Boonen withdraws from Milan-San Remo

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The Omega Pharma-Quick Step team announced today that Tom Boonen will not compete in Milan-San Remo on Sunday after his partner, Lore, suffered the miscarriage of their first child.

"In such a sensitive moment Tom prefers to stay by his partner’s side," the team stated.

"All the athletes, staff, and sponsors of the team want Lore and Tom to know that they support them at this difficult time, and they hope the couple will find the strength to get through this trying experience."

Boonen has twice finished on the podium of Milan-San Remo, first in 2007, when he finished third to Oscar Freire and Allan Davis, and more recently when he was runner-up to Freire in 2010.

He was still seeking his first victory in La Classicissima, especially since the difficult Pompeiana climb was removed from the parcours, but now those ambitions will have to wait another year.