Brussels - Former world champion Tom Boonen on Saturday escaped uninjured after being involved in a car accident en route to the Brussels airport.

A Flamish TV station reported that the accident occurred when the 2005 world champion had to evade an oncoming car and ended up crashing into a tree.

VTM station reported police as saying that Boonen was uninjured but that the car had been damaged.

Boonen, who was banned from participating in this year's Tour de France after testing positive for cocaine in an out of competition test, has previously been in trouble with police over traffic infringements.

He was without fault on Saturday though, VTM said. (dpa)