Sunday, September 25, 2005
Arc en Ciel for Boonen!
A day of might-have-been's for Spain. It might have been an historic occasion if favorite son (at least when the World's roll around) Oscar Friere had his back aligned enough to defend his jersey. Or it might have been a day for celebrations if Alejandro Valverde had just a slight bit more in his final sprint.
Instead, the day belonged to the young Belgian superstar, who caps off an impressive 2005, adding the rainbow jersey to his wins in Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Unlike Alessandro Pettachi and Robbie McEwens, the other heavy favorities in the race, Boonen was able to make the decisive final group by following Alexandre Vinokourov's decisive late-race move.
Actually, the move itself wasn't so much decisive in forming the final break as it was in shredding the last reamins of an already decimated peloton. Determined to deny the sprinters their due, the break-away specialists did not disappoint, sending attack after attack up the raod. The game plans for both the Spanish (attack, attack, then attack again) and the Italians (have Paolo Bettini cover the breaks, save Pettachi for the sprint) both seemed to be unfolding as anticipated. Unfortunately for both, Tom Boonen was also able to follow the moves, and did not make a mess of it in the final. Bettini was blown and settled for 13th place, while the race was 150 meters too long for Valverde. Boonen came around him at that point and won by a bike length.
Great ride for Boonen who demonstrated again his ability to read races and also finish them off. No hesitation in going with the key moves toward the end of the race, and no monkeying around at the finish. A deserving win and a deserving World Champion.
Instead, the day belonged to the young Belgian superstar, who caps off an impressive 2005, adding the rainbow jersey to his wins in Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Unlike Alessandro Pettachi and Robbie McEwens, the other heavy favorities in the race, Boonen was able to make the decisive final group by following Alexandre Vinokourov's decisive late-race move.
Actually, the move itself wasn't so much decisive in forming the final break as it was in shredding the last reamins of an already decimated peloton. Determined to deny the sprinters their due, the break-away specialists did not disappoint, sending attack after attack up the raod. The game plans for both the Spanish (attack, attack, then attack again) and the Italians (have Paolo Bettini cover the breaks, save Pettachi for the sprint) both seemed to be unfolding as anticipated. Unfortunately for both, Tom Boonen was also able to follow the moves, and did not make a mess of it in the final. Bettini was blown and settled for 13th place, while the race was 150 meters too long for Valverde. Boonen came around him at that point and won by a bike length.
Great ride for Boonen who demonstrated again his ability to read races and also finish them off. No hesitation in going with the key moves toward the end of the race, and no monkeying around at the finish. A deserving win and a deserving World Champion.
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Well I was surprised and not surprised. Boonen is the most powerful man in cycling today. He has a brilliant, enviable career ahead. As he is now moving to Monaco, he will no doubt become a pan-European celebrity, a la Cipollini or Pantani. I only wish I had listened to the tiniest of voices in my head and wrote that I predicted Tommy to win.
A great race. Very exciting finish. The French and Dutch teams turned themselves inside out to bring the group back. Could this be the beginning of a renaissance for the Azur? And who was the Brazilian?
A great race. Very exciting finish. The French and Dutch teams turned themselves inside out to bring the group back. Could this be the beginning of a renaissance for the Azur? And who was the Brazilian?
I missed the lone rider from the UAE and Egypt who were mainstays at the World's in the late 1990's. The race officials were given a hearty round of boos when they forced the Egyptian to withdraw (he was about to be lapped by a small leading group) in 1999 in Verona.
Those boys seems to be gone, but the Arab absence was apparently taken up by a decent contingent of Iranians. I think one or two even finished the race.
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Those boys seems to be gone, but the Arab absence was apparently taken up by a decent contingent of Iranians. I think one or two even finished the race.
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