BOOM SCORES MAJOR WIN AT PARIS-NICE PROLOGUE

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Boom powered to victory aboard his Giant Trinity Advanced SL Time Trial bike. Cor Vos photo
 
Rabobank’s versatile young talent upsets favourites in prestigious French stage race opener

Less than two months after he won the 2010 Dutch National Cyclo-cross Championship, Rabobank’s Lars Boom proved his versatility once again, winning the opening prologue time trial stage at Paris-Nice. Boom powered his Giant Trinity Advanced SL team bike through the 8-kilometre course in 10:56, 3 seconds faster than runner-up Jens Voigt of Germany.

With the win, Boom secured the yellow leader’s jersey of the eight-day race, which began on Sunday 7th March in Monfort-l’Amaury, just outside Paris, and travels south toward its March 14 finish in Nice.

Known as “The Race to the Sun,” Paris-Nice is viewed as the most important stage race so far this season. Many of the sport’s top stars are competing, including two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, who finished fourth in the prologue, 6 seconds off Boom’s winning time.

Rabobank will begin its defense of the yellow jersey in Monday’s Stage 1, a 201.5-kilometre race south from Saint-Arnout-en-Yvelines to Contrest.
March 9, 2010