Tom Boonen kicks-off his Olympic preparations at the Tour de Suisse 2012
Tom Boonen of Team Quick Step-Davitamon is having a terrific season with numerous victories in his bag during the first half of the 2012 season.
The cyclist currently holds the second overall spot at the 2012 UCI World Tour Elite Men ranking with a total amount of 366 UCI points in his back pocket.
Joaquim Rodriguez of Team Katusha is leading the category with 404 points while Bradley Wiggins, Vincenzo Nibali and Samuel Sanchez holds the third, the fourth and the fifth position with 335, 272 and 252 UCI points.
Boonen has opted to skip the Tour de France and will focus towards riding the 2012 Olympic Games in London this year.
While commenting on his goals for the 2012 season, he told Het Nieuwsblad, “It wasn't easy to skip the Tour, but the decision has now been made”.
“The time is past when I could go to the Tour and ride unnoticed. It is better that I not start in a team with GC ambitions”.
He noted that it is very difficult to ride both, the Olympics and the Tour in a same year as the two events are scheduled very close with a very little gap in between them.
The Belgian briefed that doing the Olympics after the tiring three-weeks of racing in France is impossible for him and he has always finished exhausted after doing the French Grand Tour.
Tom cited, “I'm not saying it is impossible for others but for me in all respects. I always come back bad from the Tour. That means that he could “do little at the Olympics".
While commenting on the Tour de Suisse, Tom called it as, “A perfect race this year. There are a number of stages that must suit me”.
“First a time trial, then the first major climb stage to determine the GC," he concluded.
Tour de Suisse is scheduled from June 9-17 and winner of the race will receive a 100 UCI points while the second and the third position holders will receive a 80 and 70 points respectively.
Wiggins will start the Swiss race as a favourite and only time will tell if the cyclist continuous his winning momentum at the coming event.
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