Belgian sprinter wants new challenge in race against the clock
Tom Boonen (Quick Step) was on a top time until he crashed. (Image credit: Lavuelta.com)
Tom Boonen, Belgium's premier sprinter and Classics specialist, wants to further improve his time trial capabilities. The 29-year-old said he is looking for new challenges and has pointed to the World Championship time trial in Geelong, Australia, as a target for next year.
Having had some good results in the time trials at the Eneco Tour and Vuelta a España, Boonen has plans for specific training to prepare for his new goals. "It's time that I did some serious work for [the time trial]," he told Belgian radio RTBF. "I'm now 29-years-old, and my best years as a pro are still to come."
Time trials are no novelty to Boonen, who won several events in the discipline throughout his junior and espoir years. As a sprinter, he has a natural gift for riding at high speed over short distances - the challenge will be to maintain them in longer competitions, such as the World Championships.
Quick Step team director Wilfried Peeters confirmed the objective, but pointed out that the course for the Worlds road race in Australia also suited his rider. "Maybe he should concentrate on the road race once again and wait until Copenhagen 2011," Peeters said.
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