Belgian sprinter on track for return in Circuit Franco-Belge
After already being forced to renounce the world road race championships in Australia, Belgian sprinter Tom Boonen is seeing more of his end of season programme crumbling away. A continuation of his knee pain means that he has been forced to cancel plans to return to racing in Paris-Brussels on September 11th. Instead, he must wait until the end of the month before he can pin a number to his back once again.
Boonen first injured his knee in a crash at the Tour of California in May. He was forced to pull out of the race but recovered sufficiently to start the Tour de Suisse on June 12th. However the troublesome joint got another bang when Mark Cavendish and Heinrich Haussler crashed three days later, bringing down Boonen and several others in the bunch.
He tried to recover in time for the Tour de France but ended up missing both the Belgian championships and the French race. He then underwent a knee operation on July 15th. Since then he has been undergoing physiotherapy sessions and recently resumed daily training sessions.
However team manager Patrick Lefevere has told the Gazet van Antwerpen that the rider has still got problems. “The scar tissue is causing issues,” he said, adding that it is quite a common occurrence. “We had hoped that Tom would be able to start in Paris-Brussels on September 11th, but we have to drop this idea now. The [Circuit] Franco-Belge on 30th September is now the goal.”
Team doctor Yvon Van Mol had already predicted that the stage race would be the event he would return in, and said that he would also ride Paris-Tours. In fact, earlier this month he told Het Nieuwsblad that he would be satisfied if the rider was simply able to compete before the end of the racing year.
“I say that a complete recovery has to be the main focus. From my point of view the level of competition, results and podiums are not important. I am just happy if he races again this season. That way he could start the winter well, with good condition for next year. This seems to be the ideal scenario.”
Boonen will be frustrated to have missed so much of the season but will pay attention to Van Mol’s advice. He might not get much racing in, but being able to return to the peloton next month should be viewed as an achievement in itself.