Tom Boonen facts for kids
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Boonen at the 2015 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tom Boonen | ||
| Born | 15 October 1980 Mol, Belgium |
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| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 3+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Weight | 82 kg (181 lb; 12 st 13 lb) | ||
| Team information | |||
| Current team | Retired | ||
| Discipline | Road | ||
| Role | Rider | ||
| Rider type | Classics specialist Sprinter |
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| Major wins | |||
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Tom Boonen is a famous former Belgian road bicycle racer. He was a professional cyclist from 2002 to 2017. Tom Boonen was known for being a "classics specialist" and a strong sprinter. This means he was excellent at winning tough one-day races.
He won the World Road Race Championship in 2005. He also won the famous Paris–Roubaix race four times and the Tour of Flanders three times. These are some of the hardest races in cycling! He also won six stages in the Tour de France. After retiring from cycling, he became a professional racing driver.
Contents
Tom Boonen's Cycling Journey
Starting Out: Early Years in Cycling
Tom Boonen began his professional cycling career in 2002 with the US Postal team. In his first year, he finished third in the tough Paris–Roubaix race. This was a great start for a young rider. His performance made famous Belgian cyclist Johan Museeuw call Boonen his successor.
Boonen felt he needed more chances to race for himself. So, he left US Postal and joined the Quick-Step team in 2003. The 2003 season was a bit difficult for him due to tiredness and a knee injury.
Rising Star: Success in 2004
In 2004, Tom Boonen started to win big races. He won the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen, Gent–Wevelgem, and the Scheldeprijs. He also won two stages in the Tour de France, including the final stage in Paris. This showed everyone he was a top sprinter.
A Golden Year: Winning Big in 2005
The year 2005 was amazing for Tom Boonen. He won the Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, and the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen. He was the first rider to win the Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, and the World Cycling Championship all in the same year.
In the Tour of Flanders, he surprised everyone by attacking near the finish and staying ahead. In Paris–Roubaix, he used his powerful sprint to win.
During the Tour de France, Boonen won two stages. He also led the points classification, wearing the green jersey. Later that year, he became the world champion in Madrid. He was the first Belgian to wear the rainbow jersey since 1996.
At the end of 2005, Boonen received many awards. These included the Vélo d'Or (Golden Bicycle) and Belgian Sportsman of the year.
Continuing Success: 2006 and 2007 Seasons
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In 2006, Boonen won the Tour of Flanders again. He finished second in Paris–Roubaix. He also won three stages in the Eneco Tour. He wore the yellow jersey in the Tour de France for a few days, but did not win a stage that year.
In 2007, Boonen won five stages in the Tour of Qatar. He also won Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne and E3 Prijs Vlaanderen. He won two stages in the Tour de France and took home the green jersey for the points classification. This was a big achievement for a Belgian rider.
Challenges and Triumphs: 2008 and 2009 Seasons
Boonen started 2008 by winning four stages and the overall title in the Tour of Qatar. He then won Paris–Roubaix for the second time.
In 2008 and 2009, Boonen faced some personal challenges. These issues led to him being suspended from some major races, including the Tour de France. He apologized to his team manager, who continued to support him.
Despite these difficulties, Boonen bounced back. In 2009, he won the Tour of Qatar again. He also won Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne for the second time. The following week, he won Paris–Roubaix for the third time in his career. He even won the Belgian national championship that year.
Injuries and Comebacks: 2010 and 2011 Seasons
The 2010 season saw Boonen win two stages in the Tour of Qatar. He finished second in Milan–San Remo and second in the Tour of Flanders. However, he missed most of the rest of the season due to a knee injury. This injury was caused by crashes in other races.
In 2011, Boonen won the first stage of the Tour of Qatar. He also won Gent–Wevelgem. Unfortunately, he crashed in Paris–Roubaix and the Tour de France, which forced him to stop racing in those events. Another crash in the Vuelta a España made him miss the world championship.
Record-Breaking Year: 2012 Season
The year 2012 was another incredible one for Tom Boonen. He started by winning the Tour of Qatar. He then won E3 Harelbeke and Gent–Wevelgem just two days later.
He was a favorite for the Tour of Flanders, which he won for the third time. This win tied him with other cycling legends. His fourth win in Paris–Roubaix also tied the record held by Roger De Vlaeminck.
Boonen became the first rider to win E3 Harelbeke, Gent–Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders, and Paris–Roubaix all in the same year. This is a truly amazing achievement! He also won the Belgian national championship again.
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He decided to skip the Tour de France to prepare for the Olympic road race. He won the first edition of the World Ports Classic and also Paris–Brussels.
Later Career: 2013-2017
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In 2013, Boonen faced more injuries. He had a serious elbow infection and later a fractured rib. These injuries kept him out of many races, including Paris–Roubaix. He still managed to win a stage in the Tour de Wallonie.
The 2014 season started well. He finished second overall in the Tour of Qatar. He also won Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne for the third time. He placed well in Paris–Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.
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In 2015, Boonen suffered a dislocated shoulder after a crash. This injury forced him to miss the spring classics. He returned to racing later in the year and won a stage in the Tour of Belgium. His season ended early due to another crash, which caused a temporal fracture.
In 2016, Boonen finished second at Paris–Roubaix. He announced that he would retire after the 2017 Paris–Roubaix. He won the London-Surrey Classic and the Brussels Cycling Classic. He also won a bronze medal at the World Championship road race in Qatar.
In his final season in 2017, Boonen won a stage in the Vuelta a San Juan. This was the first professional victory for a cyclist using disc brakes. He helped his teammates in races like Milan-San Remo and Tour of Flanders. His last race was Paris–Roubaix, where he finished 13th.
Life After Cycling: Motorsport Career
After retiring from cycling, Tom Boonen started a new career in motorsport. In June 2017, he earned his motor racing license. He made his car racing debut in the Fun Cup at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
In 2018, he competed in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. He finished in the top 10 twice that year. For the 2019 season, he raced in the Belcar championship. He also won the Group CN division of the 2019 GT & Prototype Challenge in 2019 and 2021.
Personal Life
Tom Boonen used to live in Balen, Belgium, but moved to Monaco in 2005. He later moved back to Belgium in 2012. In 2015, he and his longtime girlfriend Lore welcomed twin girls, Valentine and Jacqueline.
Career Highlights and Achievements
Major Cycling Wins
Tom Boonen has achieved many impressive wins throughout his cycling career. Here are some of his most important victories:
- World Road Race Championships: 2005
- Tour of Flanders: 2005, 2006, 2012
- Paris–Roubaix: 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012
- E3 Harelbeke: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012
- Gent–Wevelgem: 2004, 2011, 2012
- Tour de France stages: 6 stages (2004, 2005, 2007)
- Tour of Qatar: Overall winner 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012
- Belgian National Road Race Championships: 2009, 2012
Records Set by Tom Boonen
Tom Boonen holds several impressive records in cycling:
- He won 15 "cobbled classics" races between 2005 and 2012.
- He is the only rider to win all four major cobbled classics in one season (2012).
- He shares the record for most Paris–Roubaix wins (4) with Roger De Vlaeminck.
- He shares the record for most Tour of Flanders wins (3).
- He shares the record for most Gent–Wevelgem wins (3).
- He holds the record for most E3 Harelbeke wins (5).
- He holds the record for most Tour of Qatar wins (4).
- He holds the record for most Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne wins (3).
Awards and Recognition
Tom Boonen has received many awards for his achievements:
- Crystal Bicycle – Best Professional Cyclist: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012
- Vélo d'Or Mondial (Golden Bicycle): 2005
- Belgian Sportsman of the year: 2005, 2007, 2012
- Flandrien of the Year: 2004, 2005, 2012
Images for kids
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Boonen at the 2015 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
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Boonen wearing the Green Jersey at the 2005 Tour de France
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Boonen signing in at Tarbes during the 2006 Tour de France
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Boonen at the 2008 Paris–Roubaix
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Boonen celebrating victory in the 2009 Paris–Roubaix; his third victory at the race.
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Boonen in the 2010 Tour of Flanders
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Boonen won 2012 Paris–Roubaix for the fourth time, tying the record held by Roger De Vlaeminck.
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Trophy won by Tom Boonen at 2012 E3 Harelbeke (collection KOERS. Museum of Cycle Racing)
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Boonen wearing the National Champion's jersey at the 2013 E3 Harelbeke
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Boonen at the 2014 Paris-Roubaix
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Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2015 : Niki Terpstra (2), Ian Stannard (1) & Tom Boonen (3).
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See also
In Spanish: Tom Boonen para niños
