Tom Boonen (Quick Step) is travelling to London to battle it out in the Olympic Test Event, along with the Belgian National Team. The event happens tomorrow, and will take place on the same route as the London Olympic road race just over a week after the 2012 Tour de France.
“It’s a great chance to get a look at the course a year before the race,” said Boonen. “Even though it will only be 140 kilometres it will be interesting to study the route. It will also be important to understand how to move with just five riders per team, a situation that doesn’t happen very often and that could lead to different scenarios than what we’re normally used to.”
Boonen has had a trying season by his standards, even though he’s had two victories with a stage win at the Tour of Qatar and a sprint victory in Gent Wevelgem. He was also fourth in the Tour of Flanders. He crashed out of the Tour de France with a concussion this year on stage seven, his best result being 23rd on stage one.
He is likely to lead the Belgian team at the games next year along with Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma Lotto) who has stated he’d like to ride the race if selected. Gilbert previously rode the Olympic Games road race in Athens and finished in 49th place after spending the day in the breakaway.
Joining Boonen this weekend at the test event will be Quick Step teammate Kevin De Weert. The 29 year old finished thirteenth overall in this year’s Tour de France.
“I’m very happy to be a part of this selection,” said De Weert. “It will be important for me to understand how I can be useful to the team and to do well so I’ll be selected for next year. For an athlete the Olympics are a dream, one of the most significant moments in a career.
“After London I’m flying to Spain for the Vuelta. In the first week of the race I’m going to try to find the right rhythm to then try and do well in some stages during the second and third week, also riding in support of the team.”
Other nations like Great Britain and Australia are taking strong candidates to the test event in preparation for next year. Mark Cavendish, Matt Goss and Heinrich Haussler are all expected to start tomorrow, as is Tyler Farrar.