Tom Boonen
Tom Boonen
Tom Boonen]; born 15 October 1980) is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who won the 2005 world road race championship. He is a member of the Etixx–Quick-Step team, and is a single-day road specialist with a strong finishing sprint. He won the cycling monuments Paris–Roubaix 4 times and the Tour of Flanders 3 times, among many other prestigious victories, such as prevailing 5 times in the E3 Harelbeke, winning 6 stages of the Tour de France and winning the...
ProfessionCyclist
Date of Birth15 October 1980
CityMol, Belgium
bit finish gap hard huge normally sports surprised
I thought there was a huge gap between me and some of the riders, but I was able to finish like I normally do with a flourish. But I tell you it was a hard day for me and my team. Actually I am a bit surprised that I was able to win.
bad bit courage dozen fans fed financial front home interested lead leaving life listen main monaco nice normal parental people pleasant reason side south staring street train training twenty walk winter
The financial side of it is pleasant of course, but that is not the main reason for me leaving my parental home in Balen. I would like to lead a bit of a normal life again. It will be nice to walk down the street without people staring at me. Every day there's a dozen of interested fans at my front door; it's getting too much. I'm getting a bit fed up with having to tell the same story twenty times a day to people I don't know at all, or having to listen to their stories. Monaco will be a better place for me to train also, in winter I often don't have the courage to go out in the bad weather, in the South training will be easier.
goal leave matter race stronger win
The world's is the only race that matter for me. My goal here at the Vuelta is sharpen my fitness. If I win a stage, great, but the most important thing at the Vuelta is to leave stronger than I came.
corner enter good hard hectic last perfectly sprint straight
First you have to be in a good position, then enter perfectly the last corner. Then you have to get out of the corner with enough speed. And only after that, you sprint straight away. It is going to be a very hectic and hard sprint.
chain final fine great job mates nearly suddenly team
Everything was fine before the final sprint. My team mates had done a great job and suddenly my chain slipped, I nearly went over and crashed.
crash days home instead mind occupy rather ride risking stay three train
The Three Days are reputed to be dangerous, it's true, but I'd rather ride than stay at home and dawdle. I could train instead of risking a crash racing, but I'd rather occupy my mind in competition.
comments extra found knew motivated motivation ready
I was very motivated and very focused, ... I found some extra motivation from all the comments that said Boonen wasn't in shape,' but I knew I would be ready for the world's.
gear great move sprint unable win
I was unable to move up one gear but I still managed to keep pedaling and win that great sprint as you all saw.
chances green jersey man might next stage stages today tour win
For me, the Tour started today and I really wanted to win a stage because, after next Sunday, there will not be that many chances for sprinters to win stages and the man in the green jersey might take it to Paris,
affect crashed hurt
I crashed and it hurt a bit, but it did not affect the sprint. I was on the left, he was on the right.
base race time
I didn't look for him and I didn't see him. If you base your race on another rider, most of the time you lose.
belgium lap last members several team
On the last lap it was very important that several members of the Belgium team were always up at the front,
dominate feeling remaining stages
I have a feeling I can go on do well the remaining stages as well. With my team's support, I think I can dominate this Tour.
ahead matters ok others prepare worry
It's OK that the others are ahead of me here. It doesn't worry me. I really didn't try in this Vuelta, ... I'm only here to prepare for the world championships. That's the only thing that matters to me right now.