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Issy-les-Moulineaux, the 10th of May 2005
The summer season starts here for Boonen
The current Tour de Picardie title holder will once again be the major favourite in the three-day race over the routes of the Aisne, the Somme and the Oise regions. Tom Boonen, who in 2004 finished the Tour de France with a prestige victory during the final stage on the Champs-Elysées, has already proclaimed his ambition for this summer: to win the green jersey. After acquiring the unofficial title of “all out winner of the Classics' Season” with his victories in the GP E3-Harelbeke, the Tour des Flandres and above all the Paris-Roubaix, this challenge seems within the grasp of Belgium's new hero. The Tour de Picardie, with its stages relatively flat in profile, is for him an ideal intermediary objective, a race in which he will be able to test the power of his sprint finishes. Boonen will profit all the more from this dress rehearsal as he will be confronted with competition from his compatriots Peter Van Petegem and Nico Mattan and the French rider Jean-Patrick Nazon, also winner on the Champs-Elysées, in 2003.
The major favourites of the 18 teams
| Belgium |
| Quick Step (QST) |
Boonen (BEL), Knaven (HOL) |
| Landbouwkrediet – Colnago (LAN) |
Capelle (BEL) |
| Davitamon – Lotto (DVL) |
Van Petegem, Mattan (BEL) |
| MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech (MRB) |
Hunt (GBR) |
| Chocolade Jacques – T Interim (JAC) |
Eeckhout (BEL) |
| Jartazi Revor (JAR) |
Kaupas (LIT) |
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| Bulgaria |
| Miche (MIE) |
Borghesi (ITA) |
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| United-States |
| Navigators Insurance Cycling Team (NIC) |
O'Bee (USA) |
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| France |
| Bouygues Telecom (BTL) |
Ravard (FRA) |
| Credit Agricole (C.A) |
Bodrogi (HON), D.Nazon (FRA) |
| Cofidis crédit par téléphone (COF) |
Casper, Engoulvent (FRA) |
| FDJeux.com (FDJ) |
Eisel (AUT), Mc Gee (AUS) |
| AG2R Prevoyance (A2R) |
Calzati, JP.Nazon (FRA) |
| Agritubel (AGR) |
Brard (FRA), Ruskys (LIT) |
| RAGT-Semences (RAG) |
Seigneur (FRA) |
| Auber 93 (AUB) |
Nilsson (SUE), Valentin (FRA) |
| Bretagne – Jean Floc'h (BJF) |
Petilleau (FRA) |
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| Switzerland |
| Team L.P.R. (LPR) |
Maserati (ITA) |
>> Download the press release (.doc, 1 page, 153 ko)
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