Team Astana Best Team in 2009
Alberto Contador best individual rider.
After the Giro di Lombardia, the 24th and last race of the UCI World Road Cycling Calendar, which took place in Italy on October 17th, Alberto Contador is the final overall winner of the 2009 UCI individual World Rankings and his success during the season helped Team Astana top the final team rankings. Spanish rival and 2008 number one Alejandro Valverde finished second in the rankings with 483 points. Spain added to its domination of the individual rankings, with Samuel Sanchez of Team Euskaltel finishing third with 357 points.
Contador scored the most points (264) by winning the 2009 Tour de France (and three stages). He confirmed there that he is currently the best stage race rider in men's road 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 2009 Dauphiné Libéré stage race in June.
Contador's individual success, together with the points scored by Andreas Klöden (in Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de France), Lance Armstrong (in the Giro and the Tour de France), Haimar Zubeldia (in Tour of Catalunya and the Vuelta a Espana) and Levi Leipheimer (in the Giro d'Italia) helped his Astana team secure the final victory in the UCI World Team Rankings. The team scored a total of 1100 points during the season, beating nearest rival Team Caisse d'Epargne by 52 points. Team Columbia-HTC finished third.
Final 2009 Individual World Rankings
1. Alberto Contador 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 2009 Team World Rankings
1. Team Astana 1100 points
2. Caisse d'Epargne 1048
3. Team Columbia 957