Tom Boonen expressed regret for his recent comments about Colnago bikes and publicly expressed his admiration and respect for the Italian brand.

"I am heartbroken that my words were poorly chosen," Bohnen wrote in a social media statement with the hashtag #meaculpa ("my responsibility").

Boonen caused a stir on a recent podcast when he and Dirk de Wolff questioned the aerodynamics of Colnago's frames, summarizing their belief that they could limit two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogachar (UAE Team Emirates).

"Colnago is catching up, but it's still an older bike and they haven't mastered super-hyper-aero yet," Boonen said, noting that there are "many differences" between the bikes of the "top five" manufacturers and the rest.

Colnago issued a statement calling Boonen's claims "baseless" and invited the four-time Paris-Roubaix winner to Italy next week to test the V4Rs top-of-the-line bikes.

On Friday evening, Boonen addressed the issue in a statement on Instagram.

His words were accompanied by an iconic photo from the 1996 Paris-Roubaix race, in which three Mapei riders on Colnago C40 bikes swept the podium side by side.

"When I was young, I dreamed of one day riding a Colnago and winning Paris-Roubaix. It's a shame I never got to ride your bike," the Belgian wrote.

"For me, the Colnago is a symbol of passion and heritage. So when I responded to Dirks' claims on our podcast, I am heartbroken that my words were an inappropriate choice. I have nothing but respect for the #Colnago family and their brand."