Sprinters can be crucial to Fantacycling . Those fantasy managers who spent a lot of fantasy millions this year and were largely disappointed know it well. There are those who, however, have enjoyed their choices which have exceeded their wildest expectations.

Let's scroll through our special fantasy ranking in which we can see that the first 'pure' sprinter is only fifth while those in front of him resist on the sprints and play their cards in the sprint.

And then there is a phenomenon that we included after winning the green jersey at the Tour, a jersey almost always worn by sprint specialists. Impossible not to mention it.

Enjoy the reading!

Wout Van Aert 6,866 points – A sight for sore eyes. His final price for 2022 is the highest of all: 70 million (+15) and, in addition, he increased his loot by over a thousand points (in 2021 he had won 5,220). He wins everywhere and in 2023 he seems to want to focus on Flanders, Roubaix and repeat a great tour. Will it be the pink race?

Mads Pedersen 2,754 points – The best of the 'terrestrials'. Eighth best ranking of 2022, there are 1,206 fantasy points won in the Vuelta alone where he won four stages which allowed him to reach 26 fantasy million. He also does well in the Tour against the top players, bringing valuable points in the spring where he asserts himself in short races and in the classics. Now comes the difficult part, that is, reconfirming yourself. We are sure that many will focus on us.

Michael Matthews 2,524 points – Very often he is criticized for his few victories (this year two between Catalunya and the Tour de France), yet he is always there in front, positioned in the tight sprints and resistant on the steep climbs. He is certainly not a pure sprinter, but his rating (35) shows that from a Fantacycling perspective it is better to have him and field him in the races suited to him. We expect him to be at good levels also in 2023 where he could continue a good run of points.

Biniam Girmay 1,956 points – The revelation of 2022 impressed for a first part of the season at a high level. Made history for his victories in Ghent and the Giro d'Italia, he saw his price increase from 3 to 18 million. He may not be the fastest in the group sprints but the Eritrean talent knows how to do it when the road is slightly upwards. We can't wait to see him again in the classics and at the Tour, his first choice for 2023.

Arnaud Demare 1,954 points – First of the pure sprinters in terms of scores, he has accustomed us to being a protagonist in the Giro d'Italia, his favorite race again this year thanks to the three stages he won. What is striking are the many placings achieved in various races which made the fantasy managers devoted to him rejoice, bringing him to 29 fantasy million. Who knows if consistency will be his strong point in 2023 too.

Jasper Philipsen 1,437 points – Nine seasonal victories, including two stages at the Tour de France, have characterized a more than positive 2022 for the 24-year-old Belgian from Alpecin, whose price has reached 40 fantasy million. A sprinter who is liked and who is not afraid to throw himself into the fray: 2023 could be the year of his consecration with victories. But watch out for the even younger generations...

Alexander Kristoff 1,353 points : he is not the best runner he was a few years ago but having exceeded the 1,000 mark (with 22 points) also makes him attractive for 2023 when he will wear the Uno X jacket. We will see him less in action in the most important races, yet we bet that he will gain some satisfaction, thanks to an experience that few others have in the fastest group.

Phil Bauhaus 1,181 points: this year only two stage victories and fewer jolts compared to an excellent 2021. It will be said that he is not a winner, but in the flat finishes he demonstrated uncommon power and cunning. In its favor is the low price (15) which could also be confirmed in 2023. And this means, for the sprints, a purchase with a low cost but a good return.

Danny Van Poppel 1,140 points : he sacrificed a lot for Sam Bennett, at Bora, and for captain Fabio Jakobsen at the European championship with the Netherlands shirt. Yet this boy, no longer very young (29 years old), has collected numerous placings throughout the season. And if as a wingman he has collected more fantasy points than some more acclaimed sprinters (costing significantly less, only 15) let alone where he can reach as a first striker.

Tim Merlier 1,132 points: despite having won the De Panne and a stage at the Tirreno, he is certainly the disappointment, in terms of price-points ratio, of 2022. Having closed the season with 34 million points, the Belgian has never been a protagonist in the Vuelta, disappointing many fantasy managers who had deployed him. But redemption could come very soon: in 2023, in the Soudal Quick Step jersey, he could retrace the winning footsteps of his predecessors, in a team where sprinters know a lot.

Photo Sprint Cycling

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