Boonen on the double in Paris-Roubaix

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2005

ROUBAIX, France (AFP) — Belgian sprint star Tom Boonen of the Quick Step team claimed his second win in as many weeks in the 103rd edition of the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic, the 259km seventh race of the ProTour series.

Race favourite Boonen, winner of last week's Tour of Flanders, outsprinted American George Hincapie and Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha at the line after 6hr 27min 31sec of racing, to become the new leader of the 27-leg ProTour here on Sunday.

Peter Van Petegem of Belgium, winner in 2003 and among the pre-race favourites, was forced out while Italian veteran Andrea Tafi, winner in 1999 and riding the event for the last time, had a puncture on one of the early cobblestone sections in the race dubbed the "Queen of the Classics".

After a series...