Tom Boonen to test his form at the Vuelta a Espana 2012
Tom Boonen made it clear earlier in the season that he is eyeing the rainbow jersey at the UCI Road World Championships.
The cyclist abandoned the Giro d’Italia and has also decided to ride the Tour of Poland instead of the Tour de France to fine-tune ahead of his second biggest goal of the 2012 season, the Olympic Games.
Tour of Poland is scheduled from July 10-16 and Boonen is all set to test his legs ahead of the biggest sporting event of the year.
Tour de Pologne Director Czeslaw Lang cited, "Since it will be held just a few days before the Olympics, the roads of Poland will become an essential passage for those riders who are strongly focused on the 2012 London games".
The final Tour of Pologne is schedule is as below,
Stage 1: Golebiewski Karpacz – Jelenia Gora. 179.5km
Stage 2: Walbrzych – Opole. 239.4 km
Stage 3: Kedzierzyn-Kozle – Cieszyn. 201.7km
Stage 4: Bedzin – Katowice. 127.8km
Stage 5: Rabka-Zdroj – Zakopane. 163.1km
Stage 6: Bukowina Terma Hotel spa – Bukowina Tatrzanska. 191.8km
Stage 7: Krakow – Krakow. 131.4km
While sharing his thoughts about the 2012 World Championships in Holland, he told Sporza, "We explored the course".
"It might be hard because of the wind and possibly the rain. But I think it is a course for Classics riders, if I am in shape”.
Boonen will immediately transfer his focus from the Olympic Games to the UCI Road World Championships.
He is also looking ahead to participate at the Vuelta a Espana but only to test his legs ahead of the Worlds.
"Tom has put his mind to the world championships in Limburg, also the world championships team time trial, and a preparation using smaller and shorter races is better than using a difficult Vuelta," Peeters briefed to Nieuwsblad.be.
The Belgian is having an outstanding season with as many as 366 UCI points in his back pocket and currently holds the second overall position after the UCI World Tour ranking.
Joaquim Rodriguez is leading the category with 404 UCI points with Bradley Wiggins of Team Sky, Vincenzo Nibali and Peter Sagan of Team Liquigas-Cannondale holding the third, the fourth and the fifth positions respectively.
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