Former World Champion Tom Boonen of Belgium has pulled out of this month's cycling world championships with a hand injury, his team said in a statement earlier today.

Boonen would have to wear a cast for the next two weeks because of the injury, Team QuickStep said in a statement.

Boonen, the 2005 world champion, won the green jersey for the points classification on the 2007 Tour de France. He also won the Paris-Roubaix race, dubbed the Queen of the Classics, in 2005, 2008 and 2009.

"I'm really upset. The route was perfect for me and the preparation program I was working on would have taken me to the championship in top form," Boonen was quoted as saying in the statement.

The 2011 road cycling world championships are being held in Copenhagen, Denmark from September 19-25. Watch video highlights from the 2011 cycling world championships in the video section right here on Roadcycling.com.