Boonen battling to be fit for Olympics, Hushovd expected to announce today he won't race in London

Tom Boonen and Thor Hushovd, who both started the Tour of Poland last week with the aim of honing their form ahead of challenging for gold in the Olympic road race a week on Saturday, are both looking doubtful for London. Boonen, who has a fractured rib, will attempt to train later this week, while Hushovd will reportedly announce his withdrawal from the Olympics this afternoon.

Boonen, who dominated the Spring Classics season including winning the Tour of Flanders for the third time and a fourth victory in Paris-Roubaix was confirmed yesterday by his Omega Pharma-Quick Step team as having fractured a rib.

The injury occurred during a crash on Stage 1 of the race, but Boonen battled on for another four days before abandoning.

The 31-year-old, who last month regained the Belgian national road race championship, will now spend three days resting, after which he will attempt to train on Thursday, with his team’s medical staff then assessing whether he should take part in the Tour de la Region Wallone ahead of the Olympics.

"There's nothing more to do than wait and see how the situation will evolve," admitted Boonen.

"I'm sad because my condition is good and I really don't want to lose the chance to participate in the Olympics. On Thursday I will have the answer that I'm waiting for."

Meanwhile, Norway’s TV2 is reporting today that Hushovd is set to make an announcement this afternoon that he will not be competing in London.

The BMC Racing rider has been struggling throughout the season with a viral infection which forced him out of the Giro d’Italia less than a week into the race, but was clearly well out of form during the Tour of Poland which he abandoned on Saturday.

Hushovd had chosen to take part in that race, rather than the Tour de France, to ensure that he was in peak condition for London.

It is unclear exactly what the former world champion is suffering from, although his coach, Atle Kvålsvoll, yesterday told TV2 that it may be mononucleosis or some similar condition.

Today, TV2 reports that Kvålsvoll had declined to give any further update on Hushod’s condition, but said that the cyclist himself would be issuing a statement this afternoon.