Road Bike Racing - Surprising Boonen

To me, Tom Boonen is surprising. He won two spring classics in one week.
First, Gent-Wevelgem and now Schelde...
Surprisingly well performance of Museeuws "heir".

To me, Tom Boonen is surprising. He won two spring classics in one week.
First, Gent-Wevelgem and now Schelde...
Surprisingly well performance of Museeuws "heir".

Some of my co-workers are also suspect of his 'performance'...

Yes, I agree, his "preformance" this season has seemed to have "enhanced" his career.

I'm not surprised in the least by Boonen.

A quick look at his palmares (http://www.trap-friis.dk/cykling/belgien.Boonen.htm) shows a young fella with huge potential. He's an outstanding rider. Now, it's just a case of learning the routes. Learning the tactics. And what better classics profs, than Museeuw, Bettini, Knaven?

Here's a selection of his palmares:

2004 Victories
Gent-Wevelgem (1.HC)
E3 Prijs Vlaanderen (1.1)
Points Competition in Tour of Qatar (2.3)
Young Riders' Competition in Tour of Qatar (2.3)
Stage 1, Ruta del Sol (2.3)
Stage 2, Tour of Qatar (2.3)

3rd Overall, Tour of Qatar
3rd Stage 3, Paris-Nice
3rd Stage 5, Ruta del Sol
9th Paris-Roubaix

2003 Victories
The Climbs Competition in Tour of Belgium (2.3)
Stage 3, Tour of Belgium (2.3)

2nd Stage 11, Vuelta a Espana (GT)
3rd Gent-Wevelgem (1.HC)
3rd Stage 3, Vuelta a España (GT)
4th Het Volk (1.1) - 200 km
8th Tour de la Region Wallonne (2.3)
11th Ronde van Nederland (2.1)

2002 Victories (with US Postal Service)
Young Riders' Competition in Circuit Franco-Belge (2.3)
Stage 2, International Uniqa Classic (2.3)

2nd Circuit Franco-Belge (2.3)
2nd Stage 2 in Tour de Picarde (2.2)
3rd Paris - Roubaix (WC)
3rd Stage 2 in Ronde van Nederland (2.1)
3rd Stage 1 in Circuit Franco-Belge (2.3)
7th Gent - Wevelgem (1.HC)
7th Trois Jours de la Panne (2.2)
14th Ronde van Nederland (2.1)

Some of my co-workers are also suspect of his 'performance'...
Eh? Some of my co-workers are 'dullards'. What is it you're 'saying', here? Boonen's second season was a natural progression from his first. Now, in his third season, he's 'Kicking'. 'Your'. 'Ass'.

If you've got a real coherent thought about stuff going on within QSD, spit it out, Resident. Otherwise, you just sound like a jealous little girl.

Boonen hasn't even grown into his strength yet, and he's winning against the top riders. If he progresses as one would expect, we may be watching a great one. Of course, VDB was also showing this kind of class at this age(23), so anything could happen. Unforseen occurrence befalls us all.

Actually, Tom Boonen is a freaking stud!

If he hadnt left USPS, he'd still be helping Georgie.

Good for him, he is a delight to watch.

Gotta give Boonen credit, but it'll take more than a few good seasons to be compared to Museuuw, much less be called his heir, IMO.

Eh? Some of my co-workers are 'dullards'. What is it you're 'saying', here? Boonen's second season was a natural progression from his first. Now, in his third season, he's 'Kicking'. 'Your'. 'Ass'.

If you've got a real coherent thought about stuff going on within QSD, spit it out, Resident. Otherwise, you just sound like a jealous little girl.

My co-workers are suspect of performance enhancing drugs. And I think many folks are naive if they think all pros are fully clean. That's what I'm saying...

My co-workers are suspect of performance enhancing drugs. And I think many folks are naive if they think all pros are fully clean. That's what I'm saying...
There's no naivete here. But a comment like yours, flippant as it was, ends up painting a pretty broad (and dangerous) brushstroke over the entire peloton. Surely it's not impossible now to perform well, and even win a few races without drugs or doping?

Aw, crap. I've hijacked a Boonen appreciation thread. I'm my own worst enemy.
GO TOM BOONEN! ;)

Give some proof that Boonen ever tested positive for any substance or has ever been excluded based on a irregular hematicrit level. Otherwise, you sound like a tool.

UCI cyclists are some of the most tested atheletes in the world. You want to throw around accusations, do it where there is CREDIBLE proof. Cycling is damaged enough from drugs without ******* throwing around accusations that a talented young pro is good so that he must be taking drugs.
*******, look around the UCI top 100 and you will see the cream does rise to the top. There are several brilliant young riders that are kicking butt.

When did Lance win his World Championship? Was he taking drugs? Cipo has been winning for many, many years. Certainly he must have taken drugs right? Boy anyone who is "too good" in your eyes MUST be taking drugs right? You guys are complete tools.

Well if Manzano was anywhere close to accurate about beating the tests it wouldn't matter how often the athletes were tested, they know how to beat them. Doping happens, not all pro's do it but I'm sure even a few top ranked ones have asses' that look like pin cushions. So deal with it, don't go calling people "complete tools" just because you can't open your eyes to it.

I think what RacerX was saying was there is nothing to lead to thinking this person is doping, besides the fact that he won two races in a week.

Doping happens, not all pro's do it but I'm sure even a few top ranked ones have asses' that look like pin cushions. So deal with it...

I don't disagree with that.

This is exactly what Christophe Bassons was saying when Lance Armstrong became seriously agitated with him and led the charge to drive the guy out of the professional peloton. This was also Greg Lemond's stance until Tapie begged him to show more "tact".

If we are going to waste time making loose accusations at riders, let's choose riders who's career palmares make sudden changes. You know, a guy who only finished one of his first four TdFs suddenly winning five in a row. ;)

I say let them all be clean until they are proven otherwise.

I´m "back and forth" here.
I still want to believe that every rider in the peloton is clean, except of some sporadic black sheeps.
But when I here and see the doping fuss, e.g. Mapei in 1998, Pantani (Mercatone-Uno), Garzelli (Mapei 2002), Manzano (Kelme), Cooke (fdjeux), Gaumont / Millar (Cofidis) etc. etc. etc. I get in doubt, really in doubt if all the cycling really is what it seems to be and what the UCI wants it to be.

The relative parity in the peloton this year says more to me than any testing might say. Look at the World Cup standings. The top ten are all still in contention for the jersey. Favorites aren't winning the big races with consistency. No one rider is standing out, riding a bigger gear than anyone else.

Boonen is winning big races, but not the biggest races, which shows that when the competition really heats up, he still has difficulty. This is consistent with what you would expect of a 3rd year pro who shows very high promise. I really wouldn't expect him to start winning WC races with consistency until he's 26/27.

This is consistent with what you would expect of a 3rd year pro who shows very high promise.

Well said.