[VdB]

For me, Boonen joined the pantheon of some of the greatest one-day racers of all time this spring. I have to admit that I was sceptical of Boonen's future career the past 2-3 seasons. I didn't expect him to have a season like this anymore, and would continue to ride top 5's in his favored races but not dominate them anymore. And while it's obviously a very different world with Cancellara there, he proved me wrong in style. Goddammit Tom, how you proved me wrong. And he's still "only" 31, so it doesn't have to be over yet by any means. Who knows what the rest of the season will bring? A Boonen in the best of shape can even win on the Cauberg at the worlds - the finish is almost identical to the Tour stage of 2006 where he ended 4th, even complaining he was suffering a mechanical problem.

I took the liberty of drawing up a general overview of Boonen's palmares so far...

4 X Paris-Roubaix (co record holder with De Vlaeminck)
3 X Tour of Flanders (co record holder with Museeuw, Leman, Magni and Buysse)
5 X E3 Harelbeke (record holder)
3 X Gent-Wevelgem (co record holder with Merckx, Cipollini, Van Looy and Van Eenaeme)
2 X Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (co record holder with 11 other riders - among them Tchmil, Raas, De Vlaeminck, Planckaert)
2 X Scheldeprijs Schoten
1 X Green jersey winner at the Tour
6 X Tour stage wins
2 X Vuelta stage wins
1 X World Championship
1 X Belgian Championship
4 X Tour of Qatar (record holder)
1 X Tour de Picardie
1 X Tour of Belgium

In addition to all that, several top 5 places in Roubaix, Flanders, Paris-Tours and Milan-San Remo, a few wins in smaller one-day races like the GP Van Steenbergen and many stage wins in races like Tour of Germany, Tour of Qatar, Ruta del Sol, Tour de Suisse, Eneco Tour, Paris-Nice, Picardie, Ster Elektrotoer etc etc.

[Burkni]

I hope you put 4 thumbs-up icons only because the board won't allow more.
As I finished my last beer this afternoon, I plan to pour myself a whiskey (30yr old ... The good stuff) this evening, open up my balcony and take a deep bow in the direction of Belgium.
That is all I have to say about this matter.

[Strategy]

VdB, on 08 April 2012 - 06:37 PM, said:

For me, Boonen joined the pantheon of some of the greatest one-day racers of all time this spring.

No question. I think one would have to be crazy or completely ignorant of Cycling to disagree.

[N.B.O.L.]

Burkni, on 08 April 2012 - 07:29 PM, said:

I hope you put 4 thumbs-up icons only because the board won't allow more.
As I finished my last beer this afternoon, I plan to pour myself a whiskey (30yr old ... The good stuff) this evening, open up my balcony and take a deep bow in the direction of Belgium.
That is all I have to say about this matter.

I assumed the 4 thumbs up was 1 for each of his P-R victories.

[N.B.O.L.]

I just watched the replay show which picked up the race on section 18, about 8 sections sooner than the live telecast did. I have to say that watching the move develop, Tomeka's ride was more impressive to me even than it appeared this morning with the live coverage I had available. I join Burkni with my toast in the direction of Belgium.

This post has been edited by N.B.O.L.: 09 April 2012 - 03:13 AM

[smug]

he's come a long way since that day we thought he should help Hincapie through his troubles at Roubaix. people thought he was ungrateful for leaving postal and pursuing his own dreams.

[VdB]

This calls for a flashback!

[crockett]

Impressive. Like VdB, I thought his best days were behind him. Yesterday's result was utter domination, and suggests that if he can keep it all headed in the right direction the next few years, he could add significantly to his trophy case.

[smug]

VdB, on 09 April 2012 - 12:14 PM, said:

This calls for a flashback!

Thanks, VDB! The Lion of Flanders!!!

[N.B.O.L.]

VdB, on 09 April 2012 - 12:14 PM, said:

This calls for a flashback!

The way George Falls reminds me of the Laugh-in character on the tricycle (Arti Johnson???).

[Burkni]

[buddy]

I join you all in applauding Boonen and welcome him to my list of all time greats. He was already on it but moved up a rung or two.

I hope he doesn't feel the need to party his achievements as in the past.

Aren't great champions sublime in the way they can do things mortal men can't.

Thanks,

Buddy

[mapeifan]

So here's my take on the modern era cobblers

Boonen 7 wins- 3 RvV wins, one time 2nd; 4 P-R wins, a 2nd and a 3rd

Museeuw 6 wins- 3 RvV wins, three times 2nd and two times 3rd; 3 P-R wins, a 2nd and two times 3rd (that's 14 times on the podium in these two races!)

DeVlaeminck 5 wins- 1 RvV wins, 4 P-R wins, three times 2nd, one time 3rd

Merckx 4 wins- 2 RvV wins, three times 3rd; 2 P-R wins, one time 2nd

Cancellara 3 wins- 1 RvV wins, one time 2nd; 2 P-R wins, two times second

Van Petegem 3 wins- 2 RvV wins, 2 times third; 1 P-R wins, one time second

Moser 3 wins- 2 RvV 2nd places, 3 P-R wins, two times 2nd, two times 3rd

Tafi 2 wins- 1 RvV win, 1 P-R win, one time 2nd, one time 3rd

Kelly 2 wins- 3 RvV 2nd places; 2 P-R wins, one time 3rd

[mapeifan]

VdB, on 08 April 2012 - 06:37 PM, said:

For me, Boonen joined the pantheon of some of the greatest one-day racers of all time this spring.

He really needs to win Milano-San Remo to move up to the first pew

[crockett]

mapeifan, on 10 April 2012 - 03:18 AM, said:

So here's my take on the modern era cobblers

Boonen 7 wins- 3 RvV wins, one time 2nd; 4 P-R wins, a 2nd and a 3rd

Museeuw 6 wins- 3 RvV wins, three times 2nd and two times 3rd; 3 P-R wins, a 2nd and two times 3rd (that's 14 times on the podium in these two races!)

DeVlaeminck 5 wins- 1 RvV wins, 4 P-R wins, three times 2nd, one time 3rd

Merckx 4 wins- 2 RvV wins, three times 3rd; 2 P-R wins, one time 2nd

Cancellara 3 wins- 1 RvV wins, one time 2nd; 2 P-R wins, two times second

Van Petegem 3 wins- 2 RvV wins, 2 times third; 1 P-R wins, one time second

Moser 3 wins- 2 RvV 2nd places, 3 P-R wins, two times 2nd, two times 3rd

Tafi 2 wins- 1 RvV win, 1 P-R win, one time 2nd, one time 3rd

Kelly 2 wins- 3 RvV 2nd places; 2 P-R wins, one time 3rd

And in 1834th place, Frank Schleck!

[crockett]

I read today that Boonen would be giving Amstel Gold a shot this year. Obviously his form is great, and I applaud the effort to give this race a shot.

Oscar Freire and Greg Van Avermaet are two fast men who could (or have) done well at AG before, although they seemed better suited to the hillier races than Boonen. But Nick Nuyens finished top 10 a few years back too, so I'd say that Boonen could deliver a similar result if the race goes his way.

Has he announced what his intentions/expectations are for this race?

[The Rake]

mapeifan, on 10 April 2012 - 03:20 AM, said:

He really needs to win Milano-San Remo to move up to the first pew

Roger de Vlaeminck said that in addition to other disparaging comments about Boonen's record equalling P-R win (oh, and Giro di Lombardia which RdV reckons is in spring)

[Burkni]

crockett, on 10 April 2012 - 06:46 PM, said:

I read today that Boonen would be giving Amstel Gold a shot this year. Obviously his form is great, and I applaud the effort to give this race a shot.

Oscar Freire and Greg Van Avermaet are two fast men who could (or have) done well at AG before, although they seemed better suited to the hillier races than Boonen. But Nick Nuyens finished top 10 a few years back too, so I'd say that Boonen could deliver a similar result if the race goes his way.

Has he announced what his intentions/expectations are for this race?

IMO, Rabobank and Freire have wasted many years on trying to get him to post a result in AGR. He simply does not have it on that kind of finish, period.

The Rake, on 10 April 2012 - 08:15 PM, said:

Roger de Vlaeminck said that in addition to other disparaging comments about Boonen's record equalling P-R win (oh, and Giro di Lombardia which RdV reckons is in spring)

I agree with Cyclingnews' suggestion that RdV is just spouting sour grapes.

[VdB]

crockett, on 10 April 2012 - 06:46 PM, said:

I read today that Boonen would be giving Amstel Gold a shot this year. Obviously his form is great, and I applaud the effort to give this race a shot.

Oscar Freire and Greg Van Avermaet are two fast men who could (or have) done well at AG before, although they seemed better suited to the hillier races than Boonen. But Nick Nuyens finished top 10 a few years back too, so I'd say that Boonen could deliver a similar result if the race goes his way.

Has he announced what his intentions/expectations are for this race?

It's speculated in the local media that he's riding the race to familiarize himself with the course again (for the Worlds in Valkenburg), and to support Chavanel there. Doesn't seem like he has any ambition of winning the race himself. It's not entirely sure if he actually will line up Sunday either, some are saying the decompression after last week may be so great that he will just call it a spring season.

As I said before, Boonen got a great result on a Cauberg finish before at the Tour 2006, so I think he is capable of doing a good result there if he's piloted correctly. Who knows what'll happen at the worlds...

De Vlaeminck's comments are a little sour grapes, but he does have a point when he says that Boonen's competition was of a different calibre than the guys he was riding against in his day. There's Cancellara and Van Petegem, but other than them Boonen hasn't had many truly great riders to deal with in his career as a classics rider. De Vlaeminck was riding against Merckx, Godefroot, Moser, Hinault, Thurau, Maertens, Planckaert, Van Springel, Poulidor, Leman, Raas, Kuiper...

[buddy]

Yes but IMO the general level of all the current riders is way better than in the past. There are still some great riders on the road today and probably more so now that riders are required to specialize more than in De Vlaeminck's day. To me it looks like Roger's ego has been hurt now that he can't lay claim to being the sole Mr. Paris-Roubaix.

DeVlaeminck also forgets that Boonen has also won the world road championship. Something he didn't achieve in his career.

Thanks,

Buddy