Experiencing a season to forget, marred by injuries and crashes, that came just after one of the best in his Professional career in 2012, Classics specialist Tom Boonen is hungry of racing at the top level and cannot help reminding the world of cycling about in almost every single week.

Even though last season the 33-year old Belgian was never able to reach the outstanding form he has shown in 2012, when he had an extremely successful campaign finished with convincing victories in E3 Harelbeke, Gent-Wavelgem, Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders, he used several occasions recently to express his faith, that he would return to his winning ways in 2014, and was strongly supported by Omega Pharma-Quick Step manager Patrick Lefevre

Boonen has confirmed this month that he has undergone an extraordinarily long preparation period prior to the 2014 season, but sorely lacked racing.

His first appearance at the Tour de San Luis after having a long break from racing so far confirms, that the Belgian kicked-off 2014 season with a great motivation and impressive disposition in the very beginning of the year suggests than Boonen will be more than ready to fight for victories in the major Spring Classics.

The support from his Belgian squad was underlined by their tactical approach, when Mark Cavendish himself has led out Boonen in the sprint on stage 3 of the Argentinean event. However 33-year old Omega Pharma-Quick Step rider was only able to finish third behind Nizzolo and Ventoso, he was very pleased with his disposition so early in the season.

“Going into the sprint, I think everything went perfectly, but I think I wanted it too much. I think I went a bit too early,” Boonen said afterwards.

“Cavendish gave me a good lead-out and he still wasn't finished, but I saw the sign and I thought it was a headwind with a three to four percent uphill. I had the sensation that we weren't going fast enough so I just went.

“My legs just blew in the last five seconds. I'm already happy to be there, but if you're doing all those big efforts you want to do something more than 3rd place. But still it's a good sign.”

Since Boonen kicked-off his stellar 2012 season with stage win at the Tour de San Luis, the Belgian, probably considering this year’s first appearance as an almost equally good prognostic, stressed how important it is for him to record strong performances possibly early in the season.

"I like to start my seasons well. More precisely, I need to feel strong. That allows me to work calmly towards the Classics,” he told L’Équipe.

During the off-season Boonen started the collaboration with physician Sam Verslegers, and paid a lot of attention to build his core strength during the winter.

“It’s important to work with people from outside of cycling, where ideas can end up going around in circles,” Boonen said.

“We’ve worked on core strength, the strength in the upper body that we have the tendency to neglect in cycling. It brings gains in your stability on the bike, and your ability to accelerate gently but for a long time.”

He also stressed once again how motivated he is to resume his highly anticipated rivalry with Fabian Cancellara in Spring Classics.

“To be honest, revenge isn't the right term. Motivated would be more correct. I’m in a phase of rebuilding,” he told L’Équipe.

“Slowly, with training, you feel your body respond more and more as you would like, and the more that happens, the more you feel your motivation grow. It’s a feeling that grows and grows, to the point that pinning on your first dossard becomes an urgent need.”