 Boonen retired injured from this year's Tour de France |
Belgium's Tom Boonen claimed cycling's rainbow jersey with victory in the men's world road race championship in Madrid on Sunday. Boonen upset pre-race favourites Alessandro Petacchi of Italy and Australian Robbie McEwen to finish the 273km course in just over six hours.
In second was Spain's Alejandro Valverde while Anthony Geslin claimed a surprise bronze medal for France.
Roger Hammond was the best British finisher, 25 seconds adrift.
Tom Southam, Charly Wegelius and Steve Cummings all dropped out long before the finish, while triple Olympic track medallist Bradley Wiggins was over six minutes off the pace and Robin Sharman quit late in the afternoon.
Results from the men's world road race championships:
1. Tom Boonen (Belgium/Quick-Step) 6:26:10"
2. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Illes Balears) ST
3. Anthony Geslin (France/Bouygues Telecom)
4. Marcus Ljungqvist (Sweden/Liquigas)
5. Murilo Fischer (Brazil/Naturino)
6. Jakob Piil (Denmark/Team CSC)
7. Alexandr Kolobnev (Russia/Rabobank)
8. Andreas Klier (Germany/T-Mobile)
9. Julian Dean (New Zealand/Credit Agricole)
10. Martin Elmiger (Switzerland/Phonak)
MMIX
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