Tom Boonen

Tom Boonen at the start of Milan-San Remo in 2012 .
Personal information
Full name	Tom Boonen
Nickname	Tommeke Tornado Tom
Born	(1980-10-15) 15 October 1980 (age 31)  Belgium
Height	1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	82 kg (180 lb)
Team information
Current team	Omega Pharma-Quick Step
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Classics Rider, Sprinter
Professional team(s)
2002 2003–	US Postal Quick Step-Davitamon
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France Points classification (2007) 6 Stages Vuelta a España 2 Stages Stage Races Tour of Belgium General Classification (2005) Tour of Qatar General Classification (2006, 2008, 2009, 2012) Points Classification(2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012) Tour de Picardie General Classification (2004) Points Classification (2004) Single-Day Races and Classics Paris–Roubaix (2005, 2008, 2009, 2012) Tour of Flanders (2005, 2006, 2012) Gent–Wevelgem (2004, 2011, 2012) E3 Prijs Vlaanderen (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012) Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne (2007, 2009) Grote Scheldeprijs (2004, 2006) National Road Race Champion (2009) World Road Race Champion (2005)
Medal record Road bicycle racing Competitor for  Belgium World Championships Gold 2005 Madrid Elite Men's Road Race National Championships Gold 2009 Belgium Elite Men's Road Race Silver 2007 Belgium Elite Men's Road Race Bronze 2006 Belgium Elite Men's Road Race Gold 2001 Belgium Under 23 Men's Road Race Silver 2000 Belgium Under 23 Men's Road Race
Infobox last updated on 14 April 2012

Tom Boonen pronounced [Boʊnən]^[1] (born 15 October 1980 in Mol) is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who won the 2005 World Road Race Championship. He is a member of the Omega Pharma-Quick Step team, and is considered a single-day road race specialist with a strong finishing sprint. His personality and looks, combined with his successes, also turned him into Belgium's main male sports idol of the mid-2000s, but he incurred censure after testing positive twice for the use of cocaine.^[2]

Career overview[link]

At the start of 2002 Boonen rode for the US Postal team, finishing third in Paris–Roubaix after an early breakaway. Fellow Belgian rider Johan Museeuw had escaped off the front of the race to a solo victory, and team captain George Hincapie crashed in a slippery section of the course leaving Boonen to ride for himself. Boonen's performance in the race compelled Museeuw – his childhood hero – to publicly declare Boonen his natural successor.^[3]

However, Boonen was not completely happy at US Postal, claiming he did not get enough chances to ride for himself. Towards the end of the year he announced he would leave the team, despite being under contract, and joined Quick Step-Davitamon at the start of 2003.^[4] The 2003 season, however, did not go well for Boonen, who saw lacklustre performance due to fatigue and a knee injury. In this season Museeuw was the undisputed team leader for the spring classics campaign.

The 2004 season saw Boonen rise up to the challenge to win the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen, the classic race Gent–Wevelgem and the Grote Scheldeprijs. In addition, he also won two stages of the Tour de France including the prestigious final stage in Paris, just as Museeuw did in 1990.

2005 – Winning Ronde, Roubaix and Worlds[link]

2005 was the year in which Boonen firmly established himself as a competitor on the world stage. Winning the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris–Roubaix, E3 Prijs Vlaanderen, and finishing second in the Omloop "Het Volk" (behind teammate Nick Nuyens), he stamped his authority on the cobbled Spring Classics. Boonen also became the first cyclist in history to win the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris–Roubaix, and the World Cycling Championship in the same season.

In his Ronde van Vlaanderen victory Boonen was considered the strongest sprinter in the final group of riders. However, instead of waiting for the final moment, he attacked a few kilometers from the finish to the surprise of other riders in the group, and stayed away for a solo victory. One of the other riders in the peloton, Erik Dekker, afterwards declared that "I'm happy that I am near the end of my career, since with a cyclist like Boonen the spring classics will be rather boring the coming years".^[5] In his Paris–Roubaix victory, he entered the Roubaix velodrome in the leading trio, and waited until the last moment before launching a sprint that saw him beat American George Hincapie and Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha.

In the Tour de France, he won the second and the third stage. In this edition, Boonen claimed the green jersey after the second stage. However, he was forced to retire from the race after stage 11, after multiple crashes. The jersey was reliquished to Norwegian Thor Hushovd, who held on for the rest of the tour, becoming the eventual winner. On September 25 he became the twenty-first Belgian World Champion after the World Cycling Championships in Madrid. A six-man breakaway was reeled in in the final straight by the group that he was in, before he powered home ahead of Alejandro Valverde. He is the first Belgian since Museeuw, in 1996, to wear the rainbow jersey. With these victories he secured second place in the overall standings of the 2005 UCI ProTour.

At the end of the year Boonen won several awards: Kristallen Fiets (Crystal Bicycle), Vélo d'Or (Golden Bicycle), Trofee voor Sportverdienste (Trophy For Sporting Merit), Belgian Sportsman of the year and Belgian Sports Personality of the Year.

2006 season[link]

In 2006, Boonen again had an incredible start to the season, highlighted by winning the Ronde van Vlaanderen again, but he was unable to defend his Paris-Roubaix title the week after. Leif Hoste, Peter Van Petegem and Vladimir Gusev were initially credited with 2nd through 4th places (1'23" down), but were later disqualified by the race jury for illegally riding through a closed level-crossing. This promoted world champion and pre-race favourite Boonen into 2nd place, behind Fabian Cancellara.

After the incredible start, Boonen came back to racing in the Tour of Belgium where he won the second and the third stage. Before the start of the 2006 Tour de France, he claimed that he considered himself the strongest and smartest sprinter. However, he did not win a stage in the first week, as he was beaten by his sprinter competitors Robbie McEwen and Óscar Freire. In spite of this, he was able to claim the yellow jersey for the first time in his career, but lost it in the first time trial to time trial specialist Sergei Honchar.

Boonen signing in at Tarbes during the 2006 Tour de France

Boonen abandoned the Tour de France during the 15th stage – 187 km from Gap to l'Alpe d'Huez – when he was unable to reach the summit of the Col du Lautaret. According to the team manager, Boonen lost a lot of weight during the Tour, and got a much needed rest period where he was able to regain it.

With regained strength, at the Eneco Tour of Benelux he won three stages. However, he was unable to defend his world title at the UCI Road World Championships, held on a circuit that was less flat than in Madrid 2005, and lost his title to Quick Step-Innergetic teammate Paolo Bettini, finishing ninth.

2007 season[link]

In his 2007 season, Boonen went off to a great start again by winning five stages at the Tour of Qatar and finished second overall after teammate Wilfried Cretskens. He later won several Flemish races like Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne and E3 Prijs Vlaanderen, but failed to win any classics. His best effort in that respect was a 3rd place in Milan – San Remo, resulting in an overall slightly disappointing spring season.

Next Boonen took part in the Tour de France. In the absence of main rival Alessandro Petacchi, and after an early injury to Robbie McEwen, he met expectations by winning two stages (stages 6 and 12), and winning the Maillot vert competition. It was the first Belgian green jersey since Eddy Planckaert's in 1988.

2008 season[link]

Boonen at the 2008 Paris–Roubaix

Boonen began his 2008 season by winning four stages and the overall and points classifications in the Tour of Qatar. In the Ronde van Vlaanderen, his first main goal of the season, he showed good form but took on a defensive role when his teammate Stijn Devolder escaped and subsequently won. The week after, he outsprinted Fabian Cancellara and Alessandro Ballan in the final 500m to win the Paris–Roubaix. On 10 June 2008, several sources claimed that Boonen was negotiating with Bouygues Télécom about a contract, which sporting director Jean-René Bernaudeau confirmed. The move to Bouygues would involve two or three riders going with him, with the names of Wilfried Cretskens and Kevin Hulsmans frequently named.^[6]

On that same day though, it was revealed that Boonen had tested positive for cocaine in a test on May 26. Since this was outside competition, and cocaine is not considered a performance enhancing drug, Boonen did not face sanctions by the UCI or WADA. During a press conference the day after, he offered his apologies and team manager Patrick Lefevere stated that, since these were considered difficulties of a private nature, team Quick Step maintained its confidence in him. Despite the absence of official sanctions, Boonen was immediately barred from the Tour of Switzerland and later from the Tour de France.^[7][8] In February 2009 a Belgian court found him guilty of cocaine use but decided not to hand down criminal sanctions against Boonen, saying that he has "been punished enough".^[9][10]

2009 season[link]

Boonen celebrating victory in the 2009 Paris–Roubaix; his third victory at the race.

Boonen began his 2009 season by winning a stage and the overall and points classifications in the Tour of Qatar. He also won Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne for the second time in his career. In the Ronde van Vlaanderen, his first main goal of the season, he showed good form but as in 2008 he had to take on a defensive role when his teammate Stijn Devolder escaped and subsequently won the Ronde for the second time. The following week Boonen won Paris–Roubaix for the third time.

On April 27, Boonen tested positive for cocaine in an out of competition test for the third time (the first occasion, in November 2007, had not previously been made public) and was suspended by his team, Quick Step, on May 9,^[11] and re-entered competition with them in the 2009 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. Shortly after, in June, he won his National Championship. After a long legal struggle he was allowed to enter the Tour de France one day before the start on 3 July 2009. Citing illness, he withdrew from the Tour on 18 July 2009, before the fifteenth stage.

He returned to racing in the Eneco Tour where he won the third stage by beating Tyler Farrar in the sprint. After that he entered the Vuelta a Espana to prepare him self for the final part of the season. There, he finished second in the prologue behind time trial specialist Fabian Cancellara. He crashed during the 7th stage of the Vuelta, a 30km time trial. He nevertheless posted a respectable time, losing just 1'03, and ended the day second overall behind Cancellara. He withdrew from the Vuelta during the 13th stage, still suffering from the consequences of his crash during the 7th stage. He finished his season with a second place in Paris-Tours, after being beaten in a sprint from a three-men group by fellow countryman and defending champion Philippe Gilbert.

2010 season[link]

This section requires expansion.

Boonen in the 2010 Tour of Flanders

The beginning of 2010 saw Boonen take third place in the Tour of Qatar, winning two stages, which was followed by victory in Stage 5 of the Tour of Oman. He also won Stage 2 of Tirreno-Adriatico, before finishing second to Óscar Freire in the first monument of the season, Milan – San Remo. Boonen finished second to Fabian Cancellara in the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen – Harelbeke, a result replicated at the Tour of Flanders. Boonen finished fifth in Paris–Roubaix the following week. He missed most of the rest of the season – including the Tour de France, the Belgian and the World Championships – due to tendinitis around his left kneecap which was caused by crashes at the Tour of California and the Tour de Suisse. He returned to racing in October at the Circuit Franco-Belge and Paris-Tours.

2011 season[link]

This section requires expansion.

Boonen on his way to victory in Gent–Wevelgem

Boonen began the season with first place on the opening stage of the Tour of Qatar. He won Gent–Wevelgem to take his only major classic victory of the season, as in the Tour of Flanders he finished fourth and in Paris–Roubaix he abandoned after a fall. Boonen also crashed on Stage 5 of the Tour de France, and although he finished the stage, injuries forced him to abandon on Stage 7. In the subsequent Vuelta a España, Boonen fell yet again, which also made him miss the World Championships.

2012 season[link]

This section requires expansion.

Boonen won Paris–Roubaix for the fourth time, tying the record held by Roger De Vlaeminck.

Boonen began the 2012 season well, as he won Stage 7 of his first race of the season, the Tour de San Luis. In February, he won the Tour of Qatar overall, also winning two stages and the points classification, and finished second to Sep Vanmarcke in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Boonen next rode in Paris–Nice, winning Stage 2. Boonen took his first one-day classic victory of the season at E3 Harelbeke, and followed it up with victory in Gent–Wevelgem two days later. Boonen's form made him a clear favourite for the Tour of Flanders, and he won the sprint from fellow breakaway members Filippo Pozzato and Alessandro Ballan to take victory in the monument for the third time in his career making him a record holder alongside Achiel Buysse, Fiorenzo Magni, Eric Leman and Johan Museeuw. He is also the first cyclist ever to win the Flemish cobblestone quadruple E3 Harelbeke, Gent–Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders, and Paris–Roubaix in the same year. His Roubaix victory was his fourth, matching the record held by Roger De Vlaeminck for 35 years. In winning the Tour of Flanders, and Paris Roubaix he became the first person ever to complete the double twice in their career.

After an incredible spring classics campaign, Boonen returned to racing at the Tour of California.

Personal life[link]

Boonen used to live in Balen, in the Flemish Region of Belgium until moving to Monaco in late 2005. He stayed there a few years until deciding to move back to Belgium in early 2012.^[12]

Palmares[link]

Monuments results[link]

This table shows Tom Boonen's results in the five cycling monuments.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tom Boonen

• Official site
• Quick.Step-Innergetic Cycling Team

Sporting positions
Preceded by Magnus Bäckstedt Stuart O'Grady Johan Vansummeren	Winner of Paris–Roubaix 2005 2008, 2009 2012	Succeeded by Fabian Cancellara Fabian Cancellara Incumbent
Preceded by Steffen Wesemann Nick Nuyens	Winner of Ronde van Vlaanderen 2005, 2006 2012	Succeeded by Alessandro Ballan Incumbent
Preceded by Jurgen Roelandts	Belgian National Road Race Champion 2009	Succeeded by Stijn Devolder
Awards
Preceded by Peter Van Petegem	Crystal Bicycle 2004–2006	Succeeded by Sven Nys
Preceded by Lance Armstrong	Vélo d'Or 2005	Succeeded by Paolo Bettini

v t e UCI Road World Champions – Men's road race 1927 Alfredo Binda 1928–1929 Georges Ronsse 1930 Alfredo Binda 1931 Learco Guerra 1932 Alfredo Binda 1933 Georges Speicher 1934 Karel Kaers 1935 Jean Aerts 1936 Antonin Magne 1937 Éloi Meulenberg 1938 Marcel Kint 1946 Hans Knecht 1947 Theo Middelkamp 1948 Briek Schotte 1949 Rik Van Steenbergen 1950 Briek Schotte 1951 Ferdi Kübler 1952 Heinz Müller 1953 Fausto Coppi 1954 Louison Bobet 1955 Stan Ockers 1956–1957 Rik Van Steenbergen 1958 Ercole Baldini 1959 André Darrigade 1960–1961 Rik Van Looy 1962 Jean Stablinski 1963 Benoni Beheyt 1964 Jan Janssen 1965 Tom Simpson 1966 Rudi Altig 1967 Eddy Merckx 1968 Vittorio Adorni 1969 Harm Ottenbros 1970 Jean-Pierre Monseré 1971 Eddy Merckx 1972 Marino Basso 1973 Felice Gimondi 1974 Eddy Merckx 1975 Hennie Kuiper 1976 Freddy Maertens 1977 Francesco Moser 1978 Gerrie Knetemann 1979 Jan Raas 1980 Bernard Hinault 1981 Freddy Maertens 1982 Giuseppe Saronni 1983 Greg LeMond 1984 Claude Criquielion 1985 Joop Zoetemelk 1986 Moreno Argentin 1987 Stephen Roche 1988 Maurizio Fondriest 1989 Greg LeMond 1990 Rudy Dhaenens 1991–1992 Gianni Bugno 1993 Lance Armstrong 1994 Luc Leblanc 1995 Abraham Olano 1996 Johan Museeuw 1997 Laurent Brochard 1998 Oscar Camenzind 1999 Óscar Freire 2000 Romāns Vainšteins 2001 Óscar Freire 2002 Mario Cipollini 2003 Igor Astarloa 2004 Óscar Freire 2005 Tom Boonen 2006–2007 Paolo Bettini 2008 Alessandro Ballan 2009 Cadel Evans 2010 Thor Hushovd 2011 Mark Cavendish

v t e Tour de France points classification winners 1953 Fritz Schär 1954 Ferdinand Kübler 1955–1956 Stan Ockers 1957 Jean Forestier 1958 Jean Graczyk 1959 André Darrigade 1960 Jean Graczyk 1961 André Darrigade 1962 Rudi Altig 1963 Rik van Looy 1964–1965 Jan Janssen 1966 Willy Planckaert 1967 Jan Janssen 1968 Franco Bitossi 1969 Eddy Merckx 1970 Walter Godefroot 1971–1972 Eddy Merckx 1973 Herman van Springel 1974 Patrick Sercu 1975 Rik Van Linden 1976 Freddy Maertens 1977 Jacques Esclassan 1978 Freddy Maertens 1979 Bernard Hinault 1980 Rudy Pevenage 1981 Freddy Maertens 1982–1983 Sean Kelly 1984 Frank Hoste 1985 Sean Kelly 1986 Eric Vanderaerden 1987 Jean-Paul van Poppel 1988 Eddy Planckaert 1989 Sean Kelly 1990 Olaf Ludwig 1991 Djamolidine Abdoujaparov 1992 Laurent Jalabert 1993–1994 Djamolidine Abdoujaparov 1995 Laurent Jalabert 1996–2001 Erik Zabel 2002 Robbie McEwen 2003 Baden Cooke 2004 Robbie McEwen 2005 Thor Hushovd 2006 Robbie McEwen 2007 Tom Boonen 2008 Óscar Freire 2009 Thor Hushovd 2010 Alessandro Petacchi 2011 Mark Cavendish