Boonen ready

"He's done his homework." Boonen's team manager, Patrick Lefevre, told Reuters.

"Of course Tom is under pressure, but he's had it worse in other years, because then he didn't know if he could win Flanders."

"Now he's succeeded twice, in 2005 and 2006. If he doesn't win it in 2007 then it's not the end of the world, just as long as he's done his best."

Following victories in two warm-up races, Across Flanders and the E3-Harelbeke, the 26-year-old and his Quick Step team are hot favourites for victory in Belgium's biggest bike race.

Success would make Boonen the first rider to repeat Italian Fiorenzo Magni's hat-trick of Flanders wins from 1949 to 1951.

But Lefevre warned that he expected a much more tactical race than in previous years.

"The good weather in Belgium now will make it harder to weed out the weaker riders. Instead of five or six potential winners, maybe a dozen will have their chance," he said.

The course is 259 km long with 18 short but fearsomely steep climbs to break up the racing, making the event usually anything but predictable.

"That's why we've got more than one option in our team," Lefevre added.

"Tom is our leader, but (world champion Paolo) Bettini (of Italy) is there in the wings for us too. So is (former double Flanders winner Peter) Van Petegem (of Belgium)."

"The most important thing for us is that a Quick Step rider wins.""