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26 September 2005

27 September News ...

Three Grand Wins ... Tom Boonen è Bravissimo

Tom Boonen has put a strong stamp on cycling: Flanders, Roubaix, and the Worlds. After an already stellar season, the 24 year-old gave Belgium a World Championship title after nine years of waiting. Erase any doubts you have about Tom Boonen, he is the current king of one-day races. This year alone he has shown his durability in races like Flanders and Roubaix, his sprint powers in the Tour de France, and now his resilience in the World Championships.

After the Worlds in Madrid Boonen detailed his season: "At the beginning of the season my primary objectives were Flanders and Roubaix, and I succeeded. Then the Tour: I started well, two stages and the green jersey, but I crashed. I tried to remain in the race, but I had to retire. There were bad words that were spoken, I heard them, and at the Vuelta I tried to win a stage to please the voices ... They said: 'Boonen no longer knows how to win', 'Boonen is not like he was before'. But my directors had me convinced that I don't have to think about them, that my objective was 25 September, in Madrid ... Neither before or after. And I only concentrated myself on this goal. I abandoned the Vuelta and trained at home. I was going well, then I took part in the GP de Wallonie and, last Monday, a small kermesse. But my intentions only were to get back the rhythm of a race."

Boonen was in the hunt for the entire 273K race. Team Belgium had their men in the late attacks, but then made sure the race came back together for the sprint. "The last lap of the Worlds was the decisive lap," recalled the new World Champion. "I said the to the team that I am going well. And the team was united and strong. First we caught the escape, second my team took me to the front for the sprint, and third, which was all up to me, was the sprint. Valverde was first to go, at 300 meters, but I made my move around 200 meters." Boonen then simply said, "I made my sprint and I won."

It is always quite special to see year-long rivals come together and work on a united national team. There is no stronger rivalry then the one between Quick-Step and Davitamon-Lotto, the two Belgian teams constantly battle for bragging rights. "Who would have thought that Van Petegem would race any other way? I never had my doubts of his professionalism. He was always 'Proper Peter', with Mario Aerts, taking me all the way to the last kilometer."

For 2005 Boonen is unsure whether he will make a return to racing in his new rainbow jersey. Today he is back home in Belgium, where there is sure to be beer flowing, but then Wednesday he will have an operation. Boonen is taking care of a reoccurring problem, an inflamed intestine.

read:
Boonen Fires First Shot, 21 September
Boonen Continues Terror in Tours, 5 July
Boonen is Terrorizing Western France, 4 July
Boonen Wins Overall Tour of Belgium, 30 May
Boonen Is Unbelievable, 11 April
Boonen, The New King, 4 April

Madrid World Championships, 22 & 25 September
Main Worlds Page
Time Trial, TT Profile, TT Overall Map, TT Startlist
Road Race, RR Profile, RR Overall Map, RR Startlist

Valverde Scores 2nd after 70 Days at Home

Alejandro Valverde (25) has always been considered something special. In 2003 he put his mark on the Worlds with a 2nd place in Hamilton, followed by tons of wins in Spain, and now this year he has made his mark on the wold cycling scene. He scored in Paris-Nice, and then at the Tour de France he gave Lance Armstrong a run for his money with a solid stage win. "He could be the future of cycling," said Armstrong in reference to the Illes Balears rider.

But a injury to the left knee plagued his Tour, forcing him to abandon. Then his decision to skip the Vuelta a España placed serious doubts over his Worlds participation. His only race between abandoning the Tour and yesterday's World Championships was a one-day race in Spain on 21 August.

"Being at home gave me some stability, which was better for the rhythm of life and training. I would go out and prepare specifically for this course. With this condition I am able to partake in the upcoming classics, at least two I could win [Zurich and Lombardia]."

Yesterday Valverde almost pulled off another World Championship for Spain, he was only beaten by Boonen. "He took my wheel and passed me. Maybe I went too early, but I saw the line and I had a great desire to go, and I did. ... But there are no doubts that Tom Boonen was the strongest."

Read:
Spanish Squadra Decision Time for Antequera, 10 September
Valverde Stops The Tour Pain and Reflects, 16 July

Petacchi and Bettini ... What Happened?

There is a question that will be asked for at least one year: "What happened at the Worlds in Madrid?" The Squadra Azzurra had control of the World Championships with an entire team of strength devoted to Alessandro Petacchi or Paolo Bettini. By the end of the race Ale-Jet did not have the wings to fly, and il Grillo had jumped too many times to be effective in the small bunch sprint. It is a shame for Petacchi, who might have missed his one opportunity to win the Worlds. And for Bettini, he is still lacking the prized rainbow jersey to complete is stunning palmarès.

"In the last lap I suffered and so I said to Bettini that he has to try," explained Petacchi after Sunday's race. "I could not give a guarantee in the sprint. I am sorry for 'Betto', who tried many times in every mode. There is nothing to be mistaken, we were in every escape and controlled the race well from behind. At the end the course was tough, but remained a fast course, and also demanding. And if Boonen remained at the front to play out the sprint, then I want say that he is the best."

Petacchi was searching for no excuses after the race, but instead congratulating Boonen on a fine race. "In the last week I made only one hard training ride and I always made sure to recover well," continued Petacchi. During the week Ale-Jet also made the decision to use a 52x11 top gear, but he never had a chance to use that combination in the sprint. "I raced a good race but at the end I just did not have the legs to win. It is too bad because at the Vuelta I felt well, and I always battled Boonen there. Evidently in the last week he became better and I did not."

Bettini was not in such a good mode after the race, he went straight to the team hotel. Later he came out in his Squadra Azzurra casual wear to explain his race. "I have great form but various episodes shaped my race, and at the end I was not able to play my cards. We were missing an extra man in the first escape, in particular I was out numbered by the Spaniards [Pereiro, Valverde, Perdiguero]. I understood that to continue would have been a risky move for [Team DS] Ballerini to take. Behind we had faith in our other option [Petacchi] but if I had received my liberty earlier the race would have changed. It was with 10K to go when they said to me to do my own race, which arrived too late." Bettini then coldly added, "Honesty and sincerity in certain delicate moments are important."

Read:
Petacchi Gives Some Details, 22 September
Ace up the sleeve: Bettini, 22 September
Petacchi Stomps the Terra, 19 September
Bettini On Form For Worlds, 14 September

25 September News ...