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Boonen retains the Flanders title
 Boonen is the first defending champion to win for 33 years. MEERBEKE, Belgium -- World champion Tom Boonen of Belgium won the 90th Tour of Flanders, the second one-day classic of the Pro Tour season. The event was held over 258km between Bruges and Meerbeke. Boonen's victory makes him the first reigning world champion to win the race, known as the 'Ronde', since his legendary compatriot Eddy Merckx, in 1975. The 25-year-old Flemish-speaking Belgian is also the first to defend a Tour of Flanders crown since Eric Leman claimed his hat-trick in 1973, having won the race in 1972 and 1970. Fellow Belgian Leif Hoste came second at just a few seconds behind Boonen, with his fellow Discovery Channel teammate George Hincapie finishing third around a minute later. Last year Boonen had waited until nine kilometers from the finish before attacking a small group of leading riders and going on to win comfortably ahead of Andreas Klier of Germany. This time, a two-man sprint featured at the finish for the first time since Peter Van Petegem took the second of two Flanders victories in 2003. There had been some hesitancy some moments before as Boonen and Hoste approached the final kilometer with a comfortable lead on 12 chasing riders. But after Hoste had thrown down the gauntlet in the sprint, it was effectively game over. Boonen jumped on his wheel, benefited from his slipstream and coasted past with 150 meters to ride to finish on his own. Afterwards, the Belgian superstar, who takes the lead of the Pro Tour series, said he had simply responded to expectations. "I've said all week I was the favorite to win here - I haven't been hiding that fact," he said smiling. Never in dangerBoonen was never in danger in what is a treacherous race and negotiated the 20km of cobblestones and 17 small but steep climbs with relative ease. It wasn't so for some of the 200-strong peloton, many of whom crashed or quickly fell out of contention as the pace took its toll. Some even had to get off and push their bikes up the cobbled climbs as they became clogged with spectators, bikes and riders. After a 14-man leading group of contenders had managed to break clear with 40 km to race, it was Hoste who made the decisive attack on the summit of the Valkenberg, the fourth last of the day's climbs. Given his achievements in midweek when he won the Three Days of La Panne, Boonen was quickly on his wheel and together they quickly opened up a 20-sec lead. It was a perfect scenario for Boonen, who was only too happy to put space between him and Hincapie, Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha and former two-time winner Peter Van Petegem - one of the big favorites. To Boonen's further advantage Bettini and Filippo Pozzato, the recent winner of Milan-San Remo, were in the bunch just behind meaning they could counter attacks and also refuse to take turns at the front of any pursuit. Boonen did most of the work over the remaining 30km as the duo's lead soared to over a minute, and efforts by Italian Roberto Petito and Bettini to close the gap quickly dissipated. Boonen will now be a huge favorite to defend his Paris-Roubaix crown next Sunday, when the full weight of riding over tight, cobbled roads will be felt by the peloton. 
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