1m 03s and ended the day second overall behind Cancellara. He withdrew during the 13th stage, due to the lasting effects of his crash in the seventh stage. He finished his season with a second place in Paris–Tours, beaten in a sprint of three by fellow countryman and defending champion Philippe Gilbert. 2010 Boonen became third in the Tour of Qatar, winning two stages, then won stage five of the Tour of Oman. He won the second stage of Tirreno–Adriatico, before finishing second to Óscar Freire in Milan–San Remo. Boonen came second to Fabian Cancellara in the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen – Harelbeke, a result replicated at the Tour of Flanders. He came fifth in Paris–Roubaix the following week. Boonen missed most of the rest of the season – including the Tour de France, the Belgian and the world championships – due to tendinitis in his left knee caused by crashes at the Tour of California and the Tour de Suisse. He returned to racing in October at the Circuit Franco-Belge and Paris–Tours. 2011 Boonen began the season by winning the opening stage of the 2011 Tour of Qatar. He won Gent–Wevelgem, came fourth in the Tour of Flanders and dropped out of Paris–Roubaix after crashing. Boonen also crashed on stage five of the Tour de France. His injuries forced him to abandon on stage seven. Boonen fell again in the Vuelta a España, which made him miss the world championship. 2012 Boonen began 2012 season by winning stage seven of his first race, the Tour de San Luis. In February, he won the Tour of Qatar, winning two stages and the points classification, and finished second to Sep Vanmarcke in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Boonen won the second stage of Paris–Nice. He won the E3 Harelbeke and Gent–Wevelgem two days later. He was favourite for the Tour of Flanders, which he won in a sprint against Filippo Pozzato and Alessandro Ballan. His third victory equalled those of Achiel Buysse, Fiorenzo Magni, Eric Leman and Johan Museeuw. His fourth win in Paris–Roubaix equalled Roger De Vlaeminck. Boonen was first to win the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix double twice. He is also the first to win E3 Harelbeke, Gent–Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix in the same year. Boonen returned to racing at the Tour of California. He won the national championship title in June, taking the tricolor jersey from Philippe