Due to problems of a personal nature Tom Boonen was unable to perform in line with his expectations in the Flemish classics last year, but the Belgian rider had to take even harder blow this time around, as Monday's crash pulled him out of competition for next few weeks.

„This injury [shoulder sprain] is worse than a broken collarbone,” Etixx-Quick Step doctor Yvan Van Mol said according to Sporza. „These days, with a [collarbone] fracture riders are back on a bike after 4-5 days and are able to return to competition after next 10 days. [In this case] it's impossible.”

„The joint between his collarbone and shoulder is damaged,” he explained. „The ligaments are strained or damaged. A decision whether Tom needs a surgery will be made after determining a level of this damage.”

„Tom will be out for at least three weeks, and very likely will have to undergo a surgery. But it doesn't make a difference for his appearance in the classics whether he will have it or not.”