Tom Boonen sustained a fractured a rib in his Ronde van Vlaanderen crash, his Omega Pharma-Quick Step team has confirmed. The Belgian champion crashed just 20km into Sunday’s race, ending the defence of his 2012 victory in Vlaanderens Mooiste, and confirmed soon afterwards that he was to miss this weekend’s Paris-Roubaix; a race that he also won last year.
At the time Boonen’s main concern appeared to be contusions and swelling to his knee and hip but, having experienced pain since Tuesday, he was x-rayed at the Herentals Clinic in Belgium where the fracture to the tenth rib on his left side was diagnosed.
Another Omega Pharma-Quick Step rider suffering a broken bone this week was Dries Devenyns, who fractured the radius of his left arm as he came down during the opening stage of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. The 29-year-old’s fracture was diagnosed as complicated by the Herentals Clinic, and he underwent surgery today.
"I would like to thank the hospital and medical staff for their professionalism," Devenyns said. "Unfortunately the fracture was complicated and I have to wear a cast for a few weeks. It's really a shame, I was in good condition and ready for the Ardenne classics. There's nothing I can do now, only recover and try to be ready as soon as possible."
Currently neither rider has a definite schedule for returning to racing, but both have written off their Spring Classics campaign [Boonen on the cobbles and Devenyns in the Ardennes - ed]. Omega Pharma-Quick Step’s super sprinter Mark Cavendish confirmed that he would like Boonen to be in the team for the Tour de France, however, so the Belgian champion may target the race as he looks to get something from the season.