Second Edition News for December 4, 1996

UCI Team Rankings for 1997

A friend, Theo Muller calculated the following based on the individual rankings I published last week, and the team transfers known already for 1997, and other sources of news. Treat the rankings as conjectural.

 Teams                   Points

 1. MAPEI                8262 
 2. ONCE                 6489                
 3. TELEKOM              6399
 4. FESTINA              5783 
 5. COFIDIS              5061  new
 6. FRANCAISE DES JEUX   4672  new
 7. ROSLOTTO             4463 
 8. MG-TECHNOGYM         4298
 9. BANESTO              3837
10. SAECO                3727
11. BATIK                3721  (ex GEWISS) 
12. RABOBANK             3670   
13. CASINO               3420
14. TVM                  3393
15. GAN                  2852
16. SCRIGNO              2608
17. US POSTAL            2527
18. POLTI                2308     
19. KELME                2242          
20. LOTTO                2296 
21. REFIN                2012
22. ASICS                1953  (ex CARRERA) 
23. MERCATONE UNO        1658  new
24. AKI-GIPIEMME         1474
25. BRESCIALAT           1408

Theo's Commentary and Analysis

For sure it will have some changes and some informations concerning the transfer of riders I have are perhaps not correct. But I think, the above table gives us already a realistic image of the power of the new teams.

Let's imagine that Miguel Indurain stops racing or changes the team, this would imply that the BANESTO Team looses around 1000 points. Another strange point: One of the best riders, Pantani, who is now with MERCATONE UNO, has no UCI points and can't help to increase his new team's ranking.

To remember also that 22 teams can start at the "TOUR" and the 16 best ranked teams on January 15th 97 are automaticaly qualified as French teams classified between the 17th and 22nd position. The "wild-cards" will be distributed at June 17th 97.