Tom Boonen has won prestigious races like the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix in the past, but was unable to take a big victory in 2011. He did win Gent-Wevelgem, which is reason enough for him to call the spring campaign successful. He was happy that his compatriots altogether did well in the first part of the season.
Boonen's compatriot Philippe Gilbert was the man to watch, having won the Amstel Gold Race and Flèche Wallonne. "It was a real good spring for the Belgians," Boonen told Sporza. "I think those results will be difficult to repeat in the future."
Despite the lack of big wins, he drew a personal positive balance of his spring races. "I had some bad luck with sickness and some crashes, but also luck that I was able to win Gent-Wevelgem. My fourth place in the Ronde [Tour of Flanders] was also very nice. So I am certainly not complaining."
The Belgian who overshadowed everything is Philippe Gilbert. "Of course Gilbert is currently the Belgian number one," Boonen says. "On terrain that is too difficult for me Philippe can don things that I cannot. It is as simple as that. He made an impression, but I knew he could do that."
The two Belgians will take a trip together next week to Copenhagen, to check out the Worlds course. "It is too early to say if both of us will be captains. But it is good to have many good racers on your team."
Boonen is the last Belgian to medal at the World Cycling Championships. He won the race in 2005, when it was held in Madrid, Spain.