The final Giro d’Italia podium: from left, Dani Martínez, Tadej Pogačar and Geraint Thomas
Tadej Pogačar’s complete stranglehold on cycling has been underlined by how far clear he now is of his team-mate Juan Ayuso in the Road Code Ranking, with the Slovenian scoring almost 2,000 points in the Giro d’Italia’s final week.
The UAE Team Emirates rider picked up 1,310 points for winning the Maglia Rosa, and also earned 550 points for his victories on Stages 16 and 20, and his second place on Stage 17. He now sits at the top of the Road Code Ranking on 5,438 points, almost double that of Ayuso’s 2,940 points. Pogačar is guaranteed to keep hold of his lead until at least the second week of the Tour de France.
Although Lidl-Trek’s sprinter Jonathan Milan didn’t win in the final week of the Corsa Rosa, he took enough points courtesy of two second places and the points classification to move up to third in the ranking on 2,765 points.
Dani Martínez’s consistency ensured that he finished on a Grand Tour podium for the first time, and he jumps 10 places to fourth overall in the Road Code Ranking, scooping 903 points for his second-place finish. DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE’s Ben O’Connor, who missed out on the Giro podium by almost two minutes but held on to fourth, moves to fifth in the Road Code Ranking after backing up his positive spring shows at the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico and Tour of the Alps with his joint-best Grand Tour performance.
Tim Merlier’s two sprint victories last week, meanwhile, push him up to sixth, but he has been denied top spot in the Sprint ranking because of Milan’s win in the Maglia Ciclamino. Only 45 points separate the race’s two standout sprinters, though.
If you’re wondering why Geraint Thomas isn’t in the top 10, there’s a simple answer: prior to the Giro, the Welshman didn’t achieve any result of note, and collected almost every single one of his 1,455 points while in Italy. The Road Code Ranking is a reflection of the whole season, and for that reason Thomas, who at 38 achieved his fifth career podium at a three-week race, is 26th overall.
Pogačar took the never-ending Giro trophy home with six stage victories also in his back pocket, and his dominance in the Dolomites and convincing victory in the mountains classification has resulted in him taking an even more commanding lead in the Climb ranking.
Pogačar leads the Grand Tour ranking as well as the overall Road Code Ranking
The eagle-eyed among you, however, will notice that Pogačar isn’t at the top of the Stage Races ranking, and is instead languishing in 12th position. Don’t worry, it’s not a conspiracy, and nor is this a pathetic attempt at punishing the 25-year-old for his supremacy. Instead, it’s because the Stage Races ranking only counts week-long races, while Grand Tours have their own classification, which, predictably, Pogačar leads and is only expected to add to during the Tour.
At present, he has a cushion of more than 1,200 points to Martínez in the Grand Tour ranking, and more than double the number of points that Milan in third has. Thomas is fourth overall, but because Milan won three stages, finished second in another four and topped the points classification, he accrued more points than the INEOS Grenadiers rider.
The rest of the Grand Tour category reflects much of the Giro’s final GC top 10, with the exception of Kaden Groves in ninth and Merlier in 10th. The reason Groves has a narrow advantage to three-stage winner Merlier is because the Alpecin-Deceuninck sprinter had more high-place finishes during the Giro, and also collected 120 points for finishing second in the points classification.
With no major races until the Critérium du Dauphiné starts on Sunday, there won’t be any significant changes in the Road Code Ranking and its sub-categories. Pogačar can rest easy, knowing none of his rivals can cut any of his leads in the various classifications between now and the Tour.