A superb show of strength helped Tom Boonen complete a hat-trick of wins at the Paris-Roubaix cycling classic on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Belgian, who won in 2005 and last year, became the eighth rider to achieve the feat in the 107 editions of the Queen of the Classics after eclipsing his rivals in the 259-km race featuring 52.9 km of punishing cobbled sectors.
In the finale, his challengers crashed, suffered punctures or lost ground as they tried to keep up with the former world champion.
Before Boonen, other Belgian cycling greats such as Eddy Merckx, Rik van Looy, Roger de Vlaeminck and Johan Museeuw had also bagged three victories on Paris-Roubaix.
Italy’s Filippo Pozzato was second 47 seconds behind with Norway’s Thor Hushovd coming home third 30 seconds further back.
“With all the crashes today, it was very hard, it took time for the last break to take shape,†Quick Step rider Boonen told reporters… Details
“In these tough economic times, there’s more reason than ever to help those in need and give back to the causes that touch your heart. For me this is the Los Angeles Mission. For over 10 years my team and I have donated thousands of shoes to the homeless on Skid Row and this year will be no different. Not only because the need will be greater, but because it is this small contribution that can make a difference in someone’s life.â€
– etnies owner and skateboarder for life, Pierre André Senizergues  etnies web site
Not the usual historic FIA GT suspects, but an exciting, eclectic grid of early 1960s racers will battle it out on track at the Silverstone Classic in July.
The historic race event organisers have announced the pre-’63 GT race, brainchild of racer Ben Cussons, as symbolic of the Silverstone Classic’s effort to showcase original race cars on a level-playing field rather than in a more traditional FIA context of combined pre-’66 classes.
Participation is limited by invitation only to GT cars built and homologated before January 1 1963, from AC Cobras to Short Wheel Base Ferraris and Aston Martin Zagatos, all models which were built to be driven on the road and raced on the track.
Observance to period homologation rules will be strict, as the grid welcomes…Â Details
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Legendary British yachtsman Tony Bullimore’s long list of offshore adventures and accomplishments is unparalleled. In a career that’s spanned four decades and over 400,000 competitive nautical miles, Bullimore has recorded victories in the Round Britain Race, the Round Europe Race, a pair of Transatlantic contests, and the Rolex Fastnet and Middle Sea Races.
Bullimore earned worldwide notice and acclaim after surviving five long days following a capsize in the Southern Ocean in the 1996 Vendee Globe solo race around the planet, and later tackled those same stormy seas while registering a second in the Oryx Quest round-the-world race.
Now, Tony Bullimore is setting sail aboard his well-tested, 102-foot catamaran in yet another world-class yachting event: the 2009 edition of Antigua Sailing Week.
‘The boat has been renamed Spirit of Antigua…Â Details