▁Under ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁January , ▁and ▁concluded ▁with ▁the ▁final ▁stage ▁of ▁the ▁Tour ▁of ▁Be ij ing ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁October . ▁ ▁After ▁winning ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁U CI ▁Pro T our , ▁Spain ' s ▁Ale j andro ▁Val ver de ▁won ▁his ▁first ▁World ▁Tour ▁individual ▁points ▁title , ▁am ass ing ▁ 6 8 6 ▁points ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁The ▁ ▁r ider ▁finished ▁ 6 6 ▁points ▁clear ▁of ▁his ▁closest ▁rival ▁and ▁compat ri ot ▁Alberto ▁Cont ador ▁of ▁, ▁while ▁Australian ▁r ider ▁Simon ▁G err ans ▁was ▁third ▁for ▁the ▁ ▁team , ▁but ▁was ▁over ▁ 2 0 0 ▁points ▁in ▁ar re ars ▁of ▁Val ver de . ▁In ▁the ▁teams ' ▁rank ings , ▁ ▁finished ▁top ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁year ▁running , ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 1 4 4 0 ▁points . ▁Second ▁place ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁ ▁after ▁taking ▁overall ▁vict ories ▁in ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁season ' s ▁last ▁three ▁races , ▁while ▁ ▁finished ▁in ▁third ▁position . ▁The ▁nations ' ▁rank ings ▁was ▁comfort ably ▁head ed ▁by ▁Spain , ▁with ▁a ▁points ▁advantage ▁of ▁ 7 6 4 ▁over ▁Italy . ▁__ TO C __ ▁ ▁Teams ▁ ▁The ▁U CI ▁Pro Te ams ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁Tour , ▁with ▁U CI ▁Professional ▁Cont inental ▁teams , ▁or ▁national ▁squad s , ▁able ▁to ▁enter ▁at ▁the ▁dis cret ion ▁of ▁the ▁organis