Following a recent injury scare, Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders winner Tom Boonen has today confirmed that he will indeed be able to take part in the Olympic Games road race in London next Saturday.
The Omega Pharma Quick Step rider deliberately missed the Tour de France, sacrificing the race in order to prepare in his preferred way for the Games. However he crashed heavily in the recent Tour of Poland and was diagnosed with a fractured sixth rib in his chest.
That put a question mark over his Games participation but after three days complete rest and a return to road training on July 19th, he was able to resume competition at the Tour de Wallonie.
Last week he said his sensations in that race would determine if he would go to London. “Right now I’m more optimistic regarding the Olympics. But it will be important to see how I react in a racing situation, in which my body will undergo a different type of stress and more intense effort than in training,” he stated then.
His team has now confirmed today that things went as planned, and consequently that will represent Belgium in the Games.
“After good training at Tour de Wallonie, Tom Boonen will officially participate in the 2012 London Olympics.
“Bonnen suffered a fracture to a rib following a Tour de Pologne Stage 1 crash. However, he spent some time recovering, and then spent extended periods of time at the front at Tour de Wallonie for the first three stages to get his body prepared for the Olympic Road Race.”
Winner of the world road race championship in 2004, Boonen was the most successful rider of the spring and took a large number of victories including the aforementioned Flanders and Roubaix successes.
If he can approach full fitness for the road race, he is a contender for victory in the event.