Boonen in top shape for Tour

The World Champion and one of the peloton's best sprinters, Tom Boonen, has proven again that he is coming along just fine in view of the Tour de France, by winning the Dutch one-day race Venendaal-Venendaal on Wednesday. Indeed, Boonen's preparation for July's Grand Tour seems to have been flawless and certainly spared of any injuries or illnesses after another successful spring classics season.

"After the Tour of Belgium, I went on a training camp in the Alps, and now I could test my legs again here," said the Belgian, who had never participated in the race before. "On Friday, I'll go to the Tour de Suisse, then the Belgian Championships and the Tour de France right after that." Although his biggest rival in view of prestigious French stage wins and the green jersey, Robbie McEwen, wasn't present at the Dutch event in Venendaal, Boonen showed he was on the right track by taking his 16th win this season.

However, his Tour de France teammates are yet to be unveiled. Boonen regretted that Servais Knaven had not been nominated, as reported yesterday: "Of course, that's a shame," the winner of this year's Tour of Flanders said. "The team management is looking for riders who are able to hold on a bit longer in the mountains. That's understandable, but it's still bitter."