Nick Nuyens yesterday finished his first training ride after his heart surgery earlier this week. Barely two weeks after he had to abandon the Bayern Rundfahrt is the issue. 

The 34-year-old Nuyens (Garmin-Sharp) the day before yesterday was still on the operating table at cardiologist Pedro Brugada for minor surgery at a suddenly rising pulse in his wrist.

"Brugada is really an authority in his field. I find it incredible that I can cycle again. Barely two days after surgery, I am very grateful," said Nuyens.

Despite severe heart problems (his heart rate increased to 240 beats per minute), Nuyens never paniced. "I am especially happy that they found something and that I had no drama. I suppose they had found nothing but there was a problem."

Nuyens, who will ride in the Ster ZLM Toer, wants to make the best of his season, and still hopes to close with a number of magnificent performances. 

"I have a palmares a lot of riders would be satisfied with but I have the feeling that there is more in it. I cannot show what I was worth. Through a lot of injuries, I was like a boxer who was hit and could not hit back. Now I want another hit,” said the former winner of the Tour of Flanders.