Update #8: 747 Flying High
Opening Weekend, although bigger in the hearts of racing fans than in pure CQ points, still threw out a good bunch of points to shake up the standings, and while the UAE Tour cancelled its last two stages and therefore the chance to get WT stage points, it still offered a good haul overall, and the promotion of former 1.1 French races made it a decent week.
This Week's Top Scorers
Jakob747 has already had several good weeks this year, but it finally comes together in a winning week here. Jakob has long made an impression on these forums as a passionate cycling fan with a keen eye for developing talent in both traditional and non-traditional cycling countries, and this has translated in this game in a mix of big swings that often turn into savvy picks. So it's no surprise to see points coming to their team from Tadej Pogacar (205 points, 3 teams), who (like fellow Jakob teammates Evenepoel and Higuita) are coming off a spectacular year but starting what may be an even more spectacular one. And supporting points from Simone Ravanelli (53 points, 2 teams) and Dries Van Gestel (33 points, unique pick) are very on brand, supplemented by somewhat more popular picks like Soren Kragh Andersen (92 points, 43 teams). (sidenote: comparing Jakob's team to a high popularity team like, I dunno, team skidmark, Andersen is Jakob's 9th most picked rider whereas he's my 18th). Sestriere finishes 13 points behind in second, nabbing 135 points from Remi Cavagna's imperious ride on Saturday (3 teams), as well as SK Andersen points and 75 from Nibali (3 teams as well). Falze finishes a bit farther back in third with a bit more of a committee approach, with Andersen the highest scorer and riders like Kelderman (80 points, 26 teams), Roelandts (42, 5) and Drucker (37, 13).
This Week's High Movers
Very similar top 5 here sans Jakob, who was already quite high in the standings and thus not far to move. Sestriere and Falze go one better than the other ranking, moving an impressive 35 and 29 spots respectively, while ThePirate81 slots into the final podium spot largely thanks to being one of the ten teams who took Jhonathan Restrepo (120 points).
This Month's Top Scorers
It's the end of the month as well! As you might expect given that January is but an appetizer, the top 5 for February bears a strong resemblance to the top 5 overall. The 3 top teams have one prominent rider in common - 234 points from Remco Evenepoel. Although he's the highest scorer for 2 of those 3 teams, he's blown away by Jakob's highest scorer Pogacar, who got a fabulous 421 points in February (Remco's first stage race win came in January). EITB also saw 100+ points from Pinot, Bouhanni, Restrepo, Kamna, and Alexys Brunel this month.
This Month's High Movers
And a different top 3 here! Rakim takes the biggest cumulative leap, rising almost 50 points over the month after a slower January, getting between 96-165 points from riders such as Bardet, Pinot, Kamna, Jakobsen, Bouhanni and Kelderman. Leadbelly has a top-heavy lineup (top 4 scorers are 4 most expensive - Schachmann, Evenepoel, Pinot, Dan Martin) to tie with trackstand (helped by unique pick MA Lopez and rare pick Biniyam Hailu) for second.
Green Jersey Competition
Jakob747 was third in this competition coming into this week, and 45 points for first on the week does the trick in getting the jump into first overall here by 16 points. EITB gets 11 points this week to draw closer to Hakkie2 but dropping a spot. No other points in the top 5.
Top 10 Overall
We have quite the battle at the top! Hakkie2 had a huge lead two weeks ago, but two fantastic weeks by EITB compared with 2 merely very good weeks from Hakkie close and reverse the gap. Jakob747's great week was enough to jump into third, but the other two were quite far ahead to begin with. Still, with a deadly top 3 rotation of Pogacar, Evenepoel and Higuita, it's easy to imagine many good weeks for Jakob as long as one of those 3 are racing. Squire, western_grebe and Helgeblendet also have had a great run of results that would merit more mention if not for the white hot month for the top 3. Mayomaniac slides into the top 10 while Otoxiep87 falls out.
spreadsheet at dropbox