador scored 76 points by finishing fourth and winning two stages in the Paris-Nice race in March. He then scored a further 112 points thanks to winning and taking two stages at the Vuelta al Paìs Vasco in April and also scored 75 points by finishing third overall in the Dauphiné Libéré stage race in June.

Contador’s individual success, together with the points scored by Andreas Klöden (in Tirreno-Adriatico, Tour de Suisse and Tour de France), Lance Armstrong (in Giro and Tour), Haimar Zubeldia (in Tour of Catalunya and Vuelta) and Levi Leipheimer (in Giro)  helped his Astana team secure the victory in the UCI World Team Ranking. The Kazakhstan team scored a total of 1100 points during the season; beating nearest rivals Caisse d’Epargne by 52 points. Team Columbia was third.

Final Individual World Ranking

1. Alberto Contador (AST) 527 points
2. Alejandro Valverde     483
3. Samuel Sanchez         357
4. Andy Schleck           334
5. Cadel Evans            333
6. Edvald Boasson Hagen   322
7. Roman Kreuziger        319
8. Mark Cavendish         304
9. Philippe Gilbert       295
10.Robert Gesink          266

Final Teams World Ranking

1. Team Astana           1100 points
2. Caisse d’Epargne      1048
3. Team Columbia          957