Boonen out of Amstel race

Brussels - World Tour leader Tom Boonen has pulled out of Sunday's Amstel Gold Race with a foot infection.

The Belgian won four major cycling races over the past month to take a big lead in the overall standings but was only considered an outsider for the race in the southern Netherlands, which is geared more to climbers.

Boonen complained of aches and pains over much of his body after winning Sunday's grue-ling Paris-Roubaix cobblestone classic. Still, he wanted to compete in the Amstel Gold Race because this year's world championships will be run over much of the same terrain.