Reigning World Superbike Champion Tom Sykes is 'more motivated' going into this season than in his championship-winning year and it all kicks off at the Almeria test tomorrow.

Sykes, and team-mate Loris Baz, will test at the Spanish track before heading over the border to Portimao in Portugal to join the rest of the WSBK pack.

“Almeria has definitely done us well in the past because it helped set us up for a great season last year. We still have items to test and we can do our job at Almeria. I am looking forward to getting back out there, stretching our legs and re-evaluating things to make our forthcoming season as competitive as possible," said Sykes.

“We will be getting ourselves ready for Australia and round one at these Spanish tests. I am very excited to be defending my world championship in 2014 and I would say that I am possibly even more motivated than I was at the start of last year. In 2013 the pressure was on to achieve. Last year was massive in many aspects of my life, so I was proud the way I handled myself.

“A lot of weight is off my shoulders with the championship victory and becoming a parent after the birth of our first child, so I feel much more relaxed this year. I am with a great team, Kawasaki is a great manufacturer and I know where I stand. I am very excited and motivated to get back on track.”