Matt Goss tops UCI world rankings after Milan-San Remo win

Matt Goss of HTC-Highroad has moved to the top of the UCI World Tour rankings following his stunning win in Milan-San Remo at the weekend. The 24-year-old Tasmanian has been perhaps the form rider of the 2011 season to date, winning a stage of Paris-Nice earlier this week following a strong performance in the Tour Down Under in January.

The Australian replaces HTC-Highroad team mate Tony Martin, winner of the overall in Paris-Nice, at the top of the rankings. Michele Scarponi, sixth in Milan-San Remo and third in the Tirreno-Adriatico moves second, with Cadel Evans, winner of the latter race, third. The former World Champion has 108 points, the same as Martin, who now lies fourth.

Unsurpisingly, HTC-Highroad as the form outfit in the early months of the season remains at the top of the team rankings, but Rabobank have picked up some decent wins including the team time trial in Tirreno-Adriatico and now move second.

Team Sky only had one rider, Edvald Boasson Hagen, in the lead group at Milan-San Remo, and with the Norwegian not among the riders contesting the finale, the British ProTeam slides from second to fifth.

The performances in recent days of Evans and Goss see Australia consolidate its lead at the top of the national rankings. With Italian cyclists performing well on home roads in Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo, their country jumps from 11th to second. That means that Germany and Great Britain move down a place to third and fourth, respectively.

You can consult the latest world rankings here, which may also prove useful in deciding any transfers you may wish to make in your Fantasy Cycling team ahead of Gent-Wevelgem at the weekend.