The 2026 CQ Ranking Manager Thread

[Devil's Elbow]

So much for a lot of Vansevenant points in Oman, and Torres won't make up for it either...

 

[hayneplane]

So as expected a week, where I dropped a few spots, as I only had Kockelmann riding, while the GC in Oman (Vansevenant and Torres) will be relevant for this week.

With Mas out of UAE tour with a training crash, I am getting more and more worried about him as a pick and also in general for the expensive rider combo O'Connor and Mas (15 riders). Tiberi for example looks much better as a pick in that price range right now.

I am still a bit worried about not having Decomble and Vlasov, but not that much anymore as in the beginning of the week. Vlasov looked way better than last year yes, but he still clearly has 6 GC riders in his team, who are higher in the pecking order than him, so I hope, that he will surely be used a lot as a domestique this year, which would limit his points even if he is again in top shape.
About Decomble, I would say he looks like a guy, who will gain like 400 points this season, which makes him a good pick, but also not an absolutely crucial one. It has to be seen, in how many races with weak start lists like Besseges he will start, so that he can score. Right now he is scheduled for Itzulia and Catalunya, where I don´t see big point potential for him for example..

As long as he isn’t badly injured I am not fussed that Mas is missing UAE as it is a stacked field where I am not convinced he would have scored much in early season form. If he adds another smaller stage race instead he might actually increase his scoring chances.