The other day I was tooling around Cycling Quotient (Too bad CQ isn't a MMO. That would be cool.) and I realized that they post five years of stats for each rider. See here for instance. Actually though they have seven years of stats- you have to click on the lowest "Results" to get the years 2003 and 2002.
So I decided to figure out which rider has earned the most points during both the last five and last seven years- it's two different riders. So before I give you a top-25 listing I'll give you pictures of five possible riders. Could it be:
Or:
Or, jump!
Or:
via www.dueporti.it
Or maybe...
Which guy?
| Last 5 Year Ranking | Points | Last 7 Year Ranking | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Boonen | 8888 | 1.Valverde | 11249 |
| 2. Cunego | 8148 | 2. Bettini | 10652 |
| 3. Valverde | 8118 | 3. Zabel | 10386 |
| 4. Rebellin | 7890 | 4. Rebellin | 10243 |
| 5. Bettini | 7451 | 5. Boonen | 9556 |
| 6. Zabel | 6932 | 6. Petacchi | 8567 |
| 7. Freire | 6719 | 7. Cunego | 8234 |
| 8. Petacchi | 6467 | 8. Di Luca | 8170 |
| 9. Evans | 6450 | 9. McEwen | 8144 |
| 10. McEwen | 6333 | 10. Freire | 7993 |
| 11. Di Luca | 6160 | 11. Evans | 7034 |
| 12. Contador | 5630 | 12. Armstrong | 6628 |
| 13. Jens! | 5616 | 13. Jens! | 6134 |
| 14. Leipheimer | 5615 | 14. Leipheimer | 6068 |
| 15. Hushovd | 5565 | 15. Vinokourov | 6055 |
| 16. Cancellara | 5501 | 16. Hushovd | 5913 |
| 17. Sanchez | 5407 | 17. Sanchez | 5905 |
| 18. F Schleck | 5340 | 18. Cancellara | 5844 |
| 19. Menchov | 5186 | 19. O'Grady | 5727 |
| 20. Sastre | 4679 | 20. Contador | 5637 |
| 21. Gilbert | 4621 | 21. Basso | 5633 |
| 22. Kirchen | 4543 | 22. Sastre | 5630 |
| 23. Basso | 4348 | 23. Menchov | 5571 |
| 24. Ballan | 4188 | 24. F Schleck | 5438 |
| 25. Bennati | 4112 | 25. Boogerd | 5225 |
Some notes:
- Amazing how static the two lists are: Most riders are around the same ranking on both lists with the main differences being a) retired riders listed on the seven year list (Boogerd, Vino, HWMNBN) dropping off the 5 year list and b) Contador (moving up 8 spots) and Frank Schleck (moving up 6 spots). BTW Kirchen is 26th on the 7 year list while Gilbert is 30th on the same list. I thought there would be a few more old guys on the 7 year list but outside of Mancebo (27th) and Garzelli (30th) recently retired riders are nowhere near the top 25.
- I am a little surprised how the top sprinters are so prominent here. Boonen, Zabel, Petacchi, Freire, and McEwen are all in the top 10 in both lists. After the Big Five you see no other sprinter other than # 15/16 Hushovd until #25 on the 5 year list, Benna sigh, or O'Grady, #19 on the 7 year list (and no one after Stewy). That's quite a gap and it shows how dominant the top sprinters have been. Its also worth noting with these sprinters is that they aren't so dominant in VDS though they are valued. The difference here is that some sprinters races likes Paris-Brussels, aren't scored in VDS.
- Nevertheless I expected the Ardennes guys to be a little more dominant in the top 10. That didn't happen but look at the whole top 25 in either list. Besides the sprinters,there are only three stage racing goat types, three riders who don't (or haven't yet) show the speed to finish off a hilly classic- but do show consistent and mega climbing ability: Menchov and teammates Contador and Leipheimer. The rest can and are good at the Classics- yes even HWMNBN at least early in his career.
- And then there's Jens!- a category all his own.
- Valverde is just so damn consistent. Even though he's only 3rd on the 5 year list he has the highest average yearly placing: 5th. In those five years, the Green Bullet finished 1, 3, 2, 14 and 5. He's the only one in the last five years to finish outside of the top ten only once. Boonen's average is 6.8th place. Tin Tin's 10th. Cunego: also 10th. Alejandro Valverde: your CQ Overlord.