I sadly didn't get to see it myself as I had hoped. Time and other stuff didn't allow for it which is a shame because I'd have liked to have seen the video shots of Gent, a beautiful city that I've spent a good bit of time in over the years and of which i have many fond memories.
2012 Olympic Champion, Mark Cavendish missed the break and could only finish in the large second pack in which he didn't feel there was any pride to be gained by sprinting for 37th place.
"I've found back my sprint," cheered Boonen after the race. "I'm not the fastest man in the peloton -- that's probably Mark Cavendish -- but if everybody is tired then I'm one of the best." And Boonen makes a good point. It's only worth being the fastest man on the planet if you're at the stage of the race were being the fastest is most important. Granted, Cavendish often is, especially on those flat stages or in last years World Championship and British hopes are being pinned heavily on him being in the mix with 200 meters to go at the upcoming Olympics.
The Olympics though isn't an out and out flat course however and that'll be Cavs biggest challenge. There's been talk that one day the man from the Isle of Man will one day amend his racing style to become more a classics rider and perhaps hang in over some of the tough climbs to put himself in contention by the finish, but right now he's going to have to find a way to stick in there in the Olympic race in a way he couldn't at Gent-Wevelgem.
Still, a big win for Boonen in what is becoming a big season for the Belgian. With three of the big Monuments just around the corner in the Tour of Flanders, the Paris-Roubaix and the Liège-Bastogne-Liège Boonen must surely be a favourite to win at least one of those.
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Evans in yellow again
Following last years Tour de France it is clear that Cadel Evans is getting used to wearing a yellow jersey and holding a cuddly toy upon a podium. The defending Tour champion won the Critérium International by eight seconds over Pierrick Fedrigo and fellow countryman Michael Rogers, spelling out the Australian's good form heading through spring. Given the nature of the 2012 Tour de France Evans will be confident about retaining his title, and wearing the Maillot Jaune on the top step here will only remind him of the pleasure.
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A tip of the hat to Albasini
A tip of the hat to Swissman Michael Albasini who came from relative obscurity to take Green Edge's first ever overall victory by winning the seven stages of the Volta a Catalunya. He thumped second place man Samuel Sanchez by a good 1-30 to take the general classification as other such cycling hero's Daniel Martin, Damiano Cunego, Denis Menchov and Tom Danielson could only battle it out for third place from which they all finished on the same time, 1-32 behind Albasini.
