After an impressive ride from the Quick-Step Floors team in E3 Harelbeke on Friday, Tom Boonen looked ahead to his final three races - Gent-Wevelgem, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. The 36-year-old wants to sprint for the victory in Gent-Wevelgem. Meanwhile, he played down his chances for a record-breaking fourth win in the Tour of Flanders next week. Boonen feels that his physical characteristics provide him with better weapons to get that record-breaking fifth win at Paris-Roubaix in two weeks time. At the E3 Harelbeke, teammate Philippe Gilbert sprinted for the victory but was beaten by Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet (BMC). Boonen sprinted to an eighth place. `We rode according to our plan. I wasn`t testing myself on the Taaienberg. [...] We were in the ideal position to do something but I figured that it was useless to go flat out to the top. I rode a good pace without acting crazy,` Boonen said after freshening up in the Quick-Step Floors team bus.ADVERTISEMENT He sat down at the entrance, well-wrapped up to protect himself against the cold. `We said before the race that we would try straight after the Taaienberg to get some men up the road, those would be the leaders, being Phil or myself. My first attack was marked by Daniel Oss but he worked along. Then someone came back. Then Phil attacked and they were gone. It proved to be the right tactic to get someone in front as soon as possible and make the others chase us down. It was very hectic, nervous and chaos for everybody. It was hard to organise something out there. I`m pleased with the result we got here. I think Phil will be satisfied too. He rode a good sprint but just got beaten.` When asked about his plans for Gent-Wevelgem, Boonen wasn`t planning to just clock in some miles in order to get ready for the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix. `I`d love to sprint along for the victory in Gent-Wevelgem,` Boonen said, smilingly.
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