Tom Boonen will be present at the start of today's Scheldeprijs race even if he is suffering from a wrist injury since his crash at the Tour of Flanders. The Etixx-Quick Step rider will have a support role and will test his legs before Paris-Roubaix, as Etixx-QuickStep target victory with sprinter Marcel Kittel.

Boonen crashed with FDJ sprinter Arnaud Demare with 150km left to race in the Tour of Flanders. But according to the medical staff his injury is not serious. "It wasn’t much more than bruising to his finger an thumb and fortunately it didn’t involve the bone. We’re not expecting any further complication and so he can race on Wednesday", team doctor Yvan Van Mol told Het Nieuwsblad.

The Belgian rider won this race in 2004 and 2006. But this year he will not be one the favourites. Indeed, there are a lot of sprinters who hope to win the expected sprint: 2015 winner Alexander Kristoff (Katusha Team), Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal), Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), Sam Bennett (Bora-Argon 18), Elia Viviani (Team Sky) and Andrea Guardini (Astana).

The main goal for Boonen is to test his legs for the next event: Paris-Roubaix. "We don’t have to race differently. We’ve got to keep doing what we do. We’re doing it well. One day an apple will fall off the tree and if it doesn’t happen then that’s that, at least we tried. It’s a race where team tactics can play out the most, our team especially. We’re not worried.”