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Tadej Pogačar has reclaimed the top spot in the 2025 UCI Individual Rankings following a dominant performance at the Tour of Flanders, marking a pivotal shift in the early season narrative. While Juan Ayuso had briefly taken the lead thanks to his consistent early-season form and a string of high placements, the explosive results from the Spring Classics have reshuffled the leaderboard, with Pogačar emerging once again as the top performer.
Ayuso’s rise in the rankings was the result of a strong start to his 2025 campaign. The young Spaniard impressed with podium finishes in key WorldTour races, showcasing his growing maturity and versatility. His ability to perform across different terrains had put him in the UCI leader’s jersey, symbolizing a potential changing of the guard in men’s road cycling. However, with the arrival of the cobbled classics, the spotlight shifted.
Pogačar, already known for his dominance in stage races and hilly one-day events, has proven once more that he is a rider without limits. His win at the Tour of Flanders was not just a tactical masterclass but a show of sheer power, endurance, and race awareness. Going solo on the Oude Kwaremont with over 20 kilometers to go, he held off a hard-chasing elite group and crossed the finish line alone to claim one of cycling’s most prestigious monuments.
That victory, along with earlier top performances in Strade Bianche and Milan–San Remo, gave Pogačar the final push needed to overtake Ayuso in the rankings. The points gained from Flanders, being one of the five Monuments, are significant, and his consistency across multiple high-stakes races has set him apart once again.
As the Ardennes Classics approach and the Giro d’Italia looms on the horizon, the battle for the UCI top spot is far from over. Ayuso, hungry to prove his staying power, will likely strike back in the hillier terrain, which suits his climbing prowess. But with Pogačar currently firing on all cylinders, the rest of the peloton will have a hard time catching him.
For now, Tadej Pogačar leads the UCI rankings once again—not just as a result of points, but as a reflection of his dominance across all forms of racing.