Etixx - Quick-Step rider Tom Boonen was victorious in the group arrival of Sparkassen Münsterland Giro on Saturday, besting Jans Roy (Wanty - Groupe Gobert) and Nikias Arndt (Team Giant - Alpecin) for the 53rd road win of the season for the team.
The race came back together with 12km to go in the race, bringing back a five-rider breakaway that had a 4'15" advantage with 85km remaining.
"It was a nice race, with a lot of corners and a few cobblestone sections," Boonen said after his win. "So it was a good, technical parcours. We controlled the entire race as a team, with the help of a couple other teams in the peloton. In the final Tony Martin tried to attack, in both the penultimate and last lap of the circuit. However, the peloton caught him. So we prepared for the sprint. The benefit of the circuit was that we saw the finish a few times. So when I entered into a right-hand corner inside the final kilometer, I anticipated and entered from the outside, so I could maintain a high level of speed as I exited. I then launched at around 300 meters to go. I went full gas with the speed I maintained through the corner, and I won. It's always a good feeling to win, and it is proof my condition is there. I now go to Abu Dhabi Tour. I hope to do well there, and try to contest a couple sprints. We'll see what can happen."
