Cobbles Taste Better Second Time Around For Tom Boonen of Quick Step
by Justin Davis
RESULTS AT BOTTOM OF PAGE
ROUBAIX, France, April 13, 2008 (AFP) - Hounded by a glory-starved media in his native Belgium, cycling star Tom Boonen delivered in style Sunday by claiming what is arguably sport’s most celebrated chunk of granite.
The cobblestone trophy given to winners of the world’s toughest one-day bike race might not be much to look at.
But for cycling fans and Belgians in particular, the prize for winning the 259.5km classic riddled with 28 treacherous cobblestone sectors has a value all of its own.
Boonen has not won one of cycling’s big one-dayers since the last of his two Tour of Flanders victories in 2006, leaving many wondering whether the golden boy of Belgian cycling had lost his hunger to win.
On Sunday, Boonen produced a ride of monumental proportions to show that those fears were unfounded.
“I’m always motivated for the big classics, especially for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix - my two favorites,” said Boonen, who left Fabian Cancellara and Alessandro Ballan trailing after launching a stunning late sprint on the Roubaix velodrome.
“When I don’t win, people always say I’m losing my form. But I’ve done everything I can to try and win the big classics this season, Milan-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.”
For Boonen a significant weight has been removed - especially given the tons of ink used by the Belgian press speculating on both his personal and professional life.
A highly-publicized split from long-time girlfriend Lore, coupled with a back injury which he said drained his motivation to train, left him in limbo late last season despite having won the Tour de France’s points competition, whose prize is the coveted green jersey.
For Belgium, his lack of victories in the one-day classics since 2006 was simply more worrying, especially when he was upstaged by Quick Step teammate Stijn Devolder in the Tour of Flanders last Sunday.
Boonen has since rekindled his relationship with his long-time love. And although some suggest that could be his real motor this season, Boonen said his focus has always been intact.
“The pressure surrounding me lately hasn’t really been extra motivation for me, even though it’s nice to win when the pressure is on you,” he added.
“More than anything, victory here comes down to a lot of hard work and training. For the past three months I’ve thought of nothing else but this race, how I can ride it, what the scenarios could be.
“Now, I can sit back and let everything that’s built up in my head over the past while just disappear. And that makes me happy.”
Boonen’s first victory here in 2005, only a week after the first of two victories at the Tour of Flanders, preceded his 2005 world title win in Madrid.
In 2006 he only missed out on a second consecutive Roubaix win after Cancellara proved too strong in a late attack.
Cancellara did well to finish second this time after finding himself in the unenviable position of having to out sprint Boonen.
Boonen knows that every victory has its own significance, but ending a two-year wait to quieten his detractors is perhaps the win he will savor most.
He added: “The reason why I exploded with even more joy than I did in 2005 is probably because I haven’t won a race as big as this since 2006.”
Results from the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic over 259.5km on Sunday:
1. Tom Boonen (BEL) Quick Step 5hr 58min 42sec,
2. Fabian Cancellara (SUI) CSC at 01sec,
3. Alessandro Ballan (ITA) Lampre s.t.,
4. Martijn Maaskant(NED) 3:39,
5. Stuart O’Grady (AUS) 3:57,
6. Leif Hoste (BEL) s.t,
7. Stijn Devolder (BEL) 3:59,
8. Johan Van Summeren (BEL) 4:35,
9. George Hincapie (USA) 5:12,
10. Fabio Baldato (ITA) s.t.,
11. Frederic Guesdon (FRA) s.t.,
12. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP) s.t.,
13. Manuel Quinziato (ITA) s.t.,
14. Wim De Vocht (BEL) s.t.,
15. Staf Scheirlinckx (BEL) s.t.,
16. Marcus Ljungqvist(SWE) s.t.,
17. Bernhard Eisel (AUT) 5:20,
18. Sven Krauss (GER) 7:18,
19. Steven De Jongh (BEL) s.t.,
20. Matti Breschel (DEN) s.t.
Selected:
23. Roger Hammond (GBR) s.t.,
31. Baden Cooke (AUS) 11.08,
67. Chris Sutton (AUS) 16:48,
113. Mathew Hayman (AUS) 29:35
198 riders started. 83 did not finish
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