Cycling: Boonen crowned king of classics

ROUBAIX, France - Belgian Tom Boonen asserted himself as the undisputed king of classics when he won Paris-Roubaix cycling tour on Sunday, one week after being crowned in the Tour of Flanders.

At 24, the Quick Step team leader became only the ninth rider in the 103 years of the "Queen of classics" to achieve such a double.

The victory, his seventh of the season, also allowed the gifted rider to take the ProTour lead from Italian Alessandro Pettachi.

"Winning today is more than fantastic," Boonen said.

"I hoped to win either the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix this spring but winning both is incredible. "

Boonen first made an impression on the sport when he finished third in his first Paris-Roubaix three years ago as a member of Lance Armstrong's US Postal team.

This time he beat former teammate, American George Hincapie, and in-form Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha to the line in the world's most renowned one-day race.

- REUTERS