Five Unknown Facts: Tom Boonen

Five Unknown Facts: Tom Boonen

In January, we kicked-off a season-long series focused on unknown things about our riders. Very likely, everybody is aware how the Etixx – Quick-Step riders came into the sport or what are their biggest results to date, but few or none know what movies and music they enjoy, or where they like to spend their holidays. Here's your chance to find out all these.

Superstitions: It's not that I don't believe in them, but I try to keep myself away of superstitions, because I've seen in the past guys who had a talisman lose it and then going out of their mind. What I do like before a race is to be well-organized and to clear my mind.

Favourite movies: "Se7en", which is one of the most cerebral and well-crafted movies I've ever seen. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt have an outstanding performance, their acting being one of the strong points of "Se7en". The whole movie is shocking, disturbing, gripping and suspenseful, and these make it a masterpiece. You know, it's the kind of film that stays with you for ever.

Favourite TV series: "Game of Thrones", like everybody else in the world. I began watching it a few years ago, and it's the kind of show that transports you in another world. After hearing people talk about it, I had high expectations from the series, and it didn't disappoint me. The grandeur, the plot, the breathtaking visual effects and the cast, all make "Game of Thrones" an outstanding experience.

Favourite book: I like everything Carlos Ruiz Zafon wrote on the Cemetery of the Forgotten Books, as I find the entire series to be thrilling, enchanting and fantastic. Of all the books revolving around it, my favourite one is "The Shadow of the Wind". It's like a movie on paper – gloomy and thrilling – and after reading the first couple of pages I instantly knew that I will love this book. There's no other novel that I'm quicker to recommend than this one.

Favourite holiday destination: I was the really adventurous type in the past, but in the last four years I decided to take it easy. I am a father and everything is completely different now, as my children have become my most important thing in the whole world. Dubai is one place where I like to go with the family, because it's sunny all the time, it's quiet and I get to relax and recharge my batteries.

Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele