Belgian classics king expected to be back on his bike soon after sitting out the Tour de France
Three weeks after an operation to treat persistent tendonitis in his left knee, former Belgian champion Tom Boonen is expected to be able to get back on his bike, Quick Step team doctor Yvan Van Mol told Het Nieuwsblad. The 29-year-old first injured his knee in a crash during the Tour of California in May, which was aggravated by poor weather and a further crash in the Tour de Suisse in June.
“On Friday at the earliest he may make a careful attempt [to ride],” said Van Mol. “We’ll look at it day by day.”
After several attempts to recover from the injury, Boonen was forced to abandon both the defence of his Belgian champion’s jersey and his place in Quick Step’s team for the Tour de France. It was eventually decided for him to undergo surgery on the problem, which was performed on July 15th.
Boonen’s absence from the Tour was seen as a disaster for Quick Step at the time, especially with the race passing through the team’s home country of Belgium. Boonen himself was specifically targeting the stage 1 finish in Brussels, as well as stage 3, which crossed the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix.
The team’s Tour was successful in other ways though, with Sylvain Chavanel winning two stages, including stage 2 between Brussels and Spa, earning himself the yellow jersey both times. Jérôme Pineau also wore the polka-dot mountains jersey early in the race, and Chavanel was awarded the Prix de la Combativité as the most aggressive rider in the three-week race.
Boonen had planned to ride the Vuelta a España, followed by an attempt to win a second World Championship in Melbourne, Australia. With the Spanish tour starting in a little over three weeks time, it remains to be seen whether the 2005 World champion will have enough time to prepare himself.