Thanks to his double victories in Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders, Omega Pharma-QuickStep's Tom Boonen was voted by his peers as winner of the 'Flandrien 2012' as the best rider of the year in Belgium
Boonen beat out new world champion Philippe Gilbert to win the honour for the first time since 2005, and his third trip to the podium to receive the coveted trophy.
"It's fun and what makes it even better is the fact that I won ahead of the newly crowned world champion Philippe Gilbert. This gives even more value to this trophy," Boonen said according to nieuwsblad.be.
"It is clear to me that this is the trophy for consistency. I have won more big races than Gilbert, who won the biggest race."
Boonen's season was arguably one of the best of his career: after taking a stage in the Tour de San Luis in January, he went on to demonstrate his form at the Tour of Qatar, winning two stages and the overall, before heading back to Belgium to dominate the Classics.
His second place to Garmin's Sep Vanmarcke in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was the result of a mis-timed sprint, but it was an indication that 'Tommeke' was getting back to his best.
After winning a stage of Paris-Nice, Boonen scored victories in the E3 Prijs and Gent-Wevelgem, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, all in the span of two weeks.
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His record of 2012 is surpassed only by his world championship winning 2005, and is a huge rebound from a dismal 2011 season, in which his crashes outnumbered his victories.
"This trophy is a reward for the hard work that I've done after a few difficult years to get back to the top This return was as beautiful as my best wins," Boonen said.
Bradley Wiggins was voted international rider of the year, while Liesbet De Vocht won top female, Jasper Stuyven won the U23 voting and Kevin Deltombe the juniors. Enzo Wouters won the newcomer's class.
