Two photo albums and some words from the blue ribbon of classics, Paris-Roubaix, won by the record breaking Tom Boonen, king of the cobble!
Photo: John Pierce/PhotoSport International UK USA Asia
Tom Boonen rewrote the history books as planned but with even more style than expected to win his fourth Paris-Roubaix in a textbook 110th edition of the Queen of Classics. It was widely forecast that the Belgian would equal Roger De Vlaeminck’s record but the way he did it, by breaking clear with 55 kilometres to go and remaining on his own for more than an hour, was a fantastic display of sheer class. Boonen timed his move perfectly, launching a first attack after his unlucky team-mate Sylvain Chavanel punctured on the 200-kms mark.
The first blow did not finish off his two leading rivals, Alessandro Ballan (BMC) and Filippo Pozzato (FAR) but the two Italians bowed when the Tour of Flanders winner struck again with Dutch team-mate Niki Terpstra two kilometers further. At the finish, Boonen raised a cobble for the fourth time, with a special smile on his face. After two years of struggle, the 31-year-old Belgian also became the first man to win the Ronde and the Hell of the North in the same year twice. He is now arguably the strongest man in history in the Flanders classics with 21 wins in the region.
Photo Album: (John Pierce/PhotoSport International UK USA Asia)
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Twelve lead the way
The race started without Francisco Ventoso (MOV), sending 194 riders to tackle the 257.5-kms ride. Several attempts took place from the gun but the pace was too high (48.4 kph in the first hour) for a break to emerge. At kilometer 67, Veuchelen (VCD) and Dehaes (LTB) broke clear and were quickly joined by ten other riders. The twelve were Van Keirsbulck OPQ), Popovych (RNT), Dehaes (LTB), Veuchelen, Lindeman (VCD), Boucher (FDJ), Morkov (SAX), Klemme (ARG), Mangel (SAU), Veilleux (EUR), Saramotins (COF) and Janorschke (APP). With eleven teams involved, the break gained momentum and held a 4:10 lead into the first cobbled sector at km 97.5. A first crash occurred in sector 22, forcing two riders out, but sector 21 was also merciless. A massive pile-up took place in the bunch, holding 1997 winner Frederic Guesdon and splitting the peloton. Pozzato (FAR) also found himself in the second part of the bunch, which finally regrouped.
Photo:Â Thomas van Bracht
Ballan tries
In the Arenberg Trench, three of the 12 escapees – Boucher, Janorschke and Van Keirsbulck – crashed heavily while Dehaes punctured. Tom Boonen led the peloton into the Trench with French champion Sylvain Chavanel on his heels. At the end of the sector, the gap had gone down to 1:50 between the eight remaining escapees and the peloton. At kilometer 180, two pre-race favorites, Alessandro Ballan (BMC) and Juan-Antonio Flecha (SKY) tried to take Boonen off his guard. They caught Mathieu Ladagnous (FDJ) and Jimmy Casper (ALM) before being joined by Maarten Wynants (RAB) and Sebastien Turgot (EUR). They held a maximum lead of 20 seconds before being reined in.
Unlucky Chavanel
At the end of sector 13, Sylvain Chavanel attacked and found himself in the lead with Ladagnous, Turgot and Mangel . But the French champion was unlucky to puncture at the worst possible time (Km 200) and his leader Boonen seized the opportunity to counter-attack. Cautiously, Ballan and Pozzato replied and joined him. But they were forced to admit defeat when they were caught by another Omega Pharma-Quick Step rider, Niki Terpstra, who raised the pace and led the way for his leader. Launched like a rocket, Boonen then broke on his own, never to be seen again.
Photo:Â Thomas van Bracht
Boonen goes
Behind the Tour of Flanders winner, the other big names lost ground one by one. Thor Hushovd (BMC) crashed and later punctured. Chavanel punctured once more. Pozzato crashed and faltered. Only Ballan and Juan-Antonio Flecha (SKY), helped by three team-mates, kept fighting. Despite a brave team effort by Flecha, Boasson-Hagen, Hayman and Stannard, the gap kept increasing and reached the minute with 29 kilometres to go. There was no denying Boonen a well-deserved victory as the chasing group blew to splinters and was left to battle it out for the podium places. France’s Sebastien Turgot surged on the line to take second place ahead of Alessandro Ballan, third for the third time.
Photo: John Pierce/PhotoSport International UK USA Asia
Photo Album: (Thomas van Bracht)
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