UCI Road World Rankings
Encyclopedia
The UCI Road World Rankings was a system of ranking road bicycle racers based upon the results in all UCI
-sanctioned races over a twelve month period. The world rankings were first instituted by the UCI in 1984.
Sean Kelly
of Ireland was the first rider to be ranked world number 1 in March 1984 and was the year-end rankings leader for five years from 1984 to 1988 inclusive. The only other rider to come close to Kelly's dominance was Laurent Jalabert
who topped the rankings four times, from 1995 to 1997 and again in 1999.
The competition was run in parallel to the UCI Road World Cup, which included 10 UCI races. Both were replaced at the end of the 2004 season with the inauguration of the UCI ProTour
and UCI Continental Circuits
. A revised version of the ProTour ranking was announced for the 2009 season
, renamed UCI World Ranking.
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
-sanctioned races over a twelve month period. The world rankings were first instituted by the UCI in 1984.
Sean Kelly
Seán Kelly (cyclist)
John James 'Sean' Kelly is an Irish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the most successful road cyclists of the 1980s, and one of the finest classics riders of all time. From turning professional in 1977 until his retirement in 1994, he won nine monument classics, and 193...
of Ireland was the first rider to be ranked world number 1 in March 1984 and was the year-end rankings leader for five years from 1984 to 1988 inclusive. The only other rider to come close to Kelly's dominance was Laurent Jalabert
Laurent Jalabert
Laurent Jalabert is a French former professional road racing cyclist, from 1989 to 2002. Affectionately known as "Jaja" , he won many one-day and stage races and was ranked number 1 in the 1990s...
who topped the rankings four times, from 1995 to 1997 and again in 1999.
The competition was run in parallel to the UCI Road World Cup, which included 10 UCI races. Both were replaced at the end of the 2004 season with the inauguration of the UCI ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
and UCI Continental Circuits
UCI Continental Circuits
The UCI Continental Circuits are road bicycle racing competitions contested under the auspices of the Union Cycliste Internationale . The five circuits are inferior to the UCI ProTour. Both the ProTour and the circuits comprise a series of races in which various cycling teams compete regularly...
. A revised version of the ProTour ranking was announced for the 2009 season
2009 in road cycling
In 2009 a number of prominent riders returned to professional cycling. Ivan Basso, Floyd Landis and Michele Scarponi had finished a suspension. Bjorn Leukemans was without a team for over a year due to doping-related allegations, which were proven to be ungrounded...
, renamed UCI World Ranking.