van Vlaanderen, Tom Boonen was asked if it was always the strongest rider who wins the Tour of Flanders. "Yes, most of the time", he said. "In every race like that, it is not always the strongest that wins, but most of the time it is. In Flanders, I can’t really recall one year... Well, I can recall one year..." When asked what year he was referring to, Boonen smiled and replied "No comment". On 6 April, two days before the 2018 Paris–Roubaix, Samuël Grulois of Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (RTBF) asked Boonen if he believed Cancellara had used a motor to beat him in 2010: "Did Cancellara steal the 2010 Flanders due to a motor? Is there any doubt?" Boonen replied "Yes", and added "But it's not for me to say. I finished second, and it's not the one in second who has to say the situation is not normal. It's very difficult to prove because we do not have the bike to check. It's too late". 2011: Close but no cigar This was Cancellara's first year with his new team , which lacked the high caliber domestiques that Cancellara had in the past, meaning that winning would be tougher for Cancellara. His first major race of the year was the Tirreno–Adriatico, where he won the race's final stage which was an individual time trial. Cancellara came to the Milan–San Remo with the hopes of winning the race a second time. He positioned himself in an eight-man breakaway that made it all the way to the finish. As the group approached the finish line, Cancellara was bested in the sprint for the line by Australian Matthew Goss and Cancellara crossed the line in second. Cancellara was seen as the favorite or top contender for the next three one day races – the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen–Harelbeke, the Tour of Flanders, and the Paris–Roubaix – due to his great performance in the 2010 season and his good form in the early portion of the 2011 season. He lived up to his expectations and won the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen – Harelbeke after having several flat tires and a few bike changes, he launched a solo attack with and rode by himself to the finish line for the victory. The next weekend, Cancellara began the Tour of Flanders. He launched an attack with about left to go in the race and caught up