Tom Boonen backs Geraint Thomas to defend Tour de France title
Boonen says the strength of Ineos means Thomas won't suffer as much in the final week, which could prove crucial
Tom Boonen
Nationality: Belgian
Date of birth: October 15, 1980
Height: 192cm
Weight: 82kg
Team: Etixx-QuickStep
Now in the twilight of his glittering career, Tom Boonen is one of the most successful riders of his generation.
Three Tour of Flanders titles and four in Paris-Roubaix, one more in either race would place the Belgian as the greatest cobbled Classics rider in history, surpassing the likes of Roger de Vlaeminck, Johan Museeuw and his contemporary, Fabian Cancellara.
Not only has Tornado Tom shined on the harsh roads of northern France and Flanders, but he sits on a palmarès that boasts a World Championship road race crown in 2005 as well as six Tour de France stage wins and a green jersey in 2007.
While his future last year seemed uncertain, Boonen extended his stay at home team Etixx-QuickStep by a year to the end of 2016, and has now ridden with the squad in its various incarnations since 2003.
Crashes in Paris-Nice and the Abu Dhabi Tour left a sour mark on the 35-year-old’s 2015 season, with Boonen certain to be looking to score one last big win in Flanders or Roubaix before he calls it a day.
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Tom Boonen says 'there's magic in Deceuninck - Quick–Step' as team dominates one-day races
Deceuninck - Quick-Step contains a bit of magic that the other top Classics teams lack, says retired Classics star Tom Boonen.
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Classics legend Tom Boonen could be dropped from Lotto-Soudal as advisor
Classics hardman Tom Boonen could be dropped from his advisor role at Lotto-Soudal.
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Tom Boonen: 'Remco Evenepoel needs to learn to ride tactically at WorldTour level'
Tom Boonen has applauded rising Belgian star Remco Evenepoel for his world titles in Innsbruck this week, but says the junior cyclist "needs to learn to ride tactically at WorldTour level."
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Peter Sagan should stop complaining about other teams, says Tom Boonen
The Classics legend says Sagan should not complain about other teams refusing to cooperate with him, saying "he is the one who always starts to sit on"
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Lotto-Soudal recruit Tom Boonen as advisor for 2018 season
Tom Boonen will join Lotto-Soudal as a "technological advisor" for the 2018 season after investing in its Captains of Cycling programme.
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Tom Boonen: 'I feel like cycling is already in the distant past'
Belgian former world champion and multiple Classics winner Tom Boonen retired from pro cycling in April, and says that he has already moved on
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Tom Boonen starts racing again... this time in a car
The former world champ recently passed his race driving license and is hoping to get behind the wheel
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Tom Boonen: A career in pictures
After saying farewell at this year's edition of Paris-Roubaix, we take a look at Tommeke's illustrious career through photos
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'One of a kind': How Tom Boonen became a legend of cycling
Tom Boonen's fellow riders pay tribute to the Belgian star as he completes his final race at 2017 Paris-Roubaix
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Peter Sagan: 'Tom Boonen was my role model'
World champion Peter Sagan says that it was 'cool' Tom Boonen who inspired him in his early days as a pro rider. The two riders will face each other in Paris-Roubaix on Sunday
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This is the Quick-Step line-up that will try and help Tom Boonen to a final Paris-Roubaix victory
Boonen will be supported by 2014 Roubaix winner Niki Terpstra and 2015 runner-up Zdenek Stybar
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Tom Boonen 'riding as if wearing blinkers' to stay focused on final ride at Paris-Roubaix
Four-time Paris-Roubaix winner Tom Boonen is trying to avoid the emotion around his impending retirement
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'I realised Sky were more afraid of us': Tom Boonen explains Quick-Step's attack on the Muur
Tom Boonen says he expected Sky to go as hard as they could up the Muur, at the Tour of Flanders but realised there was an opportunity for his team after speaking to Luke Rowe
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Tom Boonen: 'I'm not emotional, but I think that's going to be different come Flanders'
Tom Boonen says he's trying to stay focused on racing until his career culminates at next week's Paris-Roubaix
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Fabian Cancellara: 'They talk about Sagan and Van Avermaet, but it's not the same as me and Tom'
Fabian Cancellara says the burgeoning rivalry of Peter Sagan and Greg Van Avermaet can't compare to the duels between him and Tom Boonen
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Team of the Week: Greg Van Avermaet, Tom Boonen, Lotta Lepistö and more
The best possible pro cycling team constructed using riders who have given the most impressive performances this past week
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Quick-Step Floors dictating Spring Classics – a year after being dictated to
Quick-Step Floors have a multitude of riders to win the Spring Classics and they're making good on their promise to animate the races.
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Tom Boonen: 'People are already saying goodbye'
Tom Boonen says he's just focussing on training and being at his best for the Classics as his retirement nears
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Peter Sagan: 'I will be very happy if Tom Boonen wins Paris-Roubaix again'
Peter Sagan has said that he'd be very happy to see Tom Boonen take a fifth Paris-Roubaix victory, when the Belgian rides his final edition in April.
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Can Tom Boonen win his final Paris-Roubaix?
As Tom Boonen prepares for his final race, Cycling Weekly talks to the man aiming to become the most successful Paris-Roubaix rider ever
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Tom Boonen out of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
Tom Boonen will not win his fourth Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne title on Sunday, with Quick-Step Floors saying that stomach problems have ruled him out.
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Tom Boonen's custom Het Nieuwsblad bike: 'there's no danger in discs'
Tom Boonen unveils his custom Specialized Venge ahead of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and dismisses claims that disc brakes are dangerous
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'It's a shame for Tom': Kristoff sorry to see Boonen crash out of Tour of Oman sprint finish
Kristoff went on to take the stage win on the opening day of the Tour of Oman, but said it was shame that he wasn't able to sprint against Tom Boonen who crashed in the final kilometer
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Team of the week: Arndt, van Vleuten, Boonen and more
Nikias Arndt heads up this week's team of the week after a taking the first WorldTour one day win of the year at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
