End of the season for Tom Boonen

Tom Boonen will not participate in the upcoming World Championships in Copenhagen and will have to conclude his 2011 season in advance. This afternoon the champion from Quick-Step Cycling Team underwent his last check up at the Herentals clinic. In addition to the fracture already identified during last week’s tests, they found a further fissure to his left hand’s scaphoid which was impossible to detect up until now.

Tom Boonen will have to wear a cast for the next two weeks, after which his injury will be further evaluated. If the injury heals according to normal protocol, Boonen will however have to wear a cast for yet another two weeks.

“I’m really upset,” said Boonen. “I really wanted to participate in this World title. The route was perfect for me and the preparation program I was working on would have taken me to the championship event in top form. Unfortunately, rather than diminishing, the pain in my hand is increasing day by day and I simply cannot race in this condition. I relinquish my place on the squad to an athlete who can be of use to our national team. I wish the Belgian team a championship rich in success in Copenhagen. As for me, I need to recover the function in my left hand 100% and then lay out a program for the 2012 season with my team, hoping to have a luckier season than the one I’m having now.”