[magnolialover]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/jun06/suisse06/?id=results/suisse061

I'd just like to point out for the record, that there were some folks on here back in the Spring that said it was too early to call off the curse of the rainbow jersey for Boonen yet. Here we are though, mid June, and he's still winning races, almost at will. I'm very impressed by this kid the last couple of years that he's been rolling through the peloton, basically killing everyone out there, without prejudice.

Can the man be stopped? How many races has he won this year? I'd have to think, due to Pettachi getting injured, has probably racked up the most wins this year of any pro riders? Am I right in this? Or does someone else have more wins than Tom Boonen? He just keeps doing it.

Green jersey, here he comes this year. He will not be denied.

 

[Guest]

The tour is 3 weeks, so I'm not so sure about the Green for him just yet. But for sure, he is most powerful competitor in cycling atm and a sprinting powerhouse!

cheers!

 

[Asiago]

awesome

How many races has he won this year?

He's had a great season, and it's not even half over yet!

17 wins and counting. And some pretty big wins in there too, he's not just racking up stage wins in little 2.2 races or anyting...

 

[Argentius]

UNSTOPPABLE.

The biggest thing I thought when watching that final climb -- Boonen near the front, not seeing a bit of McEwen, Zabel, etc, was, "here's the difference between a well-rounded champ and a 'pure sprinter.'"

Sure, McEwen has amazing acceleration for 100m, and Petacchi is the only guy to really have straight up beaten Boonen in sprint this season, but any race that's not a high mountain, this guy can win. Leadout? He'll take it, but can manage without. Attack over a final climb and solo to the win? Sure. Bunch sprint? Roubaix? De Ronde? Whichever.

I can see why Boonenmania is all the rage in Belgium.

If he devotes himself to it, I wonder if he can win L-B-L. I wonder if he'll try. That would prove a lot of things. Let's hope he sees the error of his youth in a few years and doesn't retire at 30!

As a side note, I wonder where he got his super-traditional setup preferences, from tilted up hoods to old-school saddle, and it doesn't seem like he prefers aero wheels, either.

 

[magnolialover]

I think...

UNSTOPPABLE.

The biggest thing I thought when watching that final climb -- Boonen near the front, not seeing a bit of McEwen, Zabel, etc, was, "here's the difference between a well-rounded champ and a 'pure sprinter.'"

Sure, McEwen has amazing acceleration for 100m, and Petacchi is the only guy to really have straight up beaten Boonen in sprint this season, but any race that's not a high mountain, this guy can win. Leadout? He'll take it, but can manage without. Attack over a final climb and solo to the win? Sure. Bunch sprint? Roubaix? De Ronde? Whichever.

I can see why Boonenmania is all the rage in Belgium.

If he devotes himself to it, I wonder if he can win L-B-L. I wonder if he'll try. That would prove a lot of things. Let's hope he sees the error of his youth in a few years and doesn't retire at 30!

As a side note, I wonder where he got his super-traditional setup preferences, from tilted up hoods to old-school saddle, and it doesn't seem like he prefers aero wheels, either.

I think you sort of answered your own question. Boonen, being a Fladarian, probably grew up worshipping those hard core mo-fos out there riding all the time, in the worst crap ever, and copied their set ups as well. As a lot of fans do.

I think if anyone thinks that he's not capable of winning the green jersey this year, barring any injury or bad crash like last year, you're deluding yourself. Who can challenege him? Nobody can right now really. It doesn't even matter that the race is 2 weeks away from now, he's not going to lose it before then, and he'll take it, easy. I'd have a hard time believing that even Pettachi could take him in a sprint right now. Boonen is racing strong, and I think that this season, he is proving himself to be a force, and he's following up last year with more big wins, and lots of wins. He's proving right now, he's not a one trick pony. He's got all the tools.

 

[Einstruzende]

It'll be interesting to see, that's for sure. I'm not sure on this, but is Petacchi riding the tour? I'd love to see the big three duke it out.

 

[JGUTZ]

Pettachi is out due to his knee injury suffered early in the giro. I think the real contenders for the green jearsey will include Hushove, Winer Mcewen and big Boonen. I would like to see either Hushove or Boonen win, but please not the winer.

 

[Guest]

I think if anyone thinks that he's not capable of winning the green jersey this year, barring any injury or bad crash like last year, you're deluding yourself.

That's what I meant when I said "The tour is 3 weeks, so I'm not so sure about the Green for him just yet."

It aint over till it's over. Predicting a win for him is premature, saying he must be the favorite is a different story.

 

[Francis Cebedo]

So let me get this straight... there's an awesome stage today of the Dauphne and the Tour de Suisse?? Both with coverage on cycling.tv???

Man, I could get used to this.

francois

 

[Argentius]

jah, I know! And only 1 "sorry about the picture breakup!"

Today, they earned it. Keep it up.

A wee bit?

 

[Francis Cebedo]

jah, I know! And only 1 "sorry about the picture breakup!"

Today, they earned it. Keep it up.

A wee bit?

Somebody took a wee bit of a tumble today.

Wsup with these pros tumbling all over the place in the Dauphne? Mayo yesterday, Menchov today and Turpin broke his femur? Acevedo too?

francois

 

[OnTheRivet]

So let me get this straight... there's an awesome stage today of the Dauphne and the Tour de Suisse?? Both with coverage on cycling.tv???

Man, I could get used to this.

francois

I woke up at 5:45 (pacific time) got my coffee ready and sat watching the Dauphine on my computer and the England-Paraguay World Cup match on TV simultaneously, sweet.

 

[atpjunkie]

Boonen's run

has nothing to do with Petacchi's absence. They've not been racing the same races really since MSR. They haven't been head to head much so his palmares are pretty independent.
Yes TB is more of a complete rider than any of the pure sprinters which IMHO puts him as a better candidate to take the green. as for L-B-L he trains on the Ardennes alot, his home in Brakel is close but he doesn't think he'll ever have the pop and strength to weight to take that finishing sprint from the likes of Di Luca and such.