In this paper we introduce the special rank for virtual knots and some properties of this number are studied. Although we do not know if it can be considered as a nontrivial extension of the meridional rank given by [H. U. Boden and A. I. Gaudreau, Bridge number for virtual and welded knots, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 24 (2015), Article ID: 1550008] and by [M. Boileau and B. Zimmermann, The [Formula: see text]-orbifold group of a link, Math. Z. 200 (1989) 187–208], we prove that classical knots with special rank [Formula: see text] are [Formula: see text]-bridge knots. Therefore, a modified version of the so called Cappell and Shaneson conjecture could be considered.