AMSTERDAM, 20 August 2006 — World champion Tom Boonen of Belgium won his second Benelux Tour stage yesterday, to extend his overall race lead and maintain his domination of the event.
Boonen powered past Max Van Heeswijk of the Netherlands and Australia’s Baden Cooke to win the 185 km third stage from Beek in the Netherlands to Westmalle in Belgium.
The Quick Step rider had won stage one of the eight-day race in similar style.
Thanks to a time bonus for winning the stage, Boonen leads the overall standings by 11 seconds from Italy’s Manuel Quinziato. Germany’s Stefan Schumacher is third at 13 seconds.
“I was trying to help my teammate Steven De Jongh win the sprint but the plan didn’t work,” said Boonen, who has 19 victories this year.
“I followed the Discovery Channel team as they led out the sprint for Van Heeswijk with De Jongh behind me. Unfortunately he touched wheels with Quinziato and couldn’t stay with me and so that’s why I decided to sprint myself.
“Van Heeswijk is a dangerous rival and always has a fast finish in his legs but I managed to get past him pretty well. I was surprised to win but it’s always a good feeling, Boonen added.”
He did say he was slightly disappointed to hold on to the race leader’s red jersey because it meant he could not wear his special rainbow world champion one.
Boonen’s year as world champion ends on Sept. 24.
“I’ve got the race leader’s jersey for another day but I’m sure I’ll lose it on Sunday in the time trial,” he said.
“My chances of keeping it are pretty slim but that’s not a big problem.
My objective is to use this race as preparation for the world championships so that I can wear the rainbow jersey for another year.”
As race leader, Boonen will start last in Sunday’s 16.1 km individual time trial stage around Landgraaf in the southern Netherlands.
Last year’s Benelux Tour winner, Bobby Julich of the United States, will not take part in the time trial after abandoning the race before the start of stage three yesterday.
