Boom wins Boonen charity 'cross race

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Lars Boom started the Boonen & Friends 'cross race Saturday one minute behind all the other riders, and still won. But it wasn't that easy, he said.

“Making up one minute was a more difficult task than anyone had expected,” the Rabobank rider admitted afterwards. The race is a charity event sponsored by Tom Boonen, and is run by road racers. Boom concentrates on the road now, but come from the 'cross scene. He was World Champion in that discipline in 2008, and has won the Dutch national title every year since 2007. 

Second behind him was his Rabobank teammate Maarten Wynants. “I should not have expected any else,” Boom said, according to the Belga news agency. “Last week I trained in the woods in my neighborhood with Maarten Wynants, so I knew he would be my toughest opponent.”

Wynants won the race in 2009, and finished second last year.

It was Boonen's first race back after breaking his wrist in the Vuelta a Espana, but the charity aspect was more important to him. The race raises funds for “Move to Improve”, for children with movement disorders.

"This is the least we can do for these kids," said Boonen. "It is indeed a great day. The sky cleared up and we not only have good weather but also the best in the three years of this race.”

The race was followed by an auction, with Boonen again going the extra step to help the charity.  He won an autographed 'cross world champion jersey autographed by his Quick Step teammate Zdenek Stybar with a bid of 2,100 Euros. The highest price went for one of Philippe Gilbert's Belgian national champion jersey, with an anonymous bidder paying 7,500 Euros.

In the veterans race, former cyclo-cross world champion Erwin Vervecken was a clear winner over Koen Beeckman and VT4 commentator and former 'cross champion Marc Janssens from a large field that included Johan Museeuw.

Results