Road schedule for ill Boom announced

Lars Boom (Rabobank) contest this year's Vuelta a España as the rider turns his attention from cyclo-cross to road cycling this season, his team has announced. In the short term, however, Boom has to skip two upcoming 'cross races because of the flu.

Boom's road season will start with the Eschborn-Frankfurt City Loop (formerly Rund um den Henninger Turm) in Frankfurt, Germany, on May 1. He will then take on the Tour of Belgium, May 27-31, and the Tour de Suisse (June 13-21) before contesting the Dutch national road championships, where the 23-year-old will look to defend his road and time trial titles.

The second half of the season will be dominated by the Vuelta, said coach Franz Maassen. "The goal is for him to make it to Madrid, possibly with a view to the World Championships in Mendriso, Switzerland, but we will have to see how it goes," said Maassen.

Boom was disappointed to not defend his title in the UCI World Cyclo-cross Championship last weekend, but had already said on Saturday that he had a sore throat. The team noted that Boom did not use this as an excuse for his performance in the race Sunday, where he finished 20th.

Boom is now in bed with the flu and has had to cancel appearances this week at the Parkcross race in Maldegem and the indoor race in Hasselt. It is not yet known whether he will be able to ride Saturday in the GVA race in Lille or the Sp-cross race in Hoogstraten on Sunday. (SW)