When it comes to modern bike racing, it is hard to find a bigger name than Tom Boonen. After all he shares the record for wins in both the Tour of Flanders (three) and Paris-Roubaix (four), which, at least by the books, makes him the greatest cobblestone classics rider of all time. But Boonen was always about much more than his long list of victories, as he was a model of sportsmanship not to mention a global ambassador for the sport well before such titles became ubiquitous in social media. Needless to say, his presence at this year’s Rouleur Live promises to make the ever-popular event a stunning success.
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Looking back over his long and storied career, it is hard to identify any single defining moment. There was, of course, that eye-opening third-place performance in his first Paris-Roubaix back in 2002. On that day, Boonen started the race in support of his US Postal Service teammate George Hincapie. But by the finish it was clear that a new star had been born. Belgian fans had found a successor to classics king Johan Museeuw, while those around the world looked forward to following the exploits of one of the sport’s most complete and charismatic champions for the next generation.
And Boonen more than confirmed all expectations in 2005 when he won not only the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, but also the World Championships.
But while Boonen was an immense winner, he was also one of the sport’s most gracious losers. When Peter Sagan won his first world championship title in 2016, Boonen was one of the first to greet his rival after line. And he did so with open arms. “I’m always happy to see someone else happy,” he said of that moment. “During the race, you do everything possible to get your best result. But once the race is over, it’s over. I think if you can find joy in other’s happiness you are going to be happy for the rest of your life.”
And while Boonen was born and bred on the Flemish race scene, his language and communication skills helped spread the magic of those races globally.
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Meanwhile, Boonen has always been passionate about the mechanical side of the sport. Back in 2017, he won his final race at the Tour of San Juan in Argentina, a modest early-season event. But while the victory proved to be his last as a professional, it was one of the first on a bike equipped with disc brakes. And at the press conference…