The Belgian National Road Race Championships will be one of the feature events on Sunday, when many elite men’s road race titles roll off in Europe and around the world. Two men looking to grab their second Belgian tricolor jersey will be Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Jürgen Roelandts (Lotto-Belisol), who will be two of 153 men who will take to the 253km course in Geel on Sunday.
For Boonen, who took his first national title in Aywaille in 2009, his outstanding 2012 does not mean any guarantees when he gets to the start line in Geel. Riding his best season to date on his revamped trade team, Boonen swept through the Spring Classics, but he is coming off of a break in racing and will skip the Tour de France with the Olympics and the World Championships on the horizon.
“There is still no certainty to win,” Boonen said, according to Het Laaste Nieuws. “A championship is always a tough course and therefore each year it is difficult to win. Everyone expects a bunch sprint on the flat Geel course, but it’s not sure to be like that. If the weather predictions are right, it could be a tough race and the wind will play a decisive role.”
Weather conditions are predicted to be cool and breezy, with temperatures around 18 degrees Celsius and moderate winds.
Boonen acknowledged that he should be a primary favourite, given the course and his resurgent year, but the Belgian named several of his rivals who could upset him.
“After my early season, I am pretty well prepared for a second title. Jürgen Roelandts, Greg Van Avermaet, Kris Boeckmans, Jens Keukeleire, and Philippe Gilbert will be my main opponents, but who knows, it could be an unexpected name,” Boonen added.
Roelandts, who fractured a vertebra in the Santos Tour Down Under in January, is hoping that the long and difficult road back is capped by another national championship. He took the national colours in 2008 in Knokke-Heist, during his neo-pro season.
After his injury in January, Roelandts made his comeback at the Tour of Belgium, then went on to pick up his first win of the season in the Tour de Luxembourg, confirming his form with a third place overall in the Ster ZLM Toer.
“I am extremely motivated to do well for the rest of the season,” Roelandts stated according to Sporza. “In training I have done a lot of work. With the Tour de France in sight, it is about time to reap the benefits.”
He knows that tactics will play a big role on the flat Geel course, and Roelandts will have more than 15 Lotto-Belisol team-mates accompanying him in the race. If it comes down to a sprint, he believes he has a good chance, if the group is not too big.
“The whole race will be ridden at a high rate of speed, and nowhere is there a short descent where you can recover,” Roelandts said. “People who think that will be easy are mistaken. In terms of wattage, we’ll get close to where we are in a big Classic.
“I don’t pack a big sprint, but if it’s a kick with 40-some riders, I think I can be there. That was the case in Knokke in 2008.”
Belgium National Road Race Championships (Geel, 253km) - Other notable starters:
14 Gianni Meersman (Lotto-Belisol)
18 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto-Belisol)
23 Jelle Vanendert (Lotto-Belisol)
27 Kevin De Weert (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)
32 Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)
47 Leif Hoste (Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s)
49 Staf Scheirlinckx (Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s)
62 Bert De Waele (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony)
66 Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony)
73 Dominique Cornu (Topsport Vlaanderen)
115 Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor)
121 Nico Eeckhout (An Post-Sean Kelly)
124 Sep Vanmarcke (Garmin-Barracuda)
125 Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Barracuda)
127 Jan Bakelants (Radioshack-Nissan)
129 Maxime Monfort (Radioshack-Nissan)
132 Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM)
135 Frederick Veuchelen (Vacansoleil-DCM)
136 Nick Nuyens (Saxo Bank)
139 Kristof Goddaert (AG2R-La Mondiale)
140 Maarten Wynants (Rabobank)
141 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Astana)
143 Jan Ghyselinck (Cofidis)
147 Kevin Huelsmans (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia)
150 Jérôme Baugnies (NetApp)