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Tom Boonen wins Paris-Roubaix for 4th time

8th April, 2012
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Belgian cyclist Tom Boonen won the Paris-Roubaix race for a record-equalling fourth time, successfully breaking away from the pack about 55km from the end of Sunday’s one-day classic.

The 2005 world champion crossed the finish line alone, before five chasing riders had even reached the velodrome in the northern French town of Roubaix.

Boonen shook four fingers over his head as he crossed the line in front of a cheering crowd, in celebration of his matching the record four victories in cycling’s toughest one-day race set by his countryman Roger de Vlaeminck in the 1970s.

“When I was all alone in front, I just went for it,” Boonen said. “It’s my greatest (Paris-Roubaix) win. Claiming the fourth in such a way is just great.”

His victory was emphatic. He crossed the finish line 1 minute, 39 seconds ahead of Frenchman Sebastien Turgot and Italian Alessandro Ballan, who were second and third in a photo finish.

Boonen also won the race, known as the Queen of the Classics, in 2005, ’08 and ’09, while de Vlaeminck’s wins came in 1972, ’74, ’75 and ’77.

There was a big crash about halfway through the race, with Frederic Guesdon, riding in his record-equalling 17th Paris-Roubaix and the last Frenchman to win in 1997, caught up in it. He did get back in the saddle but lost his momentum.

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